How To Edit Photos On Mac
April 26
6 min. to read
Editing photos is something that all photographers do daily. Even if you take a great shot, it can be improved. Your eyes will always see better than your camera, and by editing a photo you can approach this ideal. Editing software is an essential helper. So how can you edit photos on your Mac?
Which software you use all depends on how far you want to go while editing your photos. Some people perform minor retouching. Others want to use a whole arsenal of tools to really up their editing game. Let’s review a few editing apps and teach you some simple steps to edit photos on Mac.
Editing software for Mac
Photos
You can use Mac’s built-in image editor, Photos, for some simple editing. Its basic functions include cropping, adjusting lighting and color, and setting the white balance. It’s free, but it’s basic.
Photoshop
A more professional tool is Photoshop. It can really make your photos look professional, but it requires a lot of time to master. Also, you’ll have to pay for a monthly subscription.
Luminar
Luminar Neo by Skylum has all the right tools and a simple user-friendly interface. With Luminar, you’ll never have to wonder how to edit photos on Mac again. Both professionals and beginners use Luminar and are happy with the results. You can buy it once and enjoy it forever.
General editing tips
Step 1: Transfer photos
Before you edit photos on your Mac, it’s best to transfer your photos manually from your device through a USB cable. Sharing photos through the cloud or sending them as file attachments may decrease their quality.
Step 2: Open edit mode
Your Mac comes with an app called Photos. In this photo editor for Mac, open edit mode and get started.
Step 3: Adjust the basics
Now it’s time to play around with your picture and actually edit photos on your Mac. There are a lot of things you can do. Start by cropping out unwanted details. Then straighten the picture if the angle isn’t right. Add a little bit of color. Adjust the brightness and contrast and increase the saturation, making your details and colors pop. You can also adjust temperature and tint to add an artistic effect to your colors.
Step 4: Use more tools
There are a lot of effects that you can use to amplify your results. In Photos, effects include Black and White, Antique, Boost color, Matte, and Vignette. Combine them and use them in the most effective way according to your needs.
How to make photos look vintage on your Mac
You might think this all sounds easy but you’re still unsure how to edit pictures on your Mac in practice. Let’s describe in detail how to make photos look vintage. You can try a variety of methods.
Method 1Pay attention to your subjects. Find some old clothes or old-fashioned furniture. Taking close-up shots of jewelry may work too. If you don’t have any, you can focus on architecture, taking pictures of old buildings in your town.
Method 2Adjust your photo manually by playing around with contrast, brightness, sharpness, and other tools. Old photos tend to be grainy and have less detail. They also fray and yellow, so use some fading tools. Vignetting is a great way to add a vintage feel. You can also use any other aging effects of your liking, adding anything that resembles spots, dust, and damage.
Method 3Use Luminar presets. There are a variety to choose from, and it will be a piece of cake to make your picture look vintage in just a few clicks.
We hope that this article was useful and helped you learn how to edit pictures on a Mac. The Skylum team wishes you good luck and happy shooting!
