Image Enhancement Online Tools and Techniques to Try in 2022
Have you ever taken a great photo and then noticed a shadow in the background? Or perhaps you wanted to resize the image without losing quality?
These issues are more common than you think. For example, high-resolution images are sharp and crisp, but you may not be able to use them on social media, eBay, and other platforms. If you try to resize the image, it may become distorted or blurry. The same can happen when you crop or edit your photos.
One solution is to use professional image enhancement tools rather than the photo editor on your phone. If, say, you want to clean up your pictures or upscale images, Pixelcut will do the trick. Plus, it's easy to use and gets the job done in seconds.
Whether you wish to adjust the saturation and lightness, create a new background, or retouch your photos, there's an app for that. However, not all tools are created equal, and some involve a steep learning curve. You also need to consider your photo editing skills and how the images will be used.
Ready to give it a try? Let's explore the most popular image enhancement online tools and techniques to improve your product photography.
What Is Image Enhancement and Why Does It Matter?
Photography is an integral part of modern life. Images have the power to capture memories, drive sales, and increase a product's perceived value. They are crucial to marketing, PR, and other business activities, influencing customer behavior and purchase decisions.
According to a 2020 survey, 21% of consumers would like to see a product in action before purchasing it. What's more, image quality has a greater impact on their purchase decisions than the cost of the product and other factors, such as online reviews and shipping fees.
Given these aspects, it makes sense to optimize your product photos for Etsy, Amazon, eBay, or whatever platform you sell on. You can't just take a bunch of photos, adjust their size, and expect customers to buy your products. Like with most things, it's all in the details.
For example, eBay recommends taking high-resolution photos to make sure they look great on any screen size.
Ideally, choose a white background and use soft, diffused lighting. Don't forget to crop and resize your product images as needed. For more information, see our tutorial on how to take photos for eBay that sell.
You may use the photo editor on your smartphone or tablet, but the results will be far from perfect. A smart option is to edit your images with a professional photo enhancer.
Pixelcut, for instance, uses artificial intelligence (AI) to automatically remove the background from an image. Plus, it has all sorts of tools and templates that will make your product photos pop.
Image enhancement is all about using such tools to improve photo quality.
For example, you can sharpen specific areas of an image to highlight the small details, such as an embroidered sleeve or the type of fabric, explains FESPA. Photographers also use image enhancer tools to improve color accuracy, adjust the contrast, increase the brightness, and add finishing touches.
These steps are meant to make the original picture more suitable for the intended use. You can upload the same images on Etsy, Amazon, and Poshmark, but you may need to adjust them for each platform.
Likewise, it makes sense to edit your photos based on the look and feel of your store, among other aspects.
Image Enhancement Online Tools You’ll Want to Try Out
Chances are, you have hundreds of product photos that look less than perfect. Some might be good enough for Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist, but you can't really use them on Etsy or eBay.
Most platforms have strict quality standards and may only allow images of specific sizes and formats. Things get even trickier when you want to build a visual brand or sell in a competitive market like women's apparel or home decor items.
For example, you may need to crop your photos to a specific size or resolution before posting them on your website or third-party platforms.
Some images may require further edits, such as upping the contrast or changing the background. You may also want to edit your photos to make them clearer, remove the blur, eliminate blemishes, or reduce digital noise.
While there are dozens of ways to enhance an image, some require technical know-how or more advanced tools. You could use Photoshop to warp images or create surreal artwork, but do you really need these features? Probably not.
What you want is a simple yet powerful tool that can streamline photo editing, allowing you to create professional-quality pictures for online marketplaces or social media.
With that in mind, try these quick, simple ways to enhance images like a pro:
- Cropping
- Background removal
- Upscaling
- Color correction
- Image sharpening
- Object removal
- Layering
- Typography
- Framing
- Filters and special effects
Knowing when to use these techniques can make all the difference. There are instances where you may not need to frame or layer your images, but you might still want to adjust the color intensity or hue.
That said, let’s see how and when to apply these techniques to get professional results.
Use Case #1: Crop and Clean Up Your Photos
Cropping allows you to change the perspective of an image and remove unwanted objects.
If, say, you took a long-distance shot of a person, building, or landscape, you can crop the photo to change its focus or make your subject stand out.
For example, cropping an image of a person working on a laptop would allow you to bring either the subject or the laptop in focus. You can also use this method to remove unnecessary details that take away the focus from your subject.
To crop a picture, use the Pixelcut app or the photo editor on your phone. Upload your image and play around with the cropping tool until you get the desired results.
Use Case #2: Remove or Change the Image Background
Online retailers use white or neutral backgrounds for product photos to make their items stand out.
You can photograph a dress, a laptop, or other objects on your bed or table and then use image editing tools to erase the background. It's a quick, simple way to remove distracting elements and give your pictures a professional feel.
Pixelcut is an AI-powered background removal tool that gets the job done in seconds. Simply follow these steps:
- Head over to the Pixelcut website
- Click Tools on the top-right side of the page
- Select Background Remover
- Upload your photo and let Pixelcut do its magic
Alternatively, install the Pixelcut app on your smartphone or tablet so you can edit your photos on the go. Better yet, sign up for the Premium version, which supports batch editing.
You can also use Pixelcut to change the original background or add special effects. See our guide on how to edit a photo background in minutes without sacrificing quality.
Use Case #3: Upscale Your Images to Achieve Higher Resolution
High-resolution photos have more pixels per inch (PPI) than low-resolution images, and, therefore, the image is clearer and sharper.
The problem is that if you try to enlarge a low-resolution picture, the image becomes distorted. Think about the photos saved on your phone. The more you zoom in, the blurrier the picture gets.
A low-resolution image that looks great on smartphones or tablets can look terrible on large screens, such as desktop PCs and laptops. That's a no-no if you plan to use that photo on online marketplaces like eBay or Amazon.
Luckily, Pixelcut and other apps can increase photo resolution without affecting image quality.
For example, Pixelcut's AI-powered image upscaler will automatically enlarge your pictures by 2x or 4x in a matter of seconds. The best part is, it won't remove any details or textures as other tools do. Did we mention it's free?
Pixelcut doesn't "stretch" the pixels to increase image resolution. Instead, it uses its AI-powered algorithm to add new pixels, which allows it to double or quadruple the size of your pictures while maintaining their quality. This feature is known as super-resolution (SR).
Use Case #4: Adjust Image Color and Tone
Color correction is one of the most important post-processing techniques, as it allows you to capture the true colors of an object, landscape, or whatever you're shooting. Depending on your needs, you may adjust the hue, saturation, brightness, or other elements.
If you use your phone or a budget camera to take photos, the colors might be out of balance or look faded. This may be due to the image sensors, the lighting, and other factors. Your camera’s white balance control will fix these problems to some extent, but you still need to edit the photos yourself.
For example, you can increase the contrast to highlight your subject or specific areas of an image. This technique can also be used to create a dramatic effect or more dynamic images. A lower contrast, on the other hand, is more suitable for portrait photography.
To get started, download the Pixelcut app on your iOS or Android device and upload the image you want to edit. Next, click Image and select Adjust.
From here, you can modify the following:
- Brightness: Make your photo brighter or darker
- Contrast: Adjust the difference in tone or color
- Saturation: Increase or reduce color intensity
- Vibrance: Enhance the intensity of muted (low-saturation) colors
- Temperature: Add warmth or coolness to a photo
- Tint: Add color tints to images for an artistic effect
You also have the option to adjust the opacity of an image or layer. There’s a button called Opacity next to the color adjustment tool.
If you want to turn black-and-white photos to color, head over to the Pixelcut website, click Tools, and use the Image Colorizer feature to bring your pictures to life.
Use Case #5: Adjust the Sharpness for a Cleaner Look
When comparing photo enhancer tools, choose one that allows you to adjust the sharpness and remove blur from photos. These techniques can improve image quality by emphasizing the texture and drawing attention to your subject.
Image sharpening is one of the best ways to emphasize the small details, fix motion blur, and increase the contrast where it's most needed. The result is a crisper image with more detail and vibrant colors.
Pixelcut doesn't have an image sharpening tool, but it lets you adjust the blur intensity, saturation, contrast, and other elements. For example, you can achieve sharper images by increasing the contrast and saturation and using noise reduction software, such as:
Alternatively, you can try Adobe Lightroom, Topaz Labs Sharpen AI, or Focus Magic for image sharpening, but these tools involve a learning curve.
Use Case #6: Remove Unwanted Objects or People from Photos
The media is flooded with hilarious photo fails, and many of these goofs are the result of poor Photoshop skills. However, there are cases where a great picture gets ruined by passers-by, birds, pets, and other distracting elements.
One way to fix these issues is to crop your photo, but this option may or may not work. Alternatively, you can use Pixelcut to remove unwanted objects, people, or text from images with the Magic Eraser.
Simply upload your photo to the Pixelcut website or app, slide your finger over the objects you want to remove, and save the final version in .png, .jpg, .jpeg, or other formats. This feature also allows you to clear up blemishes in selfies and close-up shots.
Use Case #7: Add Layers to Bring Depth to Your Pictures
Layering is a compositional tool that can make your photos look more engaging and sophisticated. You can use it to create the illusion of depth, add details to a visual story, achieve a gradient look, and much more, explains professional photographer Chris Parker.
This technique is quite complex and takes years to master, but you can learn it through practice.
For starters, experiment with Pixelcut's image layering tool. After installing the app, upload your image, select Layers, and then add creative frames, stickers, overlays, and other elements. You can also combine multiple photos to create collages, animated stories, or image sliders.
There are other more complex tools for image layering, but Pixelcut is the easiest to use. Plus, it features dozens of templates and special effects that make photo editing a breeze.
Use Case #8: Add Text to Photos and Tell Compelling Visual Stories
Typography is widely used in graphic design, but it also plays a key role in editorial, commercial, and product photography. It's a fantastic way to bring your narrative to life, tell compelling visual stories, and create eye-catching pictures.
If, say, you want to sell a backpack you no longer use, consider taking a series of photos that show you wearing the backpack in different locations, such as on the beach or in a vibrant city. Add a brief caption to each image to tell its story and evoke emotions in your customers.
Note, though—eBay doesn’t allow photos with text or watermarks, so remember to check its picture policy before you upload images. However, it’s perfectly fine to add text and captions to the photos on your e-commerce store and some third-party platforms like Poshmark and Amazon.
To use this technique, log in to your Pixelcut account and upload the photo you want to edit. Click Add Text and then choose the font and text color. Slide your finger to position the text over the image. It's that simple!
Use Case #9: Add Frames to Draw Attention to Your Subject
Framing your images can be a great way to create the perception of depth and draw attention to your subject. Moreover, this technique can add context to an image and keep things organized, notes Digital Photography School.
Depending on your purpose, you can either add a digital frame or use a window, tree branches, arches, or other real-life objects as a frame. The latter option works best, but it may be out of your reach.
If you open the Pixelcut app and upload an image, you'll see a button called Frame. Click on it to change an existing frame or add a new one. Another option is to select a pre-built template and customize the frame (if applicable). Sometimes, a single line will be enough to make your photo pop.
Use Case #10: Experiment with Filters and Special Effects
Filters and special effects enable users to saturate or stylize images with the click of a button. These tools can also create a vintage look, convert color images to black and white, increase warmth, and more.
Professional photographers see them as correction tools, while novices use them to enhance their images. Generally, filtered photos get up to 21% more views and 45% more comments than those without filters.
Let's say you want to photograph a shirt or blouse and sell it on eBay. When you check the picture, you notice some wrinkles and creases.
In this case, it makes sense to apply a filter to visually smooth out the texture and make your photos look professional. There's also the option to add special effects or create digital art, depending on how you plan to use the image.
Pixelcut features an impressive selection of filters and special effects, including retro filters, film-like filters, sepia, glow, lens flare, and more. Plus, the app is constantly updated with new options for fashion photographers, Instagrammers, and online retailers.
Use Pixelcut to Up Your Photography Game and Create Professional Images
While it's true that photo editing requires some technical expertise, you don't have to be a pro to create stunning images for your website or online store. Anyone can use Pixelcut's AI image enhancer to upscale, crop, resize, and enhance photos in a matter of seconds.
What makes Pixelcut stand out is its versatility and ease of use. Compared to other photo editing tools, it has less of a learning curve and a lot more features.
As far as pricing goes, the subscription fee for Pixelcut Pro starts at $9.99 per month, but you can also purchase Pixelcut Credits and use them as needed. But first, try out the free version and experiment with the Magic Eraser, the Background Remover, and other cool tools.
Think of Pixelcut as an all-in-one photo editing tool and online image enhancer for professionals and hobbyist photographers alike.
It's quick, smart, and intuitive, offering everything you need to create product photos that sell. Plus, it features an impressive library of templates, backgrounds, fonts, filters, and special effects that will save you hours of work.
But don't just take our word for it. Download the Pixelcut app and leverage its features to take your photography game up a notch!
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