Image Editing & Graphics Basics

Photos are made of tiny squares of color called pixels. Image editors give you select tools (marquee and lasso), sliders, brushes, a fill bucket, a color picker, layers, and filters that change those pixels. A few small edits can turn a so-so snapshot into a clear, readable image — but heavy edits can also change the story a photo tells.

The Editor Toolbar

• Crop — trim the edges to remove clutter and focus on the subject.
• Brightness — make the whole picture lighter or darker.
• Contrast — increase the difference between light and dark areas.
• Saturation — boost or mute how strong the colors look.
• Eraser — remove a small part of the image.
• Filter — apply a ready-made style, like black & white or a vignette (dark edges), in one click.

A Simple Editing Order

1. Crop first — pick the best part of the image.
2. Adjust brightness so the subject is easy to see.
3. Add a little contrast to make details pop.
4. Tweak saturation so colors look natural, not cartoonish.
5. Add text or a filter only if it helps the message.

Edit With Honesty

• Small edits (brightness, crop, contrast) are normal cleanup.
• Heavy edits that change a person or event can mislead viewers.
• If an image is altered for a story, say so in the caption.
• Never edit a photo to embarrass or trick someone.