The Photo Editing Badge allows you to choose a photo editing software or online application of your choice to make edits and adjustments to two photos. You may find the following resources useful in completing this badge.
Choosing an Application
SumoPaint is another “Freemium” and simple photo editor that you can use either online or in a downloaded desktop app. It features a Photoshop-like sidebar, but without the complexity (or breadth of features) of Photoshop or Gimp. It is not as intuitive as PicMonkey, but it does feature a YouTube channel with lots of step-by-step video tutorials in very manageable chunks.
Adobe Photoshop is what professionals use to edit photos. As such, it is very full and dense in its features and can have a steep learning curve. Photoshop is expensive, but available on many computers at BYU. There will be lots of tutorials on YouTube for how to use it, and we recommend starting with some kind of beginner’s overview video to at least get familiar with the tools.
Gimp is a free, open-source, full-featured photo editor with approximately the same level of functionality (and difficulty) as Photoshop. If you want to develop some intense/professional photo editing skills but don’t want to pay for Photoshop, Gimp can be a good choice for you.
Requirement 2.1: Choose Images
- For information on choosing a photo of sufficient resolution, read this article.
- For information on choosing a copyright-appropriate image, see our post on Copyright and Creative Commons.
Requirement 2.2: File Types
Here are some good resources for understanding the file types listed in the badge:
- Choosing between SVG, JPEG, and PNG
- What is the Difference Between a PDF and a JPEG File?
- Difference Between JPEG and PSD
Requirement 2.3: File Conversion
Several desktop programs allow you to convert files from one type to another. These features are usually in the “File” dropdown menu or part of the save dialogue. You can also use an online file converter such as online-convert.com to accomplish this task.
Requirement Section 3: Image Editing
The process for each of the adjustments in this section will be different for whatever program you use. Access online help menus or YouTube tutorials (some of which are listed above in the “Choosing and Application” section) for help with this steps.