A not-so-great photo editing software conundrum

[Farmer X]

Nearly every photo I've posted hereabouts has been taken with a Samsung Galaxy A11 and edited with Adobe Photoshop Express. That's going to have to change sooner or later. The Galaxy A11 is getting increasingly aggravating to use, and it's nearing four-and-a-half years old. I have no idea how much longer it'll hang in there or when I'll get sick of dealing with it. I installed Photoshop Express on a much newer phone, only to be unpleasantly surprised with an ugly watermark of Adobe's choosing.

As I see it, I have three choices: battle with Adobe about transferring my existing settings to a new device, find different phot-editing software, or stop sharing photos. More than the copyright watermark is at issue here; rarely am I satisfied with a photo as it's captured by the camera, and the little smurf tends to rotate photos. It's worth noting that I previously tried other photo-editing software, with dismal results.

Any and awl thoughts, advice, and suggestions are welcome.

As an aside, I'm thinking about buying a Raspberry Pi again. So photo-editing software than would work with one of those is desirable.

[Barry Rowland]

I've been using Snapseed for the last few years with good results.  Adobe frustrates me for numerous reasons.  Snapseed is also free, and works well here.

[Echotech]

Not sure if this is any help but I use the built in tools to edit and then use a free photo compression app to get them forum friendly. I’m using an iPhone so probably no point telling you which app but would guess something similar available for Android

As I mostly look at MTo on my phone I don’t notice too many problems with anyone’s pics, more that the forum cuts most of the pic out until I click on it

Tapatalk is now unusable unfortunately as that was a lot easier with no photo compression needed

Anyway Dan we’ll miss you so hope you find a satisfactory solution

[IMR4198]

  I generally do any photo editing on a computer.  Sometimes I post from my Android phone (Pixel 6a) but the photos are always too big to post.  Generally, in the 2 to 4mB range.  I use a free photo compression app called Compress Image to resize the photos down into the sub 500kB range.  It is a little hinky to use until you get the hang of it.  It has ads and stuff.  Best wishes.  G
 

[nate j]

iPhone here, but my quick & dirty method is to:

1.  Use the built-in photo editor to do any rotating, cropping, etc.  If I remembered to stand back a bit from my subject when taking the photo, cropping it will often reduce the size enough to post.  If not…

2.  I email the photo to myself.  The mail client automatically prompts for what size photo to send, providing several options.  I just pick the largest one under 512 KB and then hit send.

[Antti Lammi]

On Android i recommend using Open Camera (free and without ads) and set picture size to full HD (1920x1080).
i use that when i need to take pic to forum. Picture size enough close to 512kb so i dont need to resize picture smaller or crop it.

[Whoey]

The samsung gallery app has good basic editing, Google photos also has some tools, but as I have the google one subscription I have even more options.

I had snapseed for a while but most of my edits are minimal and can be easily done in the default gallery apps on my Samsung devices.

[PitCarver]

For the most part I use this photo editing app;

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.iudesk.android.photo.editor

While it may not do everything I've been using it for most of my edits.

When I need to remove something from a photo I resort to this photo retouch app;

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.advasoft.touchretouch

While there are definitely many stand alone apps that can do this I find that overall they're too complicated for this old guy.

[Grant Lamontagne]

Ignore all of the advice from everyone else here.  They are all wrong.   

When you replace your phone, get a Pixel phone.

I have absolutely no photography skill whatsoever but the Pixel camera makes me look like I'm some kind of Van Gogh... at least if he took photos instead of cutting off his ears.

I then use Image Shrink for Android to shrink photos to 800x600 which are then suitable for the forum.

For examples, you can see that my social media photos are significantly better after September of 2023, when I got the Pixel.  And then they improve rapidly after that as I learned to use some of the basic features of the camera, particularly the Portrait feature that gives you a shallow depth of field automatically, blurring the background and keeping the tool in focus (mostly).

Social Media Stuff

It's not perfect, but it really made me look quite competent.   

Or you could read everyone else's suggestions, learn how to do it properly and have a valuable life skill if short cuts aren't your thing.

Def

[Farmer X]

Damn, I didn't expect so many replies. Thanks, y'awl!

I'll check out all those apps as time permits. As for the Pixel...that's a pass from me. I've had them in the past, and I didn't like how heavily they're tied into Google. (That's the best I can explain it right off the top of my head.)

[Grant Lamontagne]

Damn, I didn't expect so many replies. Thanks, y'awl!

I'll check out all those apps as time permits. As for the Pixel...that's a pass from me. I've had them in the past, and I didn't like how heavily they're tied into Google. (That's the best I can explain it right off the top of my head.)

You do know that Android is Google, right?

And that Samsung is just as tied to Google, but with a few extra strands going to Samsung too?

Honestly I don't think there is any phone nowadays that isn't tied irretrievably to either Google, Apple or Microsoft.  Are Windows phones still a thing?   

Def

[Farmer X]

No, I believe Windows phones went the way of the dinosaur. Sure would be nice if someone came up with a phone that wasn't tied to Google, Microsoft, or Apple right outta the box.

[Grant Lamontagne]

I agree on that.

But given the choice, I think I'd take Google.

And not be happy about it. 

Def

[Farmer X]

It's a losing proposition any which way you slice it.

[AzteCypher]

I really liked my Blackberry when they were around.  I know it wasn't always a fan favorite but I really liked it as a work phone.

[Whoey]

At least in some cases there are degoogled android options, I mean a fresh os replacement.

None of the others have that.

The "stock" android on Google phones is much better than most of the manufacturers overlays, samsung has some great polish on their vision the only unfortunate part seems to be  duplication of certain applications with Google ones, it should have a toggle instead of forcing both.

[kaevin]

I have been on team pixel for a while. Pixel 1, 3A, 5A and now 7. It is just amazing. The built in editing in the photo App is ok most of the time. When needed more tuning as well as resize/shrink down for forum, I use snapseed as Whoey suggested.

Currently there are only 2 camps. Android and Apple. Sure there are Linux based phones like the Pinephone (I own one, it was fun when I had the time playing with Phosh, Sxmo, Arch etc). But the OS and user experience is just not up to the standard.

[Farmer X]

In another thread, it was suggested that I try some freeware programs. I think I'm going to do just that. Should they work out okay, there will be no need to keep more than one cell phone around.

[lister]

I only use open source where I can, so I am stuck with either krita or gimp. While krita is more a digital painting program, rather than photo editing one, I prefer it.

[Farmer X]

Can't believe I'm only just now replying to lister's post. I have played with Irfanware a little more extensively, and I found its ability to correct exposure a little lacking. I'll see if I might have better luck with Krita or GIMP.