5 super-quick iPhoto tips to make your photos even better (2024)

5 super-quick iPhoto tips to make your photos even better

By Rob LeFebvre

5 super-quick iPhoto tips to make your photos even better (1)

iPhoto is a free download for everyone these days, making it a basic bit of kit for anyone dealing with the deluge of photographic data we seem to collect. Still, it’s often overlooked by the best of us because of its limitations.

That’s unfortunate, because the simple program offers some pretty useful features that can quickly let you get on with enjoying your photos rather than tweaking them.

Here are five simple tips for using Apple’s built-in photo “shoebox,” letting you make your photos better and more organized even more quickly.

5 super-quick iPhoto tips to make your photos even better (2)

Copy and paste adjustments

When you make a great adjustment to one photo, you might want to make the same adjustment to another photo, perhaps one taken with the same environmental lighting and camera. While iPhoto won’t let you create a preset like Photoshop does, you can copy and paste your adjustments from one photo to another.

While in Edit mode, go to the Edit menu and select Copy Adjustments in the photo you want to source the tweaks from. Then select the photo you want to apply the adjustments to and select Paste Adjustments. There’s even a keyboard shortcut for each menu item to make pasting to multiple photos a breeze — just hit Option-Command-C to copy and Option-Command-V to paste. Slick!

Edit multiple photos

First up, you can edit multiple photos at once. Simply shift-click (for a contiguous series) or command-click (for a non-contiguous series) all the photos you want to edit, then hit the Edit button in the lower right-hand corner of the iPhoto window. You’ll then get to apply any of the Quick Fixes, Effects or more advanced Adjustments on a per-picture basis, just all in the same window. It’s a time-saver when you need to fix up a few photos at once.

5 super-quick iPhoto tips to make your photos even better (3)

Manually add location data

If you’re fond of geolocated photos and the way iPhoto puts them on a cool map of the world, you’ll be happy to note that you can manually enter this information if, say, your iPhone gets the location wrong or you’re importing images from a dumb camera without a GPS chip in it.

All you need to do is select the photo or photos you want to add location data to, click on the Info button in the lower right of the iPhoto window, then type in the location in the field at the top of the little location box with the map in the right sidebar that appears. Voila! Now all your photos will be included in your geolocation map.

Quick and magical Enhance

The Enhance button is a great way to make a lifeless picture pop. The one-click adjustment magically adjusts your photo for maximum effect without you having to know much about Levels, Saturation or the like. Simply select the photo you want to enhance, click on the Edit button in the lower right, then click Enhance, which looks like a magic wand.

View your unedited photo

Wonder what a photo looks like without all your crazy adjustments? Simply hit the Shift key while in Edit mode — either with one photo or multiple — and iPhoto will show you the original image, with the selected photos losing all the adjustments and enhancements you’ve applied. Pretty handy when you’ve made one (or four) too many fixes and need to make sure it’s not too garish.

It’s the little things that make life pleasant; here’s hoping that these five quick tips make your iPhoto use just that much more useful and fun.

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5 super-quick iPhoto tips to make your photos even better (2024)

FAQs

How do I make my Photos look better on Apple Photos? ›

In Photos, tap a photo or video thumbnail to view it in full screen. Tap Edit, then swipe left under the photo to view the effects you can edit such as Exposure, Brilliance, Highlights, and Shadows. Tap the effect you want to edit, then drag the slider to make precise adjustments.

How can I improve my Photos on my Mac? ›

How to enhance a photo on Mac
  1. Launch Photos from Applications.
  2. Open the image you'd like to work on.
  3. Click Edit in the top-right corner.
  4. Choose Adjust, Filters, or Crop from the top menu.
  5. Adjust your photo using the tool panel on the right side of your screen.
  6. Click Done.
Oct 22, 2022

How can I make my Photos look better? ›

  1. Cropping: Enhance focus and composition. ...
  2. Blurring: Enhance background images. ...
  3. Saturation: Enhance or reduce color intensity. ...
  4. Contrast: Enhance highlights and shadows. ...
  5. Brightness: Enhance overall lighting. ...
  6. Filters: Enhance and correct photos. ...
  7. Arrangement: Enhance your layout with grids. ...
  8. Frames: Enhance image shape and style.

Why do my iPhone pictures look so bad? ›

Keep Steady For Sharp iPhone Photos

If you move your iPhone at all when taking a photo, your image can appear blurred due to camera shake. This is especially common in low light conditions when the camera needs to use a slower shutter speed to allow enough light in to create a decent exposure.

What is the rule of 1 3 in photography? ›

The rule of thirds is a composition guideline that places your subject in the left or right third of an image, leaving the other two thirds more open. While there are other forms of composition, the rule of thirds generally leads to compelling and well-composed shots.

How do I make my phone pictures look professional? ›

How to Take Good Photos With Your Phone: 25 Tips & Tricks
  1. Use gridlines to balance your shot. ...
  2. Set your camera's focus. ...
  3. Use HDR mode. ...
  4. Use natural light. ...
  5. Focus on one subject. ...
  6. Hold your phone still. ...
  7. Consider buying a mobile tripod. ...
  8. Embrace negative space.
Sep 16, 2022

What does brilliance do in Apple Photos? ›

Brilliance: Adjusts a photo to make it look richer and more vibrant, brightening dark areas, pulling in highlights, and adding contrast to reveal hidden detail.

Is Mac best for photo editing? ›

One of the reasons why MacBooks for photo editing are a great choice for today's photographers is their superior color accuracy and image quality. The iMac, for example, offers either a 5K display or a 4.5K display on the 24-inch iMac.

Does Apple have a photo editor? ›

In the Photos app on your Mac, double-click a photo or video to open it, then click Edit in the toolbar. To see the original image, click and hold the Without Adjustments button, or press and hold the M key.

Why do I look so bad in some photos? ›

Perception and the Mirror Image Effect

One of the primary reasons we feel like we look worse in photos is because we're used to seeing ourselves in the mirror. This reversed image of ourselves is how we've come to recognise our appearance, and when we see a photograph, the differences can be jarring.

How can I make a poor quality image better? ›

You should adjust the lighting to maximize the quality of your image. Using a tripod or monopod to stabilize your camera can significantly help to"fix image quality. The good idea is to capture your images in RAW formats, which can reduce damage due to compression and editing, avoiding bad quality.

Why don't I look good in photos? ›

A camera has only one eye, so photography flattens images in a way that mirrors do not. Also, depending on the focal length and distance from the subject, the lens can create unflattering geometric distortions.

How do I make my iPhone pictures clearer? ›

How to Fix Blurry Pictures on iPhone via Photos App?
  1. Open the Photos app on your iPhone and select the blurry image you wish to unblur.
  2. Tap on Edit and slide right on the toolbar on editing tools to select Sharpness.
  3. Now move the slider to adjust the sharpness of the image. ...
  4. At last, tap on Done to save the changes.
Mar 7, 2023

How can I make my iPhone camera quality better? ›

Change advanced camera settings on iPhone
  1. Turn View Outside the Frame off and on. ...
  2. Turn Prioritize Faster Shooting off and on. ...
  3. Turn Lens Correction off and on. ...
  4. Turn Scene Detection off and on.

What makes photos look professional? ›

So, a good way to make sure your photos look professional is to do some degree of editing on them. It doesn't need to be fancy, just a check of the white balance and exposure, noise reduction and sharpening, and adding a little contrast and saturation can do wonders for an image, particularly if you shoot in RAW.

Do professional photographers edit their own photos? ›

Almost all professional photographers (some may not, but certainly most do) edit their photographs. It's a critical step in the process.

What is the golden triangle in photography? ›

We use Golden Triangle compositions to identify main subjects in food photography by using imaginary diagonal lines across the frame. The Golden Triangle consists of a diagonal line that goes from one corner to the opposite corner and two lines from the other two corners that meet that line at a 90-degree angle.

What is the rule of 9 in photography? ›

The guideline proposes that an image should be imagined as divided into nine equal parts by two equally spaced horizontal lines and two equally spaced vertical lines, and that important compositional elements should be placed along these lines or their intersections.

What are the 7 elements of photography? ›

There are seven basic elements of photographic art: line, shape, form, texture, color, size, and depth. As a photographic artist, your knowledge and awareness of these different elements can be vital to the success of your composition and help convey the meaning of your photograph.

How do you see what you really look like to others? ›

Hold two hand mirrors in front of you with their edges touching and a right angle between them like the two covers of a book when you're reading. With a little adjustment you can get a complete reflection of your face as others see it. Wink with your right eye. The person in the mirror winks his or her right eye.

How can I be a good photographer for beginners? ›

Photography Tips For Beginners
  1. Get in close. Zoom decreases your photo quality, but your feet don't. ...
  2. Practice every day. ...
  3. Check for even lighting. ...
  4. Keep an eye out for composition. ...
  5. Keep your batteries charged. ...
  6. Plan out your depth of field. ...
  7. Watch for the golden hour. ...
  8. Stick to the rule of thirds.
Jan 15, 2019

What app makes you look beautiful in pictures? ›

1. YouCam Makeup: Best Beauty Filter App Overall. YouCam Makeup is one of the best beauty filter apps on the market with the most complete beauty-enhancing features to help you create your favorite looks.

Should you smile in a headshot? ›

Yes, you can smile in a professional headshot. However, really, there are no rules. It really depends on the purpose of the photo and the energy, or vibe, that you want to convey.

How to fake a good headshot? ›

Before taking your photo, check your settings to see if you have the “Portrait Mode” feature. If you do have this feature, I could not recommend using this enough. It's a game-changer! This feature will automatically blur the background and make yourself pop, helping to fake that professional look.

Does Apple have beauty mode? ›

Whenever i take a selfie, my 12pro adds some sort of beauty softening effect/filter just like an instagram filter, I see my natural photo and for less than a second the selfie taken goes into a beauty effect bomb.

What can Apple photos look up? ›

With Visual Look Up, you can identify and learn about popular landmarks, statues, art, plants, pets, and more that appear in your photos in the Photos app . Visual Look Up is available on supported models. indicates Visual Look Up information is available for that photo.

What is black point in photo editing? ›

The Black Point is the darkest and most dense black area of your photograph. On a histogram, it's located to the very far left of the scale. When you read that area with an RGB eyedropper, it reads 0,0,0.

Why do so many photographers use Mac? ›

Faster Execution of Tasks

Unlike Windows-operated PC, Mac lets photographers avoid many unwanted hassles and speeds up the processing too. Mac doesn't have the drawbacks of sluggish operation, unwanted pop-up boxes, crashes, complex installations, reloading the operating system, taking a longer time to shut down, etc.

What do people use to edit photos on Mac? ›

Pixlr offers many tools for your Mac free photo editing, including basic photo editing tools and professional photo manipulation ones for Mac users. Inside Pixlr you can use the magic wand tool, the lasso tool and the erase tool which makes you feel you are having the free photo editor like Photoshop.

Do photographers use Macs? ›

The best iMacs are popular among photographers, videographers, and other creatives, because they have lovely screens, and do an amazing job of running resource-hungry editing software like Photoshop, Lightroom, and Premiere Pro.

What is the discontinued Apple picture editing software? ›

Aperture is a discontinued professional image organizer and editor developed by Apple between 2005 and 2015 for the Mac, as a professional alternative to iPhoto. Apple Inc.

Is Lightroom better than Photoshop? ›

A head-to-head comparison.

On a high level, Lightroom is the best tool to manage and process the thousands of photos that live on your devices. Photoshop specializes in greater control to achieve more expansive edits that will help you make a few images look flawless.

Is there an Apple Photoshop? ›

Photoshop on the iPad opens the same files as Photoshop on your desktop (macOS or Windows) using cloud technology, so you can stay in sync across all your devices. Import your raw images directly into Photoshop, make nondestructive edits, and share for comments right within the app.

Why do I look good in real life but bad in pictures? ›

This is because the reflection you see every day in the mirror is the one you perceive to be original and hence a better-looking version of yourself. So, when you look at a photo of yourself, your face seems to be the wrong way as it is reversed than how you are used to seeing it.

Why do I look fat in pictures but not in the mirror? ›

Why do I look fatter in photos than in the mirror? This can generally be attributed to optical lens properties, but other factors include poor posture, hunching, which can diminish the length of your neck and torso, as well as baggy clothing.

Do people look better in real life than pictures? ›

Because of the proximity of your face to the camera, the lens can distort certain features, making them look larger than they are in real life. Pictures also only provide a 2-D version of ourselves.

What makes an image high quality? ›

High resolution images are pictures or photos where the media has higher concentrations of pixels or dots, resulting in better quality and clarity of the image – as it contains more detail. By contrast, images with lower resolutions tend to have fewer pixels or dots and thus less detail.

Why does Walmart say low quality photos? ›

Your images might be too small if you have downloaded them from the web, come from an older model phone or camera, or if you have the settings on your phone or camera set to save images as a smaller size. If your images are too small, there's no way to edit them to make them bigger and maintain the quality.

How should I pose for good pictures? ›

20 Posing Tips for Pictures to Look Photogenic in Every Shot
  1. Relax Your Body and Face. ...
  2. Get Moving and Grooving. ...
  3. Use Real Laughter to Translate Authenticity into Your Photos. ...
  4. Bring Your Ears Forward to Avoid a Double Chin. ...
  5. Put Your Hands on Your Hips. ...
  6. Try a Candid Pose. ...
  7. Turn Your Body Slightly to the Side. ...
  8. Check Your Posture.
Jul 26, 2022

Why do I look so old in pictures? ›

Instead, the volume travels forward and sits more in the jowls or nose area - and when you use your smartphone camera, the lens has a similar effect on the photo. Essentially, the wide angle lens distorts our facial features, and considering how close-up we take most of our selfies, this only adds to the problem.

Why do Apple Photos look blurry? ›

If your iPhone 13 photos are blurry, this is likely because your camera is shifting between lenses when it shouldn't be. To fix blurry photos, enable Macro Control and turn off Lens Correction in the Settings app.

What iPhone app makes pictures look better? ›

With Remini, you can give your grainy, pixelated, damaged, low-resolution photos a new lease of life. Marvel at how stunning they look in clear, sharp high-definition. Over 100 million photos already revitalized. Remini is one of the most popular and beloved photo-enhancement apps in the world.

How do I optimize my Apple Photos library? ›

Optimize storage in Photos on Mac
  1. In the Photos app on your Mac, choose Photos > Settings, then click iCloud.
  2. Select the iCloud Photos checkbox, then select Optimize Mac Storage.

What is the flower on iPhone camera? ›

Now, when Macro Mode is enabled, you'll see an orange flower icon in the lower corner of your viewfinder. Once that flower icon is visible, your iPhone won't engage other cameras or reframe your shot (unless you completely change focus or move your camera around a lot).

Why do my photos look hazy? ›

The most common reason for a blurry photo is an incorrect use of shutter speed. The faster your shutter speed is, the less chance there is for camera shake. This is particularly true when shooting handheld. There is no way that anyone will be able to handhold a camera steady enough at slow shutter speeds.

How can I improve the quality of my iPhone 13 camera? ›

On iPhone 12 models, iPhone 13 models, and iPhone 14 models, the Lens Correction setting adjusts photos taken with the front camera or Ultra Wide camera for more natural-looking results. Lens Correction is on by default. To turn off Lens Correction, go to Settings > Camera, then turn off Lens Correction.

What is the app that makes you look better in pictures? ›

FaceApp is one of the best mobile apps for advanced photo editing. Turn your selfies into modeling portraits using one of the most popular apps with over 500 million downloads to date. FaceApp gives you everything you need to create Insta-worthy edits for free. No more extra tapping on your screen!

Which app do most photographers use to edit pictures? ›

Adobe Photoshop

It's often where Adobe puts its latest state-of-the-art features first, including its AI-powered Neural filters. Photoshop includes the complex layer, masking, text and shape tools, gradients, and filters that professional designers and photographers need.

What apps are used to enhance photo quality? ›

Table of Contents
  • Snapseed.
  • Photo Editor & Collage Maker by BeFunky.
  • PIXLR.
  • FOTOR.
  • Lightroom Moblie App.
  • Enhance Photo Quality (Android and iOS)
  • Lumii (Android)
  • Photo Director.

How do you crisp up blurry pictures? ›

Tips for Fixing Blurry Pictures
  1. Hold your camera still.
  2. Invest in a tripod.
  3. Use a faster shutter speed.
  4. Turn down the ISO.
Feb 22, 2023

How do I make a picture sharper? ›

How to sharpen an image in 4 steps
  1. Upload a photo or drag-n-drop it to the editor in JPG or PNG format.
  2. Select the “Image Effects & Filters” button from the menu above your image.
  3. Use the “Sharpen” slider to enhance the quality of your image.

How do you sharpen Apple Photos? ›

In the Photos app on your Mac, double-click a photo, then click Edit in the toolbar. Click Adjust in the toolbar. In the Adjust pane, click the arrow next to Sharpen. Drag the sliders to adjust the sharpness.

How large can an Apple Photos library be? ›

Apple did not publish a size limit, but since Photos is supposed to be able to open Aperture Libraries and iPhoto Libraries, it should be able to handle libraries with 1000000 photos, if the drive with the library is large enough and you have enough free working storage on your system drive.

How do I get high quality Photos from iCloud? ›

Download Full-Resolution iCloud Photos to Your iPhone and iPad
  1. Open Settings.
  2. Scroll down and tap Photos.
  3. Tap Download and Keep Originals.
Mar 15, 2023

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