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Taking a So-So Photo and Making it a Great Photo

Reblogger
Real Estate Agent with Get Results Team...Just Call (408) 252-8900! . DRE #00901962 . Licensed to Sell since 1985 . Altas Realty DRE# 00901962 Lic.1985

Kris is a talented lady with an eye for photographic art. Even if you are not naturally artistic, her tutorial on using www.picnik.com and Taking a So-So Photo and Making it a Great Photo is well worth checking out.

Some of these lessons you may remember from PhotoShop or Publisher. However, it's a lot more inspirational when you can see her amazing photos!

Original content by Kristine Ginsberg

Taking a so-so Photo and Making it a Great Photo

 

So you take a photo and download it to your computer only to find it didn’t come out as you had hoped – lighting’s not good, it’s crooked, washed out or it’s too dark, not a lot of vivid colors. We’ve all been there, but there is hope and that is where Picnik comes to the rescue!

 

Below you will see how I took a bleached out, crooked photo and turned it into a great photo....

 

1.  Go to Picnik and you will see “upload photo” – you can upload up to 6 at a time - hold the CTRL key and pick your photos.

 

2. Now you’ll see all six photos – click on the one you want to edit and it automatically brings it into edit mode – see option bar above your photo.

 

3. If your photo is crooked, click the “Rotate” icon. You will see in my example below that I needed this feature. Now you will see a “Rotate” and a “Straighten” bar – (Ignore ROTATE – that’s not what you want.) slide the straighten bar until your photo is perfectly straight using the automatic graph that pops up.

 

4.  Next you can “Re-size” – I like 900 horizontal - (Picnic automatically proportions the photo) so I don’t lose clarity, but that’s just me.

 

5.  Next I “Crop” if necessary – you can always undo this but I crop most of my photos for better detail of my subject.

 

6. Next, go to “Exposure” and “Colors” icons– (again, they are found above your photo.) I always start with "exposure" and play around with it and then go to "colors". (You can use Auto Fix on the left side, but I usually don’t like the results and do it manually – you learn more this way.  

 

7.  Play around with it until you get the feel – you can always click the “Undo” button on the right side if you don’t like it and start over. (I don’t use “Sharpen”, haven’t had great results.)

 

8When you are done editing your photo, click on “Create”. To keep this simple this is where I add my signature by clicking on “Text” – 3 icons over from the left and a box appears. Choose a font and color and write your text. It will appear in the middle of your photo - drag it to where you want it to go and click outside the box and you’re done.

 

9.  Next you can Frame it (click the “Frame” icon – 6 over from the left – again, above your photo. I usually use “Museum Matte”, but there are plenty of options so play around with it until you find one you like – again, you always have the option to “Undo” and start again.

 

10. Now click on “Save and Share” and download your new photo back to your computer. You should now have a framed, beautiful photo that you love. The more you do this, the better you get at it – trust me on this one!

 

Original photo:

 

 

First I straightened and cropped and then the fun part....

 

While still in edit mode, I used "Exposure"  making the photo darker and added "Contrast". Next I enhanced my picture using "colors" which brings up "Saturation" and "Temperature". When I was done I hit "Okay" icon on the left side, Then I clicked "Create" and added my signature and frame (Museum Mate) and changed the inside color to green for effect.

Here is the final result....

 

 

One more example - same process...

 

 

 

 

These are the basics and I'll do another more technical post on enhancing your photos in the future, but you will get outstanding results with the information I've given you!

 

Best of luck to all and I’ll be on the lookout for some fantastic photos from all of you!  

 

 

Home Staging Morris County - Kristine Ginsberg

Elite Staging and Redesign (201)602-2562

When you're looking to sell quickly and for top dollar, Elite Staging and Redesign of Morris County knows how to get the job done right. We will use proven techniques to create warm, inviting, updated spaces that will appeal to the masses. In today's competitive market, every home can use an edge and that's what Elite Staging is all about.

Home Staging Website: Elite Staging and Redesign

Morris County Staging Before/After pictures: Portfolio

Email: Kris@elitestagingandredesign.com

 

 

           

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Aloha & God Bless You, 

Michelle Carr Crowe Just Call 408-252-8900 sign image

 

Michelle Cherie Carr Crowe Real Estate Team

Real Estate Agent . Author . Coach

DRE #00901962 . Licensed to Sell since 1985

P: Just Call ... 408-252-8900
F: 408-947-1585
E: GetResultsTeam@gmail.com

Altas Realty . DRE#01526983

1190 S. Bascom, #118, San Jose, CA 95128

www.MichelleJudyCarr.com

Michelle Cherie Carr Crowe and her "Get Results Team" (established by the late legendary Silicon Valley super agent Judy Carr) are known as the "Lynbrook and Cupertino Schools Experts." Coaching clients to success is Michelle's passion, making her and her team creative catalysts for positive change in people's lives. She is a Silicon Valley-based multi-million dollar real estate consultant, author, coach and trainer who works by referral only.

Her designations have included: Accredited Buyers Representative (ABR), Accredited Consultant of Real Estate (ACRE), Accredited Luxury Home Specialist (ALHS)Accredited Staging Professional (ASP)Certified Distressed Property Expert (CDPE),  Property Marketing Expert (PME), Real Estate CyberSpace Specialist (RECS), and Senior Real Estate Specialist (SRES).

Michelle is an internationally-published freelance writer with over 1,200 traditional articles published in print and online, co-author of two books on Silicon Valley-specific real estate as well as over 68,000 blog posts on Blogger, ActiveRain, Examiner, FaceBook, Realtor, Trulia, RealBird and others. She enjoys reading, traveling, animals, nature, family, dancing, staging, consulting, coaching and praying. Check out her blog at www.activerain.com/results or visit her online at www.michellejudycarr.com. For RE$ult$ ... Just Call ... (408) 252-8900.

 

Comments (2)

C. Lloyd McKenzie
Living Albuquerque - Albuquerque, NM
Living Albuquerque

Michelle,

Thanks forre-blogging.  Those are amazing photos. 

Jul 04, 2011 09:09 AM
Dale Baker
Baker Energy Audits and Commercial Properties Inspections - Claremont, NH
New Hampshire Relocation Real Estate Information

Howdy and morning Michelle

Michelle my friend
,
this here sure was a mighty fine blog post pick to re-blog. Picnik sure is a mighty fine site for folks to use. Its sure to bad its going not going to be around after the 19th of April 2012.

Have a good one
Dale in New Hampshire

Feb 23, 2012 05:18 PM