Last Updated on November 29, 2022 by Peter Wood
Where can you find some special photo effects and filters? Photoshop is the most versatile photo editor in that you can get all stunning photo effects. It also provides multiple neural filters with AI algorithms. But are there some simple photo editors to achieve similar effects? Whether you need to add photo effects on Windows/Mac or use them on Android/iOS devices, here are the 13 best photo editors to apply the desired effects.
When you need to apply some stunning photo effects with AI algorithms, WidsMob AI Retoucher is a versatile photo editor with AI Style Transfer, AI Cartoonization, AI Retouch, AI Portrait, AI Face Mosaic, Filters, basic photo editing features, as well as the whole series of HSL enhancements, color adjustments, and noise reduction. Moreover, there are multiple editing features to polish the photos easily.
1. Turn photos into cartoons, paintings, sketches, and other photo styles.
2. Provide light lenses, HDR effects, Lomo effects, analog films, and more.
3. Reduce photo noise, recover low light, remove haze, touch up portrait, etc.
4. Adjust settings for enhancements, color adjustments, and noise reduction.
Win Download Mac DownloadIt provides the Classic mode and the Portrait mode for AI Cartoonization. Whether you need to make cartoons from landscapes or portraits, you can always find a suitable one accordingly.
When you need to turn the photos into paintings, AI Style Transfer is always the initial choice, including candy, mosaic, pointillism, neon light, starry night, Udine, and other painting styles.
To touch up the photos, AI Retouch provides advanced AI algorithms for noise reduction, lowlight recovery, and haze removal. Combine the settings with HSL enhancements to get the optimal photos.
As for portrait images, you can use the AI Face Clean to have some basic portrait editing features, like skin softening, skin whitening, shine removal, eye circle removal, and blemish removal.
It not only provides AI photo effects for touching up portraits but also enables you to add blur and mosaic to hide photos. Moreover, you can switch to different faces with AI algorithms.
Note: Besides the special photo effects with AI algorithms, you can tweak the HSL enhancements, color adjustments, and noise reduction settings from the Adjust menu, such as saturation, temperature, tint, and more.
Win Download Mac DownloadThe water reflection effect seems simple. But if you want to create a realistic water reflection effect, it may be more complicated than you thought. The good news is you can make a water reflection effect on any photo, such as landscape photos and character photos.
1. Import the picture: Open the picture to apply the water reflection effect in Photoshop. Go to the Layer menu and choose Duplicate Layer to create a copy for the background layer.
2. Extend the canvas: Select the background layer, unfold the Image menu on the top ribbon, and choose Canvas Size. Then input 100 and 200 in the field of Width and Height, choose percent on the drop-down list and press the square of Anchor. Then click on the OK button to confirm it.
3. Flip the copy layer vertically: Go to the Edit menu, choose to Transform, and Flip Vertical. Put the rotated image under the original image.
4. Create water effect: Select the copy layer, go to the Filters menu, and choose Wave in Distort filter. Adjust the parameters until you get a satisfactory photo effect. Then you can export the result to the local hard drive.
You can also choose the Watercolor Paint action to apply the photo effect directly. It will quickly increase the color contrast, and through the brush and transparency of the watercolor effect for better editing and adjustment, in the use of only RGB mode and 8-bit color images are supported.
It should be difficult to turn the photos into paintings or cartoons, even though Photoshop to produce is not easy, at the same time this effect is a very accurate control of color, to maximize the preservation of the subject color and line content with just one click.
It is more than a photo effect but also an animation effect, the difference lies in the conversion process. It can highlight the characteristics of the product and the personality of the character very characteristically, which provides 5 effects with multiple settings and parameters.
Different from the other watercolor add-ons, Architectural watercolor action is a special photo effect mainly highlighting the sense of lines and simplicity of architecture. It enables you to edit high-resolution photos with realistic sketch effects with advanced editing parameters.
The Disparity Photoshop Action is a two-color contrast photo effect that can be used to give a vibrant and cool effect a two-color contrast. Depending on the color you choose and the image. You need to choose the color mode as RGB with the high-resolution images.
To blur your photos, the fog photo effect is frequently used for post-editing. It will maximize the image to create a sense of atmosphere and the photo effect should be the best choice to create a fog, to provide you with the most perfect effect. But it should be difficult to control.
The photo effect contains more than 80 Bokeh overlay optically captured and isolated sparkling and glowing bokeh images. When you need to add some filters and effects to holidays and weddings, it should be the desired photo effect you should apply with Photoshop.
Bokeh Brush is a very customizable bokeh editor. With the Photoshop effect, there are over 80 different built-in bokeh brushes. All these photo effects are professionally colored to create the perfect atmosphere for your artwork in a supernatural way.
Soft Glitch is a photo effect that applies soft burr texture effects and graphic elements, effects that can add a better sense of atmosphere to the main character in the image, if such an effect is edited using Photoshop, it takes a long time and is very difficult to edit.
When you're looking for a special covering to bring out the desired texture specificity of your subject, then the Plastic Warp Photoshop effect should be your choice. It mimics the covering of plastic to the maximum extent possible as a way to create a unique sense of texture.
When you want to add an irregular mosaic filter to an image, it should be the desired mosaic photo effect, adding a different style to the image with irregular mosaic textures and lines. When you are creating a resolute character, you can add a mosaic effect with one click.
Microsoft continuously improved Windows operating systems. It had included a Photos program for Windows 8. And for Windows 11/10, Microsoft integrated more features in this Photos program and made this program a utility. Windows 11/10 users can use this Photos program to apply filters to pictures.
1. There are multiple ways to open pictures in the Photos program. You can Launch the Photos program and import the images or ask Cortana to open photos with Photos.
2. When you want to apply filters on the picture in Windows Photos, click on the pencil icon at the top right corner to open the photo editor window.
3. Choose the Filters menu on the left side ribbon to evoke a photo filter Windows Photos has six photo filters and two image effects in the Effects menu.
4. Select a photo filter or photo effect, such as black-and-white, vignette, selective focus, and so on. Then unfold the settings menu on the top ribbon and adjust the effect from Strongest to Weakest.
5. If you are satisfied with the result, click on the tick icon at the top of the window to confirm changes.
Apple had built a Photos app for Mac OS. And Mac users could enjoy the same subtle photo filters that Apple introduced for iPhone and iPad. That means you can add photo filters to images without installing third-party applications on a Mac computer.
1. Launch the Photos app on your Mac computer. Then Photos will display all the images on your computer. Find the image you want to add a filter and to open it.
2. Click on the Edit button at the upper right corner of the editor screen. Then hit the Filters menu on the right side ribbon to open photo filters. Select your favorite filter to add to your image.
3. The preview panel will show you the result in real time. After adding the filter to your image, you can click on the Adjust icon to reset saturation, contrast, and other parameters.
4. During the process, you can use the Cancel button to discard the changes at any time; if you are satisfied with the result, click on the Done button on the top of the screen to save the changes.
By default, the Photos app will update the original image with the one-added filter.
The Black and white effect could turn an ordinary photo into art. Some professionals apply the black and white photo effect to a part of the picture to highlight some subjects in the image. Here we intend to share how to create a black and white photo effect online.
1. Access BeFunky in any browser and choose Photo Editor on the home page. Unfold the UPLOAD menu and upload the image from any input source.
2. When you open the image, press the Effect icon on the left side and choose BLACK & WHITE. Press Black & White 1 to apply this effect on your photo. Then hit the Settings icon on Black & White 1 effect.
Go to the Paint tab and select ERASE option. Draw on the subject to erase the black and white effect. Click on the tick button to confirm changes.
Then you can save the output to a computer or cloud service.
Online photo editors usually support uploading the output to social networks directly. You can get more black and white photo editors here.
Almost every Smartphone user has a photo editor app on the device. Photo effects apps are popular photo editors among young people. Before sharing photos to social media, they can help us apply various photo effects on the images and make them unique. So, a photo effects app is a powerful tool to make your stories attractive.
But what a good photo effects app should be?
First, it should have extensive photo effects and filters. Moreover, it should have the capacity to add photo effects to the photos without damaging quality. If a photo effects app integrates social media interfaces, it will be more convenient.
Want to learn this tool and more photo effects tools?
Now, check the following 8 apps to help you create photos with photo effects.
We always said a good photo should be clear; however, the blur effect is unique. This photo effect allows you to blur a part of the picture or the whole background. Then audiences will focus on the subject highlighted in the photo. If you want to apply the blur effect on an Android phone, follow the details below.
1. We use a photo editor called Point Blur. You can explore the other photo editors’ potential with this guidance.
2. Open the picture you want to apply blur effect into this app. Locate to the bottom of the screen. All editing option is to blur the entire photo.
3. We choose the Touch tool to blur the background only. Draw the photo background to make it blurry. If you blur the subject mistakenly, you can use the Clear tool to reverse it.
4. Then touch the Save icon to save the result to the photo gallery.
Note: Get to know more methods to blur a picture? Just read how to add a blur effect to photos.
Silhouette photo is another creative photo effect to make photos great. It is easy to create silhouette photos on Smartphone. All you need is some photo effect apps, like Silhouette.
1. Open the Silhouette app on your iPhone and select the picture you want to edit by pressing the Camera button.
2. When the image is loaded, this app will create a silhouette effect by default settings. Then you can start editing it with Edit Items, like replacing the background of the silhouette photo, changing the colors of the silhouette area or photo background, and more.
3. After adding the photo effect, press the Save button to export the result to the camera roll.
Photo Effects Pro is a dedicated tool for applying photo effects to your photos. The features of the photo effects app include:
1. It offers more than 40 filters and effects to make any photo funny, stylish, or art.
2. You can add stickers or text to your photos.
3. This app is also a good photo editor that could crop, rotate and adjust photos.
4. After applying filters, you can share the results to social networks, such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Flickr, and more.
Pros
1. This app is free to download in Play Store.
2. Photo Effects Pro allows you to preview and undo filters at any time.
Cons
1. It does not support iOS devices.
BeFunky is an all-in-one photo effects app. If you need a versatile photo editor, it is a good choice. Its basic features include:
1. It has dozens of photo effects and filters, like Vintage, Pop Art, Instant, Summer, and more.
2. The retouching feature could help you correct and enhance your photos, including removing red-eye.
3. The built-in photo editor integrates all necessary photo editing tools.
4. You can share the results to social media, cloud services, or the BeFunky album.
Pros
1. It offers tools like photo filters, editors, and sharing.
2. Although it has many features, the interface is concise and easy to navigate.
Cons
1. The output quality is not as good as other photo effects app because it cannot save the photos in full resolution.
PhotoMagic is another popular photo effects app among mobile phone users. Its basic features include:
1. PhotoMagic embedded more than 30 photo filters, including Color Tint, Vintage, B/W, Sketch, and more.
2. And it also has over 30 photo light effects to make your photos unique.
3. The built-in photo editor offers crop, rotate, text, and other photo editing tools.
4. It also has many frames with custom options.
Pros
1. This photo effects app offers many photo filters and effects.
2. The interface is intuitive and easy to use.
3. You can save the results in full resolution.
Cons
1. PhotoMagic does not support Android phones.
2. It is a paid photo editor.
3. This photo editor is a paid app.
Camera+ is an excellent photo effects app with extensive features. It is not only a photo effects tool but also a professional camera app.
1. The built-in camera feature offers plentiful custom options and turns your Smartphone into a professional camera.
2. It can clarify and enhance your photos with one click.
3. Camera+ offers tons of 1-touch image filters and effects.
4. This app allows you to overlay multiple filters on a single picture.
Pros
1. This professional photo effects app has extensive features, from camera to editor and filters.
2. It works well with iCloud and Camera Roll and supports a wide range of social media and cloud services.
Cons
1. You cannot use it on Android phones.
If you want to apply photo effects and make your photos funny, PhotoFunia could meet your requirements. Its key features include:
1. PhotoFunia integrates tons of photo effects and filters.
2. Developer updates the photo effect library frequently so you can get fresh ones.
3. It allows you to add text or signature to prevent illegal copy.
4. You can share the output photos to social media or save them to a photo gallery.
Pros
1. It has more photo effects than other photo effects app.
2. PhotoFunia supports saving the photos in full resolution.
3. This app is free to use on Android and iOS.
Cons
1. It only works under an internet connection.
Retrica is a photo effects app and a camera tool for smartphone users. Its basic features include:
1. It has more than a hundred real-time photo filters and effects.
2. This app could take photo collages and apply different photo effects on photos.
3. After taking photos and applying effects, you can save the results in a private album or share them on social media.
Pros
1. Except photo sharing, it does not need to work in the internet environment.
2. This app is available for both Android and iOS.
3. You can preview the photo effects and undo them at any time.
Cons
1. This photo app lack some necessary features, such as red-eye removal.
Here we introduced photo effects and filters of photomontage, water reflection, black and white, photo blur, and silhouette effect. After taking a photo, you can try these photo effects to make the original image unique and personalized.
Besides these photo effects, we also share various tools and methods to apply the photo effects on different platforms.
We usually process photos with Photoshop and other photo editors on PCs. Photoshop is more appropriate to create complicated photo effects. However, Photoshop is not an easy-to-use photo effects tool even to advanced users. A photo editor, like WidsMob Montage, could simplify the process of photo effects and filters applying.
Online photo editors can make photo effects without installing programs on PCs.
When it comes to mobile devices, things become simple. And there are plentiful photo editing apps for iPhone and Android devices. We have introduced the key features of this photo effects app in detail.
Plus, we have shared more photo apps that offer many photo effects. Photo Effect Pro is a powerful photo effects app. BeFunky is a versatile photo effects app. PhotoFunia has more photo effects. Camera+ and Retrica integrate camera functions. PhotoMagic offers unique photo effects for iOS users. You can choose your favorite one and make your photos unique immediately.
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