If you go back to my older posts, you will notice how different my pictures looked like. I'm not saying I'm happy with every single photo I post, but nowadays, most of them make me feel quite proud of how much I learned and improved. Having a good camera, definitely helps, but I strongly believe the key is editing. A lot of people use Photoshop, however, I prefer to work on a budget (I don't like to spend money!). So all programs I use are free and very user-friendly.

PROGRAMS
Let's start with the basic, finding something that works for you. I have a few that I love, one of them is the free version of Photoshop. It is an online editor, which means you don't have to download and install a program. It has really incredible features.

PicMonkey is also very popular, and one of the easiest to use. I have to admit, this is my go-to at the moment. I mostly play with exposure, and in there, I change the highlights and contrast.

Finally, there is a program called paint.NET and you have to install it. It provides a lot of easy tools to improve drastically your pictures. I find useful to have a program that doesn't require WiFi signal. If you travel a lot or your Internet connection isn't the best, this is a great option.

BRIGHTNESS
This will sort of add a white cast to your picture. It will highlight everything, not only the white areas. I often avoid using this tool, because I like my pictures to look colorful, and this, for a lack of a better term, will suck the life out of your photo.

HIGHLIGHTS
I consider this my best friend. It brings out the white areas, and allows you to make it extra bright if you want. If overused, it will also look terrible. So keep in mind, moderation is the way to go.

CONTRAST
This is responsible for making my photos pop. It intensifies the colors. But I don't like to use this in excess, because it can make my photos look too bold.

SATURATION
If your white background looks blue or red, you can adjust it to look neutral by lowering or upping the saturation. I used to do this all the time, when I had a different camera. Now I only use this, when in my portraits I look like a ghost.

I'm a big fan of incredibly white backgrounds. If you prefer something more "realistic", just opt for subtle changes instead.

What program do you use to edit your pictures?

Related: Blog Photography // Cameras, Background & Lighting