Add special effects to your images with iPhoto
Enhance your photos quickly and easily with the versatile effects in iPhoto
I previously wrote about using the tools in iPhoto to edit your images. In this article, I’ll explore the special effects that are available in iPhoto which let you make changes to your photos in just a few clicks.
So, let’s see what cool things we can do with an ordinary image.
In iPhoto, select an image, however ordinary… Actually, I quite like this photo. You can see where the sun hits the tree branches at odd angles.
Click the Edit button and select Effects.
The Effects box
The Effects box gives you thumbnail previews of what your image will look like with each special effect. Simply click an effect to see an immediate change on your image. If you aren’t happy with the changes you’ve made click the center icon to restore the image to its original colors.
Looking at the thumbnail icons for this image I am instantly drawn to the Sepia option. The tree takes on a sunburnt aspect and the sunny background looks as though there could be a fire looming.
That makes a difference to the image…but it’s still not quite right.
Mix and match the special effects
The sepia tones look great and the sun bouncing off the branches really stands out. But let’s try mixing and matching the options to achieve a better result.
A color boost with the sepia tones might just do the trick.
Intensify the special effects
It might be too small to see in the image above but on the Boost Color thumbnail the number three is visible. I clicked the color boost option three times; it can be clicked up to nine times. Check out the image below, now the sepia combined with the color boost (at number nine) looks like a sunset…or a very fierce fire.
Choose effects that are right for your image
With a little experimentation you can really make a difference to your photos using the iPhoto special effects.
The Antique option combined with an Edge Blur brings a lovely nostalgic feel to this photo (below).
This combination of Matte and Vignette (below) enhances the view out of an aeroplane window.
Experiment and admire your new images
So, back to the tree. I’ve settled on the sepia tones with a color boost of four. Click the image to see a larger version in Flickr.
We’ll explore more iPhoto wonders in future articles.
Related posts
- How to resize an image in iPhoto
- Use the tool in iPhoto to edit your images
- Give your photos a retro feel with the GIMP
- Make your images outstanding using iPhoto effects
- Make a cartoon effect on your images using iPhoto
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