Snapchat is a popular social media app that allows users to send photos, videos, and messages that disappear after being viewed. One of Snapchat’s key features is the ability to edit and customize photos before sending them.
Snapchat provides a robust set of tools for editing photos within the app. Users can add filters, stickers, text, drawings, and more to enhance their Snapchat pictures. The editing features allow users to get creative and add a personal touch to their snaps.
In this article, we’ll provide an overview of Snapchat’s photo editing capabilities. We’ll look at the various ways photos can be customized and enhanced using the in-app editing tools. We’ll also provide tips on how to best utilize Snapchat’s editing features to take your snaps to the next level.
Snapchat Editing Tools
Here are some of the main ways Snapchat allows users to edit photos:
- Filters – Snapchat offers hundreds of filters that can completely transform the look of a photo. Filters add color effects, stylized overlays, the current time, weather effects, and more.
- Lenses – Lenses use advanced augmented reality to add animated effects and transformations to selfies. Popular lenses include ones that add flower crowns, animal ears, facial distortions, and more.
- Stickers – Snapchat has an expansive sticker library with animated stickers, emojis, text labels, location tags, and more that can be layered onto photos.
- Drawings – The drawing tool allows you to hand draw and doodle on photos freehand using different brush styles and colors.
- Text – You can add text captions of varying sizes, colors and fonts to annotate images.
- Cropping – Photos can be cropped to focus on specific parts of the image and customize the framing.
- Tuning – Basic image adjustments like brightness, contrast, saturation and vignette can be applied.
Snapchat’s editing tools are intuitive and user-friendly. The most popular features like filters and lenses just require tapping the desired effect to apply it. More advanced customizations like drawings, stickers, and text allow for pinpoint placement and resizing. Overall, the editing capabilities are designed to be creatively expressive while easy to use.
Customizing Photos with Filters
Filters are the most commonly used editing tool for enhancing Snapchat photos. Snapchat offers hundreds of different filters ranging from subtle color changes to dramatic stylized effects. Some examples include:
- Geofilters – Special designs featuring artwork and text unique to geographic locations.
- Time Filters – Filters displaying the current time.
- Weather Filters – Animated effects tied to the current weather conditions.
- Holiday Filters – Decorative designs for holidays and events.
- Lenscrafters – Whimsical overlays that alter colors and patterns.
- Speed Filters – Filters that make it look like you’re traveling at high speeds.
Filters can be browsed and selected before taking a photo within the Snapchat app. They can also be added after a photo has been taken by tapping on the filter icon in the editing screen. Multiple filters can even be stacked on the same image for unique effect combinations. Snapchat adds new filters all the time to keep things fresh. Checking back often reveals new options to try out.
Tips for Using Filters
- Browse and experiment with filters you haven’t tried before to find hidden gems.
- Stack multiple filters together for unexpected and quirky results.
- Use geofilters when traveling or at major events to make photos uniquely memorable.
- Mix and match light filters with more dramatic ones to create visual interest.
- Tap and hold on a filter to pinch and shift it around the photo for optimal placement.
Applying Lenses to Selfies
Lenses are Playful augmented reality effects exclusively for use with selfies and front-facing photos. Popular Snapchat lenses include:
- Silly Faces – Distorts facial features for humorous effects.
- Animal Faces – Adds animated animal ears, noses, etc.
- Character Effects – Transforms selfies into popular fictional characters.
- Visual Effects – Changes hair/eye color, adds glasses, hats, and more.
- Environment Effects – Adds weather effects like lighting and snow.
Lenses can transform selfies in real-time as they’re viewed through the Snapchat camera. They use advanced facial mapping technology to track facial features and apply effects that stick to faces as they move and make expressions. Lenses can be browsed and selected before taking a selfie photo. They can also be added after the photo has been taken.
Tips for Using Lenses
- Click and hold on your face in the camera viewfinder to bring up available lenses.
- Browse newly added lenses often as Snapchat rotates options daily.
- Try favorites like the Flower Crown lens to add a dash of style to selfies.
- Go silly with lenses like Rainbow Vomit and Gator to show your humor.
- Snap a selfie wearing different lenses for a fun collection.
Adding Stickers
Snapchat has an expansive sticker library for decorating images in fun and creative ways. Stickers options include:
- Emojis – All the standard iOS and Android emoji options.
- Bitmojis – Personalized avatars based on your Snapchat account.
- GIFs – Short looping animations.
- Text Labels – Custom text boxes with different styles.
- Location Tags – Stickers representing cities and places.
- Mascots – Illustrated cartoon characters.
- Celebrations – Decorative stickers for holidays and events.
Stickers can be resized and rotated for optimal placement. They can be layered over filters and lenses to combine effects. Recent and favorite stickers are available in a Quick Sticker Tray for easy access.
Tips for Using Stickers
- Use Bitmojis for a fun and personalized touch.
- Add text labels as captions or comic word bubbles.
- Layer multiple smaller stickers together to build a composite scene.
- Incorporate stickers related to holidays like hearts on Valentine’s Day.
- Try out new stickers and GIFs to find relevant options for different situations.
Drawing on Photos
Snapchat’s drawing tool allows freehand doodling directly onto photos. Drawing options include:
- Brush – Draw freeform lines of adjustable thickness.
- Marker – Thicker drawing style well-suited for outlines.
- Pencil – Softer, more detailed drawing option.
- Crayon – Waxier style with a textured look.
- Highlighter – Translucent brush perfect for adding glossy accents.
- Neon – Vibrant glowing lines.
- Rainbow – Multicolored brush.
The drawing tool is great for adding handwritten notes, outlining objects, or doodling fun designs. Drawings can be layered over filters and stickers. Completed drawings can be erased or edited as needed before sending the snap.
Tips for Drawing
- Use the pencil or marker for fine details, highlighter and neon for bolder accents.
- Try drawing on top of geofilters or Bitmojis to customize them further.
- Outline objects or people to draw attention to them.
- Annotate screenshots by drawing arrows, underlining text, or adding reactions.
- Get creative with doodles and sketches using the different brushes and colors.
Adding Text
Snapchat makes it easy to add text captions to photos. Text options include:
- Font Selection – Variety of font styles from minimal to elaborate.
- Size – Adjustable from small captions to large graphic text.
- Color – Wide range of solid colors and gradients to choose from.
- Alignment – Left, centered, or right-aligned text.
- Line Spacing – Adjust line spacing for multi-line text boxes.
Text can be used in creative ways like adding captions, lyrics, inspirational quotes, fun reactions, and more. The alignment, spacing, and wrapping of text boxes can be adjusted after entering text. This allows for full control over text styling.
Tips for Adding Text
- Use contrasting colors to make text stand out against busy backgrounds.
- Drop shadows can give text a 3D floating effect.
- Rotate text boxes diagonally for a dynamic look.
- Layer emojis and Bitmojis over text for emphasis.
- align text to shapes and objects within the photo using transparency.
Cropping Photos
Snapchat’s crop tool allows photos to be trimmed and adjusted for optimal composition. Cropping options include:
- Aspect Ratio Presets – Standard photo sizes like square or portrait.
- Freeform – Manually adjust crop area by pinching and dragging.
- Perspective Warping – Skew and warp the crop area into different quadrilateral shapes.
- Rotation – Rotate the crop area and image freely.
Cropping removes distracting negative space and focuses the image on the main subject. It can also completely transform the feel of a photo. Cropping is ideal for centering subjects, adjusting camera angles, and perfecting image boundaries.
Tips for Cropping
- Use standard aspect ratios for consistent multi-snap stories.
- Crop subjects closer up for dramatic headshots.
- Straighten skewed horizons and architecture using rotation.
- Apply perspective warping to create dynamic angled edges.
- Re-crop common aspect ratios like 16:9 vertically for creative compositions.
Applying Image Tuning
Snapchat provides a few basic tuning options for adjusting image quality and color properties:
- Brightness – Makes photos more vivid or subdued.
- Contrast – Increases the contrast between light and dark areas.
- Saturation – Intensifies or mutes overall color intensity.
- Shadows – Lightens or darkens shadowy regions.
- Vignette – Gradually darkens image corners for a vintage look.
Tuning edits images globally rather than specific regions. Simple adjustments can give photos extra visual punch or create moody undertones. Using tuning sparingly avoids overprocessing images.
Tips for Image Tuning
- Increase brightness on underexposed shots to boost clarity.
- Add contrast to flat images lacking tonal variation.
- Mute saturation for a delicate pastel aesthetic.
- Apply vignette paired with boosted shadows for dramatic high-contrast snaps.
- Adjust tuning after adding filters so edits remain visible.
Combining Editing Tools
The true power of Snapchat’s editing features lies in combining them together. Stacking filters, adding stickers to lenses, drawing on text, layering crop effects, and more allow for incredible creativity and customization. Some examples of techniques for blending editing tools include:
- Creating composites – Combine multiple stickers and elements to build a collage.
- Augmenting lenses – Add drawings and text to interact with 3D lenses.
- Texturing filters – Overlay crayon or watercolor on filters to enhance their style.
- Animating images – Use multiple frames of a GIF with different text to simulate motion.
- Local enhancements – Limit tuning edits or drawings to specific areas using selective cropping.
Don’t limit yourself to a single effect. Blend different options and watch basic images transform into unique works of art. Let your inner creativity run wild!
Editing Tool | Best Uses |
---|---|
Filters | Adding overall styles and color themes |
Lenses | Making silly and fun selfies |
Stickers | Decorating images with illustrations and captions |
Drawings | Adding handwritten notes and doodles |
Text | Annnotating images with captions |
Cropping | Reframing and focusing compositions |
Tuning | Refining brightness, contrast and color |
Sharing Edited Photos
After editing is complete, Snapchat makes it easy to share your photos:
- Snap – Send to friends and add to story.
- Save – Save photo to camera roll or Snapchat memories.
- Create New Snap – Make another edit or start fresh.
- Sticker Picker – Add last-minute stickers.
- Caption – Add final text caption if needed.
The Snap and Save options preserve your edits so you can revisit them later. Snapchat memories let you access and re-send old edited snapshots you’ve saved. Photos can also be exported to the camera roll to use outside the app. Overall, saving and sharing edited snaps on Snapchat is quick and hassle-free.
Tips for Sharing
- Add snaps to My Story to share creations with all friends.
- Use captions to provide context on edits for story snaps.
- Save extra special snaps to memories for future nostalgia.
- Develop an editing style to make your snaps instantly recognizable.
- Reshare old snaps and make new edits to revive past memories.
Conclusion
Snapchat provides an abundant set of tools for creatively editing photos right within the app. Options like filters, lenses, stickers, drawings, text, and cropping allow for limitless customization and self-expression. Simple tweaks can enhance images, while layered combinations result in complex edits and composites. Snapchat’s editing features cater to all levels – from basic adjustments to advanced modifications. So unlock your inner artist and elevate your snap game to the next level!