Using Picnik

Picnik is an extremely easy-to-use online photo editing resource that is free. I do not have the paid version yet, but you can see what dramatic images can be created just with the free version in this post.

This collection of four photos was made into a collage with Picnik. There are many more options for creating collages in the paid version of Picnik.

This is an enhanced version of the original photograph of a man giving his dog coaching about what to focus on during dock diving, with the facilitator standing there smiling at them.

This is a comparison of the before and after images of a snap of the dock diving event I attended. The "before" image was good, but the "after" image has much deeper richer colors, and really brings the characters into the forefront.

The free version of Picnik includes HDR-looking conversions, which you can see in this shot of the green heron. The original was almost backlit, as the heron was standing in the shade with dappled sunlight on the grass in the background. I wasn't very happy with it; but the HDR image punches up the detail of the bird, and makes it more interesting. Here are more effects using the free version of Picnik to enhance that photo.

I would strongly suggest trying Picnik out to enhance your photos; the effects you can get even in the 'free version' of it are spectacular. And applying effects like this to a mediocre photo can bring you surprisingly good results.

Just with the free version alone, there are so many possibilities for combinations of effects, it boggles the mind!