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The Best Photo Editing Apps of 2021

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at DePauw chapter.

As someone who loves photography, I am constantly in search of the best applications we can get on our phones to take our Instagram game to the next level. I have found 4 that are my absolute go-tos when it comes to social media content that I thought I would share with you guys! But also keep in mind YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL AS YOU ARE!! Social media alters everyone’s perceptions of reality and beauty. These apps are used to enhance the colors and lighting in your photos, not your self-image or self-worth!

Photoshop Fix ★★★★☆

Is the background of your photo too dark? Too light? Not saturated enough? Photoshop Fix allows you to experience all of the trivial aspects of Adobe Photoshop without having to cough up the cash and learn all of the features. Photoshop Fix allows you to make all the basic corrections while playing around with some fun features. All for free!

Polarr ★★★☆☆

Polarr is a little more advanced than Photoshop Fix, with the opportunity to add effects, filters, and altering the light/color curves within the photos. I love to use Polarr to play around with preset filters and effects as well as see an analysis of the color/light curves within my photos. It makes planning a feed a little easier so you can see how each photo compares with their curve scale. 

PicsArt ★★★★★

PicsArt is a great way to make fun edits as well as add some enhancing features to your photos. This is a great way to combine photos and make a super trendy edit! PicsArt allows you to add effects, filters, stickers, text, basically you name it they got it! It’s a mini studio in pocket sized form! And to make things even better, it’s mostly all free! Talk about a steal! 

Lightroom ★★★★★

Have you ever wondered how all these Instagram gurus get the cutest filters for their feeds? Lightroom is the perfect place to add filters to your photos, whether you design them or find them online. There are so many places to find filters for Lightroom, as well! Sadly, you have to pay for some of them, but I found that Pinterest has a ton of free ones that you can copy the instructions on how to make them and save them! Lightroom has totally taken my social media game to a whole new level, it’s my holy grail app at the moment, and I think it can be super useful to anyone who downloads it, not to mention it’s free. 

Lizzie is a senior at DePauw University in Greencastle, IN. She is creating her own major compiled of Economics, Computer Science, and Studio Art which she will call "Emerging Technology in Business & Design". She hopes to own her own cosmetic company one day! Lizzie enjoys playing volleyball, doing anything artsy (embroidery, painting, graphic design, etc), playing around with makeup, and all things fall! Lizzie currently works on the photo blogs and she is also the photographer for DePauw's branch of HerCampus.
Hi, I'm Katherine! I'm an Anthropology major. I am a member of the Honors Scholar Program, as well as a Bonner Scholar.