What does it mean to edit a photo? It could be as simple as cropping or straightening or adding a little contrast. It could be as complex as merging multiple images into a single, composite image. Editing is where you fix minor flaws or perform complex retouching for a portrait.
To do editing you have to have software that allows you to make changes to the image captured by the camera. Some cameras allow you to do simple edits within the camera. More complex editing will require additional software. Photo editing software is a wide spectrum of products, ranging in price from free to very expensive. There is software that comes from your camera manufacture and third-party suites of software. There are apps that run on your smartphone, and there are web-based photo editors.
I use a wide range of software and software tools to edit photos. I suggest you try a few before you buy anything. Most software packages can be downloaded for a limited trial. A surprisingly good free package is available from Google, called Picasa. This package allows simple edits, has automatic photo correction features, and allows you to easily upload your photos to a free web album. Most importantly, the software allows you to experiment with changes that may make your images come alive.
The download site for Picasa is http://picasa.google.com/
Happy Thanksgiving!
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