SnapSeed has a long and illustrious reputation as being a pro-level photo editing tool. What many people may not realize it's a Google product - and an excellent one at that.
While others may have put SnapSeed in the shadows, it has always been the go-to app for those in the know.
This is because this app is a complete package. You really won't need another photo editor if you have this installed. And if the pros are using it - and they do - then you can be sure they are onto something.
● 29 filters and tools for retouching images
● Open JPEG and RAW files
● Save your retouching routines for later
● Selective filter brush for fine detailing
● Precise control
We have all at some point, or other used a photo editor, even if it's only the built-in tools on our smartphone or tablet. What may surprise you with SnapSeed is just how much precision and control you have. This is undoubtedly why so many pro photographers have been quietly using SnapSeed for so long.
However, their secret is out now. So even the most ham-fisted of point and shoot camera phone users can get magazine quality images in a matter of minutes.
What is truly surprising is that despite SnapSeed being such a hit with serious and pro photographers, Google makes relatively little noise about the product. It's not like them to be so modest and reserved.
In the Google press room, you need to dig back to December 2012 to find the last time the app got a mention in a media release. Other than that, it got a one-word mention in a feature article about creators in September 2020. It's really quite astonishing given how beloved SnapSeed has become over the years.
Possibly this is because the app is limited to JPEGs and RAW files used in DSLR cameras.
Among the tools are:
● Tune image - automatic or manually adjust color and exposure
● Details - make elements of your image pop-out
● Crop - preset to standard sizes or freehand
● Rotate - straightens the horizons and rotates by 90-degrees
● Perspective - correct the geometry of buildings and horizons
● It's free
● Advanced, powerful tools
● Multi-language support
● Surprisingly easy and intuitive to use
● An advanced tool that may be overkill for some people who just want to crop and enhance their images
● Only deals with RAW and JPEG images
SnapSeed is downloadable from Google Play and Apple's App Store. The Android app's requirements vary by device. iOS users are committing themselves to give up 95.8 MB of storage space. For an iOS app, this is surprisingly light, especially given how advanced this app is. The app also needs iOS 10.0 or later.
Reviews on both platforms are overwhelmingly positive, apart from the odd dissenting voice you always get. At Google Play, SnapSeed gets a very healthy 4.5 out of five from over a million reviews.
iOS users, meanwhile, are quite so enamored, awarding SnapSeed a relatively ordinary 3.9 out of five.
