AI Photo Editing Software for Dummies

What is AI Image Enhancement?

If you’ve spent any time on the internet lately, then you know that AI-enhanced photos and images have taken social media and the world by storm. They're everywhere, from TikTok filters that automatically change facial features to photo AI generated anime pictures of Disney princesses. AI, or artificial intelligence technology, analyzes various images, texts, etc., to reflect different artistic styles to create a new picture or manipulate an original image.

But if you’re interested in AI enhancement of your old photos, you need to know that the quality of images enhanced by AI is dependent on a wide range of factors like original picture quality, image size, file size and picture resolution. The quality and success of the final result would completely differ between a high-resolution image and a pixelated image. Also of course whether ot not a human artist has had any hand in the process.

Happy family flying through outer space. Thank you AI!

Artificial intelligence algorithms have made especially huge strides in the photo retouching and photo restoration industry. But frankly, unless this is something you have a general interest in, you probably don’t really understand the basics that well, and are really interested in what it can do for your old photos. Forever Studios offers old photo restoration and of course we use this technology. So, we thought we would share our knowledge with you. Let's learn together, shall we?

The Basic Technology of AI Image Enhancement

Artificial intelligence algorithms are ever-evolving. They analyze and process numerous images to identify and understand the various elements present in a picture, such as colors, textures, and patterns. The AI software program will take what it learns from those real images to adjust and enhance the image resolution without causing distortions. While it isn’t perfect yet, it has certainly gotten to a point where almost everyone, at least at first glance, is super impressed.

So, I think we can say goodbye to blurry photos and fix damaged photos easily with AI image editing software, right? It is true that AI editing apps can automatically correct basic issues in low-quality images, such as low lighting, blurriness, white balance, color distortion, and image noise. Or they can also upscale images (i.e., Deep Image), remove artifacts from images, and remove backgrounds from images.

With more advanced editing programs (i.e., Adobe Photoshop), the software utilizes a neural network to generate new pixels that match the original image. A user can bring an old or damaged photo back to life via color corrections, removing scratches and other imperfections, and improving image clarity for a high-quality photo worthy of being admired by future generations. Sort of like the old photo restoration service we offer here at Forever Studios.

I told Adobe Photoshop to add another house.  The left side was blank. Wow!

AI is Changing How We Edit and Enhance Photos

Photo retouching has become a common practice, and millions of images get uploaded every day to online AI based photo enhancement software daily. AI-based deep learning algorithms are revolutionizing how hobbyists, professional photographers, digital artists, and graphic design professionals edit and enhance photos.

Like most things, there are pros and cons to AI photo enhancers. AI-powered tools can automate the tedious task of retouching and restoring an original image, saving a professional the time and effort it takes to ensure a high-quality result. Their user-friendly features make editing images easier and more accessible to the general public. However it is very clear (no pun intended) that Ai based software can only do so much to a photo well and in order to achieve the best results a real human artist must be involved in the process.

Photo with High Saturation. AI can fix that!

Internet Safety & Personal Data Security

Here's another potential problem: there are a wide range of “free” online AI image enhancement programs, and not all of them are excellent options. If you are looking for image enhancers, be conscientious about the program's quality, reliability, and safety. I mean, have you been on the internet lately? EVERYTHING is trying to steal your data and use it for bad purposes, and giving photos of your family to shady online tools is a bad idea.  So, just be careful out there!

When someone uses an online photo editing tool, especially an app or a website, there is also a risk that the software can access personal data. When a photo is uploaded to an AI photo editor, the software can collect personal information, including images, location, website tracking, etc. By accessing the program, agreeing to the terms and conditions, and uploading a photo, that company's software developers or its marketing team can legally use that info any way they want to. Ouch!

Be careful where you search and who you give your images too.

Art generators and the issues their synthetic images pose to the integrity of graphic design and art is a whole other can of worms. Creative edits and filters that mimic established artistic styles very rarely give credit (or compensation) to the original creator. Image generators essentially steal art. Sounds like the whole Napster craze doesn't it?  Ok, maybe Napster was before your time, so lets move on.

Quality and Reliability

Quality and reliability kind of go hand in hand. Any semi-competent coder can create an AI image enhancer program, but not all of them are worth the monthly price. Don't believe me? Take a look through the reviews of your phone's Apple App Store or scroll through some TikTok filters. Search for “AI Photo Enhancer” 

You get what you pay for, or in some cases, what you don't pay for. Free or cheap programs with preset editing options can have some solid features but fall short of the desired final image quality. That's not to say they're bad, but most of the advanced features require users to pay per month for premium, which can get costly after the free trial version. 

Some of the more professional image enhancer programs that have advanced AI-powered features (Hitpaw Photo Enhancer5, Luminar Neo, Spyne AI Image Enhancer, Adobe Firefly, etc.) are better equipped to handle low-resolution images and challenging images. Want to change the backgrounds from images to just a transparent background? That's easy enough to do. Do you have a dark photo? Just lighten it. Is there something in the background that's ruining the photo? It's erased via an AI-powered image editor.

Links to Popular Online AI Software

If you are interested in trying AI photo editing software yourself here is a link to a few of the most popular ones. We of course have used all of them and they generally all work well.

Adobe Firefly

Free software and online based.  Adobe always makes great products and FIrefly is no exception.

I asked it to make a picture of an old man on a pugs back. I have a pug, but not an old man!

Hitpaw Photo Enhancer 5

Hitpaw gives a free trial which is worth downloading first to make sure its the right software for you. 

Screenshot of Hitpaw Photo Enhancer doing its AI thing.

Luminar NEO

No free trial here.  Looks like they just want you to sign up for a monthly service. 

 

Luminar Neo in action.  Cool background changes.

Each program has advanced capabilities and a unique range of features that suit different types of photos. The only true downsides to these programs is the price and the skill set needed to truly tap into what they offer. Most people cannot afford them or won't use them enough to make the price tag worth it. Unless you're a social media influencer who posts high-quality visual content and at least one image per day or a professional photographer, artist, etc. that utilizes Adobe Photoshop, premium image enhancer programs won't be necessary.

Is AI Photo Enhancement Something I Can Do?

Yes, someone with no experience in AI editing can still use it to improve their photos. Every phone, computer, and tablet has the option to do simple edits from readily available apps websites. Modern AI photo enhancement tools are designed to be intuitive, making it easy for beginners to achieve professional-looking results with just a few clicks. But be aware, that this isn’t a replacement for a real photo artist with a properly trained eye.

Simple Edits: Photo Overlays. Something you can do at home.

These apps often come with a variety of designs, pre-set filters, and settings that can automatically adjust and improve the quality of a photo. Some may also have smart enhancements that allow users to manually tweak and customize the creative edits.

While some practice and experimentation may further improve the results, it is not a necessity to get started with AI photo enhancement. The technology has advanced to the point where anyone can use it without needing any formal training or expertise. With the right software and a little bit of exploration, even a complete beginner can obtain high-quality images.

That being said, if you have a vintage photo you want to enhance and digitize, it's best to take it to a reliable image editor who will respectfully and meticulously preserve the original image. Properly restoring old photos is not an easy task and takes years of practice. 

Does Forever Studios Use AI Image Enhancing?

At Forever Studios, we take great pride in our team of world-class artists who are dedicated to using every available tool to create professional image enhancements for our customers. We do offer a professional photo restoration service and also a great photo retouching service. While AI is a part of our process, it is just one aspect of how we approach a customer photo project. Our artists combine their years' worth of expertise with cutting-edge technologies to ensure that every image is transformed into a stunning work of art.

We believe in the power of human creativity and craftsmanship, and we leverage the latest AI tools to enhance our artists' abilities and deliver exceptional results to our clients. With a focus on both artistry and technology, we can provide our customers with the best possible image enhancements that exceed their expectations.

Here are a few projects that our team has worked on:

Photo Repair & Colorization with a little AI help.

Check out our TIPS FOR COLORIZING YOUR PHOTOS article

Black and White Photo Colorization.

The Best Results are a Mix of AI and Hand Enhancement

In today's modern age, the best old photo restoration and black and white photo colorization work is achieved through a combination of AI-based tools and hand-performed digital alterations. It's the complete package. AI imaging technology can automatically enhance and restore old photos, damaged, or faded photographs, but they are not without their limitations.

That is where hand-performed digital alterations on powerful photo editing software programs come in. Professional photo enhancement experts use their skills and knowledge to fine-tune the results of AI tools, ensuring that every detail is perfect and the high-quality image looks as natural and authentic as possible.

Advanced Photo Restoration w/ Missing Pieces

Combining AI and hand enhancement allows for a meticulous and thorough old photo restoration process, resulting in the best possible preservation of memories that may have otherwise been damaged beyond repair or lost to time.