Ever scroll through Instagram or Pinterest and find yourself drawn to those dreamy, golden-hued photos with warm, cheerful text overlays? That’s the magic of the yellow aesthetic. Whether you’re creating content for social media, building your personal brand, or just want to give your snapshots a cozy, sun-kissed vibe, yellow text is an easy yet powerful way to elevate your photos.

In this guide, we’ll show you how to add aesthetic yellow text to your images using Colorcinch — a free and beginner-friendly online photo editor. No complicated tools, no sign-up required. Just pure creative fun.

Why Choose a Yellow Aesthetic?

Yellow is a color that radiates positivity, warmth, and energy. It instantly grabs attention and adds a happy, nostalgic touch to any image. That’s why you’ll often see it in lifestyle blogs, travel photos, mood boards, and aesthetic social feeds.

Reasons to Love Yellow Text

• Emotionally uplifting: Yellow evokes joy and optimism.
• Eye-catching: It pops against both dark and light backgrounds.
• Trendy: It complements vintage filters and dreamy edits.

Whether you use mustard yellow for a retro vibe or soft pastel yellow for a dreamy feel, it brings a certain charm you can’t ignore.

How to Add Yellow Text Using Colorcinch

Colorcinch makes it incredibly easy to add aesthetic yellow text to your photos. Let’s walk through the process:

Step 1: Open Your Photo in Colorcinch

Go to Colorcinch and upload your photo.

Step 2: Apply a Filter (Optional but Recommended)

Want that full-on aesthetic vibe? Head to the Filters tab and explore filters like:

• Muted Colors: Great for dreamy portraits.
• Vintage: For a nostalgic, film-like finish.
• Ghibli-Inspired: Adds a storybook-like charm.

Applying a filter first helps create a cohesive look that enhances the yellow text overlay.

Step 3: Add Text to Your Photo

Click on the Text tab and hit “Add Text”. A text box will appear on your photo. Type in your quote, caption, or whatever message fits your mood.

Step 4: Customize Your Text Style

Here comes the fun part. You can:

• Choose a bold or handwritten font depending on your vibe.
• Resize and move your text freely.
• Rotate it slightly for that scrapbook-style layout.

Make sure the placement doesn’t obscure key parts of your image.

Step 5: Pick the Perfect Yellow

Click on the color palette and select a shade of yellow. Here are a few suggestions:

• Mustard Yellow: Warm and retro.
• Lemon Yellow: Bright and punchy.
• Butter Yellow: Soft and subtle.

Play around with transparency if you want a more blended, artsy effect.

Step 6: Add a Drop Shadow or Glow (Optional)

To make your text pop even more, use the Text Effects panel to add a slight drop shadow or glow. This adds depth and keeps the yellow visible even on bright areas of your image.

Step 7: Save Your Aesthetic Edit

Once you’re happy with the look, click “Save” at the top right. Choose your desired quality and format.

And just like that, you’ve created a photo that’s ready for your feed, blog, or mood board.

Design Tips for a Strong Yellow Aesthetic

Adding aesthetic yellow text is just one part of the puzzle. Here are some tips to help your visuals stand out even more:

• Use Consistent Tones: Stick to a warm color palette with browns, oranges, creams, and of course, yellow.
• Incorporate Natural Light: Golden hour photos pair beautifully with yellow text.
• Add Texture: Grainy filters or soft light flares enhance the vintage feel.
• Layer Elements: Combine text with stickers, doodles, or shapes in Colorcinch to create a collage-like effect.

Inspiration: Where to Use Yellow Text

Now that you’ve created your dreamy, sun-kissed edits, it’s time to put them to good use. Aesthetic yellow text adds charm and warmth to almost any digital creation, making it a versatile tool in your creative toolkit.

Instagram posts & stories are a perfect place to start. Yellow text stands out in feeds and adds a pop of energy to your visuals—perfect for quotes, travel moments, or lifestyle snapshots. Pinterest pins also benefit from yellow’s eye-catching quality, helping your content stand out in a sea of images.

If you’re a blogger or content creator, try using yellow text for blog headers and thumbnails to give your site a cohesive, sunny vibe. It’s also great for vision boards and mood collages, where colors play a huge role in setting the tone. A little yellow can spark joy and inspiration with just a glance.

Into journaling or scrapbooking? Add yellow text to your digital journal pages or scrapbook-style designs to highlight memories and moments. It also works beautifully for event invitations or e-cards, giving them a cheerful and welcoming feel.

In short, use yellow text anywhere you want to inject warmth, positivity, and personality into your design. With the right shade and style, it’s your secret weapon for making content that radiates joy.

Why Choose Colorcinch?

There are a ton of photo editing apps out there, but Colorcinch is built for simplicity and creativity. Here’s why it’s a perfect match for your aesthetic yellow  project:

• Free and No Sign-Up: Jump straight into editing.
• Offline Access: With the desktop app, you can edit anywhere.
• Unique Filters: Including cartoonizer, Ghibli-style effects, and more.
• Beginner-Friendly: No learning curve. Just click and create.

Whether you’re designing graphics for a small business or just playing around for fun, Colorcinch makes the process smooth and enjoyable.

Final Thoughts

Adding aesthetic yellow text to your photos is a simple yet powerful way to express your style and mood. With the right tools, like Colorcinch, and a touch of creativity, you can turn ordinary images into scroll-stopping visuals. While the opposite of yellow—cooler tones like blues or purples—can evoke calm and serenity, yellow brings warmth, energy, and a cheerful glow that stands out effortlessly.

So go ahead, embrace the yellow aesthetic. Brighten up your feed, tell your story, and let your creativity shine—one golden caption at a time.

Ready to Get Started?

Try Colorcinch now and add a splash of yellow magic to your photos today.

P.S. Don’t forget to tag us on social if you share your edit! We’d love to see what you create.

The post Make Photos Pop with Aesthetic Yellow Text appeared first on Photo to Cartoon – Cartoonize Yourself & Create Avatar Characters for Free.

Do you sometimes struggle to come up with design ideas for business or work projects? Are there times you feel that your designs seem a little off?

Well, you are not alone. It happens to most creative professionals. My colleagues and I here at Colorcinch also experience “creative block.” So what do we do?

We go on a refresher, back to the roots. For that, we rely on this ultimate guide on the principles and elements of design. It’s a compilation of everything that we need to know, understand, and revisit.

It has helped reignite the spark of creativity for our team. Mind you, this is important for our group composed of graphic artists, web designers, photographers, and content creators.

Most assuredly, this guide will do wonders for you. If you’re a beginner you’ll get a crucial jumpstart for your projects. On the other, if you’re a pro you’ll get a renewed perspective on the world of design.

Table of Content

What Is Design?

A number of keywords stand out from the above definition by Charles Eames, an American designer. These are plan, arranging elements, and particular purpose. Plainly, design is a plan to create something to be used.

That meaning runs counter to what is commonly known of design – to make something look pleasing. Yes, art can make something pretty. However, design is more than art – it requires a process so as not to fail while retaining form and functionality.

Take the iconic design of the world’s tallest building – the Burj Khalifa in Dubai – with a height of over half a mile. The bundled tube design, derived from the spiral minaret, was designed to resist strong wind, seismic activity, and impact. Failure is not an option.

Notice that for our example, the keywords come together. These include the plan (a mega skyscraper), elements (tubular form, spiraling pattern, etc.), and purpose (a mixed-use residential, office, and commercial landmark). Design embodies all three components.

Key Design Concepts

To have a clearer understanding of what design is, we’ll break it down to its major concepts:

• It is science. Methodologies are involved in design. As a science, it involves finding solutions to the problems of people. It is meant to answer the needs of users. Hence, the tool of design is data and the design process begins with research.
• It is a complex process. Everyone can do even simple sketches. But not anyone can design. It is a specialization, a step-by-step procedure from idea to creation whether you’re designing a corporate logo or a powerful rocket engine.
• It is a result that is experienced. Great designs affect the senses and influence decisions. Apple, Inc. has been at the forefront of superiorly designed products that are bestsellers even if they are expensive. It’s because Apple products work flawlessly for its users. Steve Jobs once said:

Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.

• It is multifaceted. Design now encompasses almost everything. Its results impact the everyday lives and needs of people – from smartphones to entertainment systems, cars, video games, and software to home interiors, to name some. The versatility of design also extends to digital elements like popup templates, which play a crucial role in creating interactive and engaging user experiences online.
• It is not meant to fail. Design failure happens, but usually in the lab. That is why there are extensive tests and certifications before a design gets final approval. All designs must be reliable, usable, and last their intended life cycle.

What Design Is Not

Let’s separate the grain from the chaff. Design isn’t the following:

• It is not art. Technology designer Austin Knight, in his essay “Design is not Art,” spells out the fundamental differences:

Art is personal expression. Design is about use. Art is about the artist. Design is about the user. Art is about exploration. Design is about observation and iteration. Art is about appreciation. Design is about function. Art expresses creativity. Design leverages creativity. Art is subjective. Design is objective.

• It is not for everyone. Yes, people design although not everyone is good at it. Computer scientist Bill Buxton noted that: “If everyone is a designer because they change the color of their walls, then everyone is a mathematician because they count change at the grocery store.”
• It is not general knowledge. Design is multi-disciplinary and multi-context, from fashion to industrial and everything in between. Fact is, design is about particulars. It does not, therefore, contain a single body of knowledge.
• It is not problem-solving. Well, partly. Matt Wade, director at Google Creative Labs, said: “It’s certainly not as simple as problem-solving. Yes, that’s one thing designers do, but so do butchers and bakers and candlestick makers.”
  
• It is not conspicuous. Consumers are not interested in why a product was designed in a particular way. What they will remember is how well it works. Jared Spool, an expert on UI and design, is most often quoted in this respect:

Good design, when it’s done well, becomes invisible. It’s only when it’s done poorly that we notice it.

Charles Eames’ definition is the most complete one-sentence description that applies to most design areas. It contains the essentials – plan, elements, and purpose. Knowing what design is, let’s proceed to its blueprint and building blocks.

The Blueprint – 11 Major Principles of Design

The design process begins with a blueprint and in it are the guidelines. These are the foundational rules to follow to get the best results.

You cannot go envisioning and designing without full knowledge of the principles. Or else, you’ll lose your way. The principles are there to provide direction.

1. Balance

Think of it as a weighing scale with various elements like colors, lines, shapes, and textures. These are evenly distributed on both sides of your composition. Balanced symmetry is a cornerstone of graphic design.

Every element has a weight on a page and careful arranging of those elements produces a symmetrical layout. Balance suggests completion and steadiness.

There are five types of balance:

1. Symmetrical – There is equal distribution of visual weight. No side is heavier since there is a matching placement of elements.
2. Asymmetrical – Element distribution need not be perfect symmetry. More weight is placed on one side to tip the balance and create movement.
3. Radial – Instead of balancing both sides with a line at the center, there is a single focal point with elements around it. Think of it as a dartboard or a pizza.
4. Mosaic – Known as crystallographic balance, there are no focal points but elements share uniform weights. It is balanced chaos.
5. Discordant – This is an off-balance design intended to provoke and make people pause and think.

2. Contrast

Contrast is the absence of similarity. Thus, adjacent elements in your design need not be alike. Imagine if all your fonts are bold and your foreground and background are of the same color. That will confound viewers.

Different elements can be placed in such a way as to complement one another. You can highlight one element or a group of them, such as blocks of text, over other elements. Contrast breaks the monotony and makes a design pop out.

Here are some pointers on how to apply contrast effectively:

• Determine what you want viewers to see first. Contrast is attractive to the eye. Thus, put more emphasis on certain elements to make them stand out.
• Keep it simple. Don’t overdo it. Contrasting everything is confusing.
• Use only a couple of strong fonts. Again, simplicity. Use just one or two typefaces in your design to avoid diluting it.
• Play with the basic types of contrast. Elements that are best for contrast include colors, shapes, sizes, positions, fonts, and textures.

3. Emphasis

This principle has a similar function with contrast – to attract the viewer’s eye to a particular area. Emphasis is used for the focal point, to make an element stand out.

On the other hand, you can also “de-emphasize” a part of your design. In typography, designers do this by using smaller print or tucking certain texts in a corner.

Again, just like contrast do not overdo emphasis or confuse viewers. Below are some pointers on how to effectively apply emphasis in your designs.

• Use contrast. Make an element stick out by contrasting it with its surrounding.
• Use scale or size. The larger an object in relation to other elements makes it noticeable.
• Use lines. They suggest movement and direct the eye towards a focal point.
• Use placement. Putting something off-center is more pleasing than having it right in the middle. This is the photographic rule of thirds.
• Use isolation. Just like placement, the eye catches objects separated from others.

4. Hierarchy

When visiting a website what is the first item you notice? Most probably it’s the main image. How about the second item? It could be the header or title. And what’s the third? Maybe some other supporting images.

Without being conscious about it, viewers’ eyes are drawn to elements arranged by visual prominence. In the website’s case, the size of the elements and their placement created a hierarchy of importance that the eyes followed.

It’s the power of design to hold your attention and direct your eyes along spatial pathways.

How do you achieve a good hierarchy in visual design?

• Size is most visible. The contrasting size and scale of objects placed next to each other create visual impact. It’s an effective way to show hierarchy.
• Good navigation tool. Hierarchy directs and leads, making it a good navigation aid for your viewers and readers.
• It can be used in many ways. Aside from size, there can be a hierarchy of colors, shape, form, contrast, and alignment, among others.

5. Proportion

The different elements in a design may have various sizes and scales. Proportion pertains to the relationship among objects of different sizes in the overall design.

This principle is one of the easiest to understand. That is because there is one universal standard of measurement that we associate proportion with – the human body.

Artists and designers normally apply the human scale in relation to other objects or surroundings. Examples are when designing interiors and office spaces or outdoor/travel websites. Also, notice how products are displayed to match the specifications of human users.

It might interest you to know that:

• Proportion can be exaggerated. Palaces and huge corporate offices are built as such, many times beyond the human scale, to exude power and authority.
• Distorted proportions are used to draw attention. Notice this on cartoons and caricatures which are becoming popular forms in ads and presentations.
• Proportion works well with other principles. Together with balance, emphasis, and hierarchy, proportion can make designs stand out.

6. Movement

Movement applies to the way your eye travels over the elements in a design. Through the clever placement of lines, colors, shapes, you can set a visual path. And with smart use of balance, hierarchy, and proportion you can guide the eye from one element to another.

Movement boils down to control – how you lead the viewer from one object to another or from element to element. In graphic design, visual movement is referred to as the “flow.” At a simple scan, the message is understood by the viewer.

It helps to keep in mind the following:

• Flow guides users. Elements properly positioned in a website can lead viewers to make decisions or take action (like click a CTA button).
• Flow simplifies processes. No need for complex instructions. Movement lays out a natural path in the composition that the eye can perceive and follow.
• Flow is best represented by lines. Whether diagonal, zigzag, vertical, horizontal, or part of a shape, lines point to direction. It’s a potent element for movement.

7. Pattern

Patterns are design elements that are combined to work in harmony then repeated over and over. It can be a mixture of colors, shapes, lines, etc. that are repeated in a regular arrangement. Sometimes patterns are formed to cover the entire surface of a design. It can be a seamless pattern.

The pattern principle is applied to generate visual interest and excitement. It is commonly used as a background for web pages or as wallpapers. As a design backdrop, it helps improve user experience. Patterns exude familiarity and consistency.

Be guided by the following:

• Use patterns wisely. The indiscriminate use of patterns can lead to an unsightly and complicated design.
• Avoid using words as patterns. Humans perceive textures, colors, and shapes more quickly so base your designs on these. Words have to be read to be understood.
• Architectural designs favor patterns. It has been used by the ancient Greeks in their buildings, sculptures, and decorative arts. Their favorite is the linear pattern, also called “meander.”

8. Repetition

If pattern is repeating a blend of elements, repetition involves just a single element used many times over. For instance, you can draw a vertical line and put several others next to it, becoming a row of bars. Of course, you can use other elements such as shapes and colors.

Repetition bolsters a message or fortifies an idea. In other words, it strengthens your design. It is a great way to emphasize something such as in advertisements, posters, product placements, and similar visual media.

Now for some tips on the application of this principle:

• Don’t mistake repetition for patterns. Stick to either one of them based on what’s best for your design and its purpose.
• Remember visual pathways. Similar to movement, you can use repetition to guide the eye to where it should go in your composition.
• Repetition creates a strong impression. Apply this principle if you want something memorable. It is almost like conditioning your viewer with a repeated element to make a lasting impression.

9. Rhythm

Designers utilize gaps between repeating elements to create a sense of rhythm or movement. Think of it as the rhythm that is produced by the spaces between musical notes.

Design-wise, you can have a rhythm of lines, shapes, colors, tones, or even a rhythm of scale. This principle suggests harmony and tranquility. It can be a very powerful tool – if rhythm in music can mesmerize, so can rhythm in design.

Let’s quickly go over the fives types of visual rhythm commonly used:

1. Regular rhythm – Similar to the heartbeat or a steady drumbeat, it is easily recognized. It can be a series of shapes or lines although it runs the risk of being monotonous.
2. Random rhythm – There is no regularity in intervals. The gaps can be of different sizes, and elements can be all around. Examples are movements in traffic or falling leaves.
3. Alternating rhythm –It can be plain as the alternating white and black squares in a chessboard. Or it can be intricate like the interlocking shapes of a series of fishes that go the opposite way when viewed from top to bottom.
4. Progressive rhythm – Think of this as a galloping horse viewed on video frame by frame. It happens when objects change characteristics as they are repeated.
5. Flowing rhythm – This mimics natural patterns such as sand dunes, waves, and ripples. They are repeated elements that follow curves, contours, and curls.

10. Unity

The visual elements in a composition should all work in unison. There must be a clear relationship between the objects and elements. Your design is meant to be user-friendly to communicate your message.

Unity ensures that your design and everything in it are organized and well thought out. You can sense quality work was put into a design when it feels complete.

Here are helpful ideas to achieve unity in your design:

• Apply unity approaches. These include proven techniques such as simplicity, repetition, proximity, and continuation.
• Unity ties differences. Even if components differ in size, color, and contrast, unity is able to connect “puzzle pieces” to produce the whole picture.
• Again, don’t go overboard. A composition that is overly unified comes across as stuffy. It helps to add some dose of the next principle.

11. Variety

To ensure visual interest, designers employ several design principles, one of which is variety. It can be created in several ways using design elements including images, contrast, color, shapes, and typography.

While variety is the opposite of unity, both can work together. There may be varied elements in composition but if they are well-placed, unity may still be achieved. There can be unity even in diversity.

Let’s go through a few tips for variety.

• Don’t be afraid to mix and match. There can be endless ways of combining principles and elements to get the desired outcome.
• Variety walks a fine line. Variety can be problematic. Too much, the viewer loses focus; too little, the viewer loses interest. Strive to get a good balance.
• Group related objects together. You achieve better unity when you cluster varied but related elements. For instance, different objects can be clustered by shape or color while still retaining variety.

The Building Blocks – 11 Basic Elements of Design

If principles comprise the blueprint of instructions, elements make up the components of construction. You use these materials by combining, mixing, blending, and organizing them.

What you use in your design, these are the elements. How you use these elements refers to principles. Design is driven by creativity, vision, and purpose. For that, principles serve as a roadmap. But the design comes to life with the elements you use.

1. Line

Lines are the most fundamental of all building blocks both for design and art. Even if you start with a point or a dot, they cannot stand on their own. You’d eventually have to go from point A to point B, go through space to traverse the length, and apply thickness.

Lines are such essential elements. If you start your design composition with drawings and sketches, most likely lines are your launching pad. They are also versatile. Combine lines and you create shapes, forms, planes, and perspective.

Be aware that lines carry particular significance. Below are the five types of lines and what they evoke:

1. Horizontal lines – lines that go level from side to side suggest direction, stability, and emphasis.
2. Vertical lines – lines that go up and down like pillars denote elevation, balance, and strength.
3. Diagonal lines – straight lines that are not horizontal or vertical signify freedom, energy, and passion.
4. Curved lines – wavy, bending or spiral lines give the impression of nature that is organic, calm, and playful.
5. Zigzag lines – a series of slanted lines connected from end to end mimic diagonal lines but are more dynamic and highly energetic.

2. Shape

In design, a shape is a two-dimensional object characterized by its width and height. It has boundaries that can be defined by color, lines, or negative space. A shape can exist on its own such as a logo. But it can also be a vehicle that can carry other elements inside or outside of it.

Like lines, shapes are basic structural elements of drawing and design. This element has long been used for messaging and branding. Two successful examples – the Coke bottle and the Volkswagen Beetle – have become iconic shapes.

Know that shapes have a greater visual impact than typography. After all, a glance is all takes to perceive a shape. With words, you have to read them to understand them.

There are two general types of shapes that can be combined in many ways.

1. Geometric – These are shapes that tend to represent or interpret man-made objects. They often symbolize structure, order, and control.
2. Organic – They are shapes that abound in nature and are therefore playful and curvy with no sharp edges.

3. Form

They are often interchangeably used but form is different from shape. If shape is 2-D (width + height), form is 3-D (width + height + depth). A circle and a square are shapes while a sphere and a cube are forms.

Shapes exist on a flat surface like paper, print, or drawings. On the other hand, forms take life in a space area. Having cleared that, shapes and forms usually convey similar qualities and evoke the same moods.

As form gives an added dimension to shape, it can be negative or positive. A missing brick on a wall makes a negative form. In contrast, a brick protruding from a wall makes a positive form.  Forms may also be organic or geometric and simple or complex.

Here are some ideas on how forms can be used in graphic design:

• Enhance and amplify forms. Add highlights and shadows to the form to make it rise above the space or pop out against the background.
• Depict with other elements. Forms are best shown visually together with other elements like tones, shapes, and lines.
• Forms leverage volume. Since they have depth and are able to fill space, forms can add volume to your composition.

4. Color

There is a whole science regarding color but that deserves its own post. Suffice to say that color is the one element most difficult to understand.

Artists can use whatever color they want. That’s their personal expression. Designers can’t do that but still must have a solid grasp of color, especially what colors stand for. This is because colors convey meanings and influence people’s moods and interests.

The irony is that an established system of color meaning does not exist. Often, color symbolism is dictated by culture or beliefs depending on country and tradition. Thus, it is vital you know the design’s rationale and its target user or viewer.

Here’s a rundown of colors and some meanings attached to them:

• Warm colors (red, orange, and yellow) – These exude fire, warmth, radiance, attraction, attention, energy, happiness, and passion.
• Cool colors (green, blue, and violet) – These signify calm, serenity, confidence, loyalty, and professionalism.
• Red – This suggests blood, fire, power, bravery, desire, passion, determination, and action.
• Blue – The sea and sky color conveys expertise, wisdom, depth, intelligence, certainty, and durability.
• Yellow – The sun’s color attracts and implies energy, joy, celebration, and cheerfulness.
• Green – Nature’s color mirrors abundance, growth, wealth, freshness, hope, and productiveness.
• Orange – The blend of red and yellow indicates creativity, success, zeal, and encouragement.
• Brown – The color of earth is symbolic of permanence, consistency, order, and of material things.
• Purple – This is commonly related to nobility, wealth, luxury as well as magic and mystery.
• Black – The absence of color is analogous to evil and death but has come to be known for elegance, formality, and authority.
• Gray – This creates feelings of loneliness and sorrow but also reliability and maturity.
• White – The synthesis of all colors embodies light, purity, innocence, cleanliness, and goodness.

5. Scale

Scale refers to an object’s size in connection with other objects. This element is frequently applied under the principles of proportion and hierarchy to get maximum results. And similar to proportion, the scale of an object is determined according to the human body size.

Designers have many options to play with scale. They can scale down objects, oversize them or keep them life-sized. There can be different sizes or overblown dimensions to get a unique perspective or eye-catching design.

There are things to remember when using the element of scale:

• Scale defines size. Size on its own is uninteresting. But the size of an object compared to another perks things up. Scale determines that.
• Scale is a relative concept. Size can be progressively scaled up or down by degree or level. Scale can also be applied on the non-physical like color (too bright, a bit dull) or importance (critical, vital, trivial, and minor).
• Scale can do a lot to enhance a design. It can create tension, add visual weight, put emphasis, show contrast, and instill order and structure, to name some.

6. Space

Space is described as the distance between elements. That spatial relationship among objects is also known as depth.

In the 3-D physical world, humans easily perceive depth. In 2-D or renderings on a flat surface, designers and artists use techniques to represent or recreate depth. These include overlapping; linear, atmospheric, and aerial perspective; and vertical or size location.

Space is classified into positive and negative. Positive space is the area filled by the element or object in the design (there can be many elements or objects). The empty area is the negative space. On paper or on a page, it’s the white space.

Negative space is important because it gives the eye an area to rest. It also gives prominence to any element nearby. This facilitates better communication of your message to the viewer.

What does space do when it comes to design?

• Space eliminates clutter. When you have many design elements, it’s wise to have some space.
• It connects elements. Apply small spaces between objects to keep them together.
• Space highlights objects. An object becomes a focal point when there’s a large space near or around it.
• It works well with people. If your design has people in it consider putting space to where they are facing or looking at. It stirs the imagination of viewers.

7. Frame

A frame is simply an enclosure. It fences in a visual image or content. But a frame is not all about bordering in elements. They are applied to combine, separate, organize or differentiate elements in a composition.

You may not be aware of it but frames are literally everywhere. Yes, there’s your picture frame and your door frame. Then there’s the TV, book, magazine, computer monitor, tablet, smartphone, IDs, websites, and interfaces, among many others.

When you peer through a camera, what you see is a frame of the image you point it at. You pan the camera around to see elements you want or don’t want in the frame. The same is true for graphic design; designers include or eliminate elements that can enhance a composition.

What are the techniques used for framing? Below are the typical ones:

• Cropping. To crop or not to crop is the big question. Do you take the whole picture or just the interesting parts? It depends on the design project’s purpose, and what looks good and needs to stand out.
• Borders. Do you go for thick borders or thin borders? Borders put structure on your elements especially if these are text and images.
• Margins. Like borders, they are used to enclose active elements (text and pictures) as well as carry passive elements (captions, footers, and page numbers).
• Full-bleed. In magazines, a picture occupies the whole page with no visible lines to frame it. The page edges serve as the borders. This modern design approach has found its way into flat-screen TVs and the latest smartphones with bezel-less edges.

8. Grid

Grids were first introduced more than 500 years ago with the invention of the printing press. The main purpose of grids is to organize content. They have become the backbone of layout design used in websites, publications, and presentations.

Digital technology has adopted the grid, particularly for interaction design. Online platforms, web apps, and CMS apply grid-based layouts to structure elements. This made the backend job easier for designers and the frontend more responsive to users.

The grid serves as the framework where designers can arrange graphic content. To do this, various components are employed. These include:

• Columns – Pillars provide adjustable vertical sections to place elements.
• Rows – Horizontal sections give sideway expansion for content.
• Modules – Spaces created when columns and rows intersect.
• Regions – Larger spaces formed from clusters of columns, rows, and modules.
• Gutters – Narrow or wide dividers between columns and rows.
• Markers – Secondary content (page numbers, chapter titles) is placed in marker areas.
• Margins – Border spaces that enclose columns and rows.
• Flowlines – Breaks in the grid that can halt design elements or serve as starting areas.

9. Texture

Texture is about the quality of a surface – how it feels or looks like. We use many descriptions when it comes to texture – silky, smooth, furry, rough, and abrasive, among others.

As in art, texture is applied in design to create a focal point, achieve balance, and build contrast. Remember, texture attracts the eye and stirs visual interest.

There are two general types of textures – real or tangible texture (which is 3-D) and implied or visual texture (2-D). Real texture is done by way of layering, tearing, or cutting materials. Meanwhile, visual texture is made by using other elements like lines, forms, and colors to create depth and highlights.

In graphic design (for projects like websites or printed materials), visual texture is further divided into two:

1. Image texture. A fusion of geometric or organic shapes as well as color to replicate the sensation of touch. It can be man-made, environmental, or biological. Ex. images of wood, grain, feathers, etc.
2. Pattern texture. These are also made from mixtures of organic and geometric shapes and can be simple or complex. Image textures look random while pattern textures are more orderly and structured. An example is repeating the same shape or logo.

10. Typography

Typography is ubiquitous. You see it on anything which has text content – books, web pages, magazines, posters, ads, etc. The purpose of graphic designers in using typography is to give text visual impact – which makes your typeface decisions particularly important when starting a blog, designing product packaging, or rebranding your business.

On their own, text, words, letters, and fonts are dull and lifeless. However, the skillful arrangement of typefaces by combining font, spacing, and size in a variety of ways can give eye-catching results.

Typography contributes to the readability of text content in relation to the other elements in a layout. Done right, typography reinforces messaging and branding. Applied poorly, it confounds communication.

Below are some methods to make designs engaging especially if they are mostly text-based.

• Color them right. Know the psychology of colors (see our previous item on color) and apply them to typefaces. Putting the right color on typography makes it stand out and evokes intended emotions.
• Apply hierarchy. Lead the eye to the most important word or text by using the principle of hierarchy. Use typeface and font size and be guided by levels of importance – from the most (level 1) to the least (level 3).
• Understand the context. Use the appropriate font for the occasion or design medium. If it’s for web content, magazines, and those with wide text areas, serif fonts are easier to read. For business cards, brochures, and small items, use sans serif.

11. Value

Value determines how light or dark the elements in a design appear. For reference, the lightest value is white and the darkest is black. All other colors fall in between, with each having its respective value from light to dark.

As an example (in relative terms), among colors the one with the highest light value is yellow. On the other hand, the one with the lowest dark value is violet. Value in design is normally used in combination with colors, shapes, and lines.

How is value applied by designers? There are three ways:

1. To create a mood. Value brings about certain feelings and atmosphere. Light values evoke playfulness, happiness, and warmth. Meanwhile, dark values evoke sadness, mystery, and drama.
2. To show depth. Mountains on the horizon that are nearer appear darker and those farther away are lighter. Dark and lighter tones can be used to show depth and distance among objects.
3. To build contrast. Light and dark values or colors are great for high or low contrast. This can make for dynamic and unique designs with great visual impact.

Design Trends and Direction

Soon the current year will close and another one will start. So what’s in store for the world of design in 2022 and beyond?

We at Colorcinch always keep our ears on the ground, feeling the pulse and movement when it comes to art and design. It is our duty to be aware of such things.

Although trends change, some design styles stand the test of time. Like fashion, others are revived. Meantime, recent design ideas have become new favorites.

Let’s quickly go through some design trends.

Minimalism

Simplicity never goes out of style. And minimalism has always been the vehicle for simplicity.

You know this design style at first glance. There is generous negative space. Only a few elements are used. There’s just one or a couple of objects. A few texts are included or non at all. And colors are either muted or extra bright. Sometimes it’s all monochrome.

Clean and clutter-free as well as orderly and organized. This design style was started in the 60s in response to an excessive culture. Minimalism removes anything unnecessary and keeps only the essential elements.

Today in the digital age, it has spawned a neo-minimalist movement. This is evident in graphic and web designs. Some web pages are bare bones. Google displays only a search bar in the middle of its page. Online sites and apps show only a few navigation buttons.

If you want a future-proof design, apply minimalism. Never has the adage “less is more” rang so true.

Data Visualization

Tons of data are produced every day by businesses, governments, and ordinary people. There are data analytics and business intelligence software to crunch those data.

But how do you present information and data to stakeholders or everyday consumers? Addressing a problem – the need to simplify information – required a design solution.

The answer was to visualize data to make it understandable. The concept isn’t new but it is a strong continuing trend. And so came about the use of infographics, slides, presentations, colorful diagrams, animated graphs and charts, and interactive dashboards.

These types of design media are important. Consider that 90% of information sent to the brain is visual. This drives home the point – presenting data with visuals, graphics, and images is more easily absorbed.

Dark Themes

The dark theme is as popular as ever, especially as a UI design. But it was originally used by mobile app developers to be more comfortable when coding.

Black background and themes mitigate visual stress which is a result of viewing on-screen content for a long time. People do this all the time in front of computer screens, tablets, and smartphones. Dark designs reduce eye strain. Also, black exudes a chic and modern look.

Soon the style caught on. Now you’ll find major browsers and online apps offering dark theme options for more relaxed browsing. Video platforms provide “night mode” features. There are even “turn light off” buttons on some websites.

This trend is likely to stay as long as people consume and interact with web content from their devices.

Retro Futurism

The past and the future meet. The design style draws inspiration from sci-fi films and visuals. It is heavy on industrial surroundings, apocalyptic landscapes, computers, and machinery.

Often, it combines traditional objects in an out-of-this-world setting. Imagine a grand piano in an immaculately white ballroom with wall-to-wall screens instead of windows. Think of Westworld or Blade Runner and you get the drift.

Some characteristics associated with the retro-futuristic design include:

• Geometric shapes. The future is filled with man-made objects (robots, machines, spaceships) that have either sharp edges or smooth curves.
• Neon lighting. Interiors and urban settings are awash in bright neon lights. However, the countryside wasteland is dark and gloomy.
• Grimy aesthetics. The filthy look coupled with stained apparel comprises the default OOTD.
• Vintage plus tech. Antique objects and classic symbolism mixed with tech elements.

Animated Web Design

Video credit: Sajon

There is an emerging trend of animated web content. You see these in website elements and objects that move on their own or with a simple mouse prompt. The rationale for animated graphics and design is to attract interest and make the website more engaging.

Animation has gone a long way since the days of Flash and GIF. Newer technologies such CSS, HTML5, and WebGL have made the process of animated design faster and easier. Furthermore, the results are more sophisticated and smoother animations.

Why should you join the animation bandwagon?

• Make your website stand out. Over a billion websites are competing for viewers’ attention. Make yours attractive with great design and animation effects.
• To tell visual stories. Your messages and narratives are better told through animated video or simple animation. They are short, stimulating, and direct to the point.
• Enhance the user experience. Smartly placed animation can help visitors navigate your site in an entertaining manner. Your site will be remembered for being intuitive and user-friendly.

Digital Art Rendering

This design trend is getting traction because you don’t have to do the digital art design yourself. All you need is the right picture and image editing software does the rest.

In no time, you’ll have an artistic depiction of your subject converted from a picture. Digital image conversion is popular nowadays. There are many apps that allow you to transform pictures into sketches, drawings, and fine art.

These art renderings have found their way into advertisements, book and album covers, website banners, and even social media.

You can explore the capability of such an advanced tool right here. Yes, Colorcinch is a powerful yet easy-to-use image editing and conversion program. It can create playful digital art for your online pages or sophisticated fine art for your business. Try Colorcinch here. It’s free!

Be Creative

It is an exciting visual design world out there. But the mood and enthusiasm to design and create need to be sustained.

That is why all of us here at Colorcinch rely on tools and resources to get ideas and inspiration. This ultimate guide is one of our ready references. It encourages us to think outside the box. Likewise, it pushes us to be bold and see things from a fresh standpoint.

Lastly, don’t be overwhelmed. When it comes to design there are no rules, only guidelines. In fact, you can test drive that boundless imagination and renewed creativity right now with Colorcinch.

The post The Principles & Elements of Design – The ULTIMATE Guide appeared first on Photo to Cartoon – Cartoonize Yourself & Create Avatar Characters for Free.

Double exposure is a fun way to bring your photography to life with a new twist. Not only that, but it’s also something that can really set your photos apart from everyone else’s! But what exactly is double exposure and how do you create one?

In today’s world, double exposure is a very common photographic technique. The famous singer Taylor Swift even used the effect in her song “Style” art cover, which can be found on her album “1989.” As a result, a great number of her followers posted their own take on the double exposure effect on social media platforms.

What is Double Exposure?

Double exposure is a technique where a photographer overlays two or more images to create a single image. It’s one of the most fun and creative ways to make your photographs stand out. Many photographers use this technique in black and white photography, but it can be used for color too!

For novice photographers, it is crucial to understand the basics of photography in order to create an artistic image, such as double exposure. One of the basics that should be learned is the Exposure Triangle. Sounds technical? Don’t fret. We have an article to give you a kickstart about the Exposure Triangle.

If you’re new to double exposure or would like some pointers on how to use it effectively, here’s everything you need to know about creating stunning double exposure.

How to Create a Double Exposure Online with Blend Mode

A Blend Mode is one way to achieve a double exposure photo. We will show you how to use two images to create a cohesive and surreal art piece using Colorcinch.

Step 1: Open Colorcinch and Upload your base image.

Step 2: Navigate to Image Manager and click on Upload Image. Choose your second image from your computer. Once uploaded, the images will appear in Your Images below the Upload Image.

Step 3: Drag the second image on top of the base image. Adjust the second image to match the base image.

Step 4: Change the Blend Mode by clicking on the Layer Properties button and navigating to the drop-down menu. To achieve the double exposure effect for this particular photo, I used the Lighten Blend Mode.

Try the different blend modes until you get your desired output.

Let’s look at the final output:

How to Create a Double Exposure with an Overlay Effect

Another simple way to achieve a double exposure effect in Colorcinch is to use Overlay Effects.

Step 1: Like in the previous tutorial, start by opening Colorcinch. Upload an image.

Step 2: Navigate to Overlay on the left side of the panel and it will open a tab of Overlay filters. Navigate through it and choose Light Leaks.

Step 3: Choose a Light Leaks filter that would fit your image. You can also refine the opacity by adjusting the Slider. Once adjustments are made, click Apply.

It’s that easy! Here is the before and after:

Double Exposure Photo Fun Facts

• Accidental Discovery

The first double exposures happened by accident and were not planned. Light leaks in cameras cause double exposures to happen by accident. Early film cameras often had problems with light leaks, but they can still happen today.

When you take a picture, the shutter should close all the way. If it doesn’t, light from outside will get into the camera and land on the film or digital sensor. If you make this mistake before you develop your photos, you’ll have a double exposure by accident.

• Paranormal Apparition

You might think of double exposure as a tool used to create spooky images, but it’s actually been around for a long time. Many of the first instances of double exposure feature ghosts and strange settings and tend to be rather unsettling.

• Double Exposure Camera

Some photographers used something called a “double-exposure camera” to make a double exposure. Photographers would use this camera to make double exposures on purpose.

In one shot, the camera would take two separate pictures and then put them together to make one picture. To make these intentional double exposures, the photographer would need to expose two negatives on the same piece of film separately.

• Business as Usual

In the 1860s, photographers began experimenting with double exposures to increase their profit. So as to increase sales, they figured out how to make a portrait subject look like they were in a frame with a duplicate of themselves, much like an identical twin would.

Conclusion

We learned that there is really a thing called a beautiful disaster. A living testament to this is the accidental invention of the double exposure effect. People have been drawn to its imperfection and have used it as a method to create stunning artworks. It stands the test of time. Hence, because of the continuous innovation of technology, double exposure has been reinvented many times. This goes to show that art is never perfect, but always relevant.

We hope this tutorial has inspired you to get creative with your photo editing and try out double-exposure effects on some of your shots. There are so many different things you can do with this technique, but when it comes down to it, it all comes down to what inspires you! So go play around with all the options we’ve given you here today—and if there are any other tips or tricks that we missed, let us know in the comments below!

The post How to Easily Create a Double Exposure Effect Online appeared first on Photo to Cartoon – Cartoonize Yourself & Create Avatar Characters for Free.

Taking aesthetic pictures can be considered to be an exercise for your creative and technical skills. After all, it isn’t so easy to take photos where everything looks so pleasing and beautiful.

While there’re no rigid definitions for aesthetic photography, your ultimate goal should be to take an image which presents subjects in their best form. Furthermore, your editing style too can add to the aesthetic of the picture. It’s thus a broad topic – you get it.

Today, we’ll be looking at 10 awesome ideas you can use to take aesthetic pictures. We’ll be looking at some photography techniques, style guides, and editing styles that’ll help you take photos that stand out.

10 Aesthetic Picture Ideas

1. Choose a Strong Subject

The aesthetic of your image is primarily set by the subject that you’re photographing. It is thus essential that you have a strong subject to work with.

Your subject should be able to give a sense of strength, power, happiness (or any other strong emotion), and should stand out from the crowd.

2. Composition is Key

You can’t expect to take an aesthetic picture by simply pointing your camera and firing the shutter. Composition is key – look for ways to create a strong composition.

Use the rule of thirds, include a leading line, compose with symmetry and patterns – there are lots of ways you can do it. And while you’re at it, remember that simple compositions are always better.

3. Play With Light and Shadows

When composing an image, we become so worried about the light illuminating the subject that we tend to forget about the shadows. In fact, by manipulating the interplay between the light and shadows, you can take you photos to the next level.

Try and create an interesting mix of light and shadows. While the eyes will be drawn to the highlights first, the shadows can create a sense of mystery and add depth to the image.

In the same context, if you’re taking portraits, see if you can deliberately cast shadows on the subject to make the image more interesting. In fact, Colorcinch lets you add interesting shadow patterns in your image. Just follow these steps.

Step 1: Upload your image to Colorcinch.

Step 2: Navigate to Overlays – Shadows. You’ll come across a list of shadow patterns that you can choose from.

Step 3: Select the shadow pattern that best suits your image. You can further fine-tune the image by clicking on the Settings icon, and adjust the intensity of the overlay using the Slider. Once done, click on Apply.

Here’s a comparison of the image before and after adding the shadow overlay. Notices how it adds to the mood of the image.

7. Give Your Pictures an Aesthetic Look With Filters and Overlays

Clearly, you can give an aesthetic look to your images in post. However, it can be a painstaking process to edit every image manually to achieve the same look. This is where using presets, filters, and overlays can come to the rescue.

Using presets and filters, you can achieve a certain look in a matter of a few clicks, and with overlays you can add some extra fun elements that elevate the look of your images.

Colorcinch has a collection of hundreds of Filters and Overlays that you can use to give a unique look to your images in a consistent manner. Make sure to browse through them and use the ones you like.

8. Photograph a Certain Mood

Being able to invoke a certain emotion is something that distinguishes a successful image. When taking pictures that have an aesthetic look and feel, aim for the happy and calm moods. Seek to give out positive vibes.

Ask your subject to smile if you’re taking a portrait, use bright colors, consider using warm tones, and don’t be afraid to overexpose a bit.

9. Take Detailed Shots

It isn’t uncommon for us to try and include as many interesting things as possible into one image. But instead of making the image more interesting, this ends up diluting the essence of the image.

So, every now and then, it is a good idea to get close to your subject, frame up its intricacies, and photograph them. For example, focus on a certain body part of your subject instead of shooting them whole. And yes, while a macro lens would do wonders, but it isn’t mandatory.

10. Make Your Subject Stand Out

A must-have trait for any aesthetic picture is to be able to immediately let the viewers know where they should be looking. You don’t want the viewers staring at your image and wondering what’s so special about it.

So, make your stand out. You can do so in many ways. Some ideas you can try is to fill the frame with the subject, take a detail shot, use a subject that just pops, or set the aperture to its widest setting to focus just on the subject.

To Sum It Up

These ideas are great ways to start taking some aesthetically beautiful images. Furthermore, one thing we highly recommend is that, once you get comfortable with this style, work on yourself and create your own personal aesthetic.

The consistency will definitely yield dividends as your prospective clients will have a clear idea of what they’ll be getting. You will thus be able to develop your photography aesthetic along with your photography style.

The post 10 Awesome Ideas for Aesthetic Pictures That You Must Try appeared first on Photo to Cartoon – Cartoonize Yourself & Create Avatar Characters for Free.

The exposure triangle forms the foundation of photography. Also commonly referred to as photography’s holy trinity or the three pillars of photography, having a firm understanding of the exposure triangle is a must if you’re serious about photography.

In this article, we’ll take a deep dive to learn in-depth about the exposure triangle. We’ll also see how we can use it to improve our photography.

Elements of Exposure Triangle

The exposure triangle is made up of the following three fundamentals. We’ll learn more about them as we progress in the article.

• Aperture
• Shutter speed
• ISO

Aperture

The aperture is the physical opening in the lens through which the light has to pass through to make it to the camera’s sensor. It’s made up of multiple layers of blades that open or close to control the size of the aperture.

By now you must’ve understood that the aperture controls the amount of light entering the camera – hence the brightness

Aperture and Depth of Field

Aperture also controls what’s called the depth of field. A lens cannot have everything in focus from front to back. At any given aperture, there’s a certain range within which the image is acceptably sharp, which is known as the depth of field.

A greater depth of field means that a greater portion of the image is in focus and appears sharp. This is mostly the case with landscape images. You can achieve a greater depth of field by closing down the aperture i.e. narrow opening.

On the other hand, a shallow depth of field means that only a smaller portion of the image is in focus and most of the image appears out of focus and blurry. For instance, this is prominent in portrait and macro photography. You can have a shallower depth of field by widening the aperture.

Aperture Notation

Aperture is measured in terms of f-stops. Mathematically, an f-stop (also known as f-number) is the ratio of the focal length to the diameter of the aperture. It is represented as fractions like f/1.8, f/5.6, f/8, and so on.

It is worth noting that wider apertures have smaller f-numbers like f/1.8, f/2, and so on. Whereas, a narrower aperture will have greater f-number such as f/8,f/13, and so on. It can be a bit tricky at first so it’s important that you pay attention to this.

Aperture Summary

In summary, a wide aperture:

• is represented by smaller f-numbers such as f/1.8
• allows more light to enter the camera
• has a shallow depth of field i.e. less things in focus

On the contrary, a narrow aperture:

• is represented by bigger f-numbers such as f/13
• allows less light to enter the camera
• has a greater depth of field i.e. more things in focus

Every lens has a fixed range of aperture values and they vary from lens to lens. Be sure to go through the specifications of your lens to know about its maximum and minimum aperture range.

Shutter Speed

It’s not that the light can reach the camera as soon as it passes through the lens. Right in front of the sensor is the shutter which controls when the sensor is to be exposed to light, and for how long. Think of a shutter as the blinds on your windows.

Basically, the shutter opens when you click the shutter release button on the camera to take a picture. You can control the duration for which the sensor is to be exposed to light by defining the shutter speed.

The shutter speed is thus the duration for which the shutter opens to let the light. Since it’s a time period, it’s measured in terms of seconds. If it’s fast, shutter speed is represented in terms of fractions like 1/1000s (read one thousand of a second), or 1/500s. But if it’s slow, it is represented simply as 1s, 2s, 30s, and so on.

Shutter Speed and Brightness

When you set a faster shutter speed like 1/500s, the shutter opens and closes almost instantly letting very little light into the sensor. This is useful when the scene is brightly lit, or when you want to take a dark image.

On the other hand, when you set a slow shutter speed like 1/2s, the shutter opens for a significant time letting a considerable amount of light into the sensor. This is useful when the scene is dimly lit, or when you want to take a bright image.

Shutter Speed and Motion

Besides controlling the time duration for the light to strike the sensor, shutter speed also plays a pivotal role in capturing or freezing motion.

Using a fast shutter speed ensures that your subject appears well-frozen and tack sharp. A fast shutter speed nullifies the subject’s motion and freezes them. This is why sports and wildlife photographers use a shutter speed of 1/1000s and even faster.

Sometimes, especially for creative reasons,  you’d want to capture the subject’s motion in your images. This is where using a slow shutter speed comes in handy. Notice how the waterfall appears silky smooth in the image above.

You can also use a slower shutter speed in a dimly lit situation and for creative purposes like light painting. In such cases, the camera records the movement of the light source for a dramatic effect.

In case the shutter speed is too slow, you will need to use a tripod. Otherwise, the image will come out blurry either due to the shaking of your hands, or the movement of the subjects.

ISO

ISO determines the level of amplification of the light signals done by the camera’s image processor. When the ISO is set to its base value (usually 100), no boosting occurs. In all the other values, the signal gets boosted so that the image appears brighter.

ISO is measured in terms of absolute numbers like 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, and so on. When you double your ISO, you double the brightness of the image.

Now, while ISO might sound like the holy grail to tackle dark images, there’s a catch. Simply increasing the ISO won’t help you take photos in dark conditions as it has an adverse side-effect.

Amplifying the light signals gives rise to grain-like artifacts in an image referred to as noise. They reduce the details on an image and also result in inaccurate colors. So, you’ll need to be very much aware of your camera’s ISO capabilities as every sensor has its own limitations.

Exposure Triangle: Deciding on the Variables

Now that you have an idea of the elements of the exposure triangle and how they affect your image, let’s see how you can decide on your camera settings for the perfect exposure.

1. Prioritize the Aperture or Shutter Speed Setting

Ask yourself if you’re more concerned about the depth of field in the image, or the motion of the subject. For instance, if your subject moves around quite a bit and you’re concerned about their speed, prioritize shutter speed.

Start by setting a fast shutter speed of about 1/1000s while leaving the ISO to its base value. Since this will cut down the light significantly, you’ll need to reduce the aperture. While keeping an eye on the light meter of your camera, reduce the shutter speed until the light meter points to the middle 0 value.

If the moving subject appears frozen and tack sharp, you’re well and good. But in case you weren’t able to freeze the motion on your first try, you can try again by increasing the shutter speed to let’s say 1/2000s.

Again, since you’re reducing the exposure duration, you will need to widen the aperture while keeping an eye on the light meter so that it points to 0. Repeat the process until you’re able to completely freeze the motion.

On the other hand, if you are more concerned with the depth of field, dial in your aperture setting first while leaving the ISO to the base value. Then, let the shutter speed setting follow.

For instance, if you want to isolate your subject, set your aperture to its widest setting, let’s say f/1.8. Since this will let in a lot of light, you’ll need to increase the shutter speed while keeping your eye on the light meter until it reads 0.

On the contrary, if you want an image with a large depth of field, start with a narrow aperture, preferably around f/8 or f/11. Since this will cut down the light, you’ll need to use a slower shutter speed. So, reduce the shutter speed while keeping your eye on the light meter.

2. Set Your ISO

We highly recommend that you keep the ISO at its native value as far as possible. This is why we suggest that you set your ISO only after you’ve dialed in your aperture and shutter speed.

Increase your ISO only in cases where camera shake or motion blur becomes unavoidable due to a slow shutter speed. That’s because the image comes out the cleanest at the base ISO. Once you increase the ISO the camera will introduce some level of noise in the image.

Having said that, it should also be noted that modern cameras have fantastic high ISO performance. So, be sure to check how your camera performs at higher ISOs. This will give you more confidence to switch over to higher ISO values when needed.

Giving Your Exposure a Final Touch

During the initial phase of learning photography, expect your exposures to be all over the place. You’ll overexpose some images, underexpose some, and take blurry photos most of the time. Just don’t stress yourself. That’s how we all learn.

While there’s no fix for blurry images, we can take the help of photo editing tools like Colorcinch to fine-tune exposure-related issues. In Colorcinch, if you navigate to Edit – Exposure, you’ll come across the following options that will help you drastically improve the exposure in your image.

• Brightness: This controls the overall brightness of the image
  
• Contrast: This controls the extent of difference between the brightness and the darkest parts in an image and helps to add a pop to flat images
  
• Highlights: This affects only the brighter regions of the image
• Shadows: This affects only the darker regions of the image

For instance, let’s have a look at how we can transform an underexposed image in Colorcinch.

Step 1: Upload the image to Colorcinch.

Step 2: Navigate to Edit – Exposure. There, you’ll find the exposure controls.

Step 3: Start by adjusting the overall brightness of the image using the Brightness slider. To adjust the sky region (bright), use the Highlights slider, and to adjust the landscape region (dark), adjust the Shadows slider. Finally, add some kick to the image using the Contrast slider.

Here’s how the image appears after the adjustments.

To Sum it Up

Photographing feels a lot more challenging in the earlier stages. But once you get a hang of things like the exposure triangle, you can concentrate more on the creative aspects of photography. And that’s where all the fun and other challenges come into play.

We’re sure that our discussion here regarding the exposure triangle will help you kick start your photography journey. All the best!

The post Exposure Triangle – A Complete Guide for Beginners appeared first on Photo to Cartoon – Cartoonize Yourself & Create Avatar Characters for Free.

Portrait and Landscape Orientation in Photography

Before going into the comparison of portrait vs landscape, let’s get to know about these orientations first.

An image is said to be in a portrait orientation if its height is greater than its width. And it is said to be in a landscape orientation if its width is greater than its height.

In general terms, a portrait image is also called as a vertical image. Similarly, a landscape image is also commonly known as a horizontal image.

Portrait vs Landscape: Use Cases

The typical use cases of portrait and landscape orientation is as suggested by their names themselves. Usually, when photographing natural scenes, we stick with the landscape orientation, and use portrait orientation when photographing an individual or object.

When photographing a typical landscape, the elements that we want to shoot are usually spread out horizontally. It could be hills, mountains, a river, or a beautiful sunset. Using the camera in landscape orientation makes the best sense in such circumstances.

Similarly, when taking the portrait of a person, we want to fill as much of the frame as possible with the subject. While this can be difficult to achieve in a landscape orientation, we can easily do so when the camera is turned vertically i.e. portrait orientation.

However, there are always exceptions. And in this case, there are lots of them.

You can still take landscape photos with the camera in portrait orientation. This works especially well if you have a very interesting foreground close-by that’s accompanied by a mid-ground and the background.

This technique also works great when photographing rivers, shore lines, waterfalls, or any other natural leading lines.

Similarly, there are ample of situations where you will find yourself using the camera in landscape orientation to photograph a portrait.

The most common scenario is when taking environmental portraits. This is when you want to showcase any sort of interaction between the subject and their environment.

You can also do this if there’s something interesting besides the subject that you want to capture in the portrait – like an epic sunset in the background. In addition to this, if you’re taking group photos, then in that case too, landscape orientation is your friend.

Which Orientation Should You Shoot In: Portrait or Landscape?

Deciding whether to shoot portrait vs landscape might sound simple at first going by the notions that we discussed. However, when deciding on this, it’s essential that we’re clear about where and how the image will be used; especially when doing commissioned work.

Many a times, a particular image stands out from the rest and it leaves us wondering how it would’ve looked like in the other orientation. Similarly, a client might like one particular image, but  what if they need it in the other orientation due to certain printing constraints?

It’s therefore a good practice to ensure that you spend some extra time in photographing a particular scene or a subject in both the orientations as far as possible.

While this should not be an issue when photographing architecture, natural scenery, or someone you know, things can be tricky when shooting other genres like street photography, sports, or wildlife photography.

In the latter case, where things are very much uncertain, a trick is to photograph in the landscape orientation while leaving some breathing space around the subject. It also helps if the camera has a high resolution.

You can then easily convert such landscape image to portrait orientation by cropping it. Here’s how you can do it in Colorcinch.

Step 1: Upload your image to Colorcinch.

Step 2: Navigate to Edit – Crop. There, you’ll find a couple of options that will help you to crop the image as per your requirement.

Step 3: If you’re sure about the exact dimensions, you can enter the Width and Height manually.

Alternatively, you can crop the using the Freeform crop, or choose a particular Aspect Ratio from the drop-down list.

Here’s how the image looks after we cropped it to a portrait orientation.

This is a great trick that you can use to get your photos taken in landscape orientation ready to be posted in Facebook or Instagram stories, and even in TikTok.

To Sum It Up

If you’re wondering about which orientation comes out as the winner in portrait vs landscape comparison, then a simple answer is that there’s no clear winner. It totally depends on what you’re trying to achieve, and how you want to showcase the output.

If possible, try & have a prior information of how the image will be printed or displayed.  This will enable you to set up your camera’s orientation accordingly to get the shot. This way, you don’t need to crop out anything thereby preserving the details in the image.

Otherwise, try and shoot the images in both portrait and landscape orientation whenever possible. And in difficult circumstances, try and shoot in landscape orientation with a wider perspective. This makes cropping so much easier.

Would you agree if we say that landscape orientation is a bit more flexible?

The post Portrait vs Landscape Orientation in Photography: Which is Better? appeared first on Photo to Cartoon – Cartoonize Yourself & Create Avatar Characters for Free.

13. Pose With Your Pet for a Selfie

Your pet can be an awesome selfie partner. Kiss them, caress them, or just give them a tight hug. No matter what you do, the selfie with your pet will surely come out awesome and cute.

14. Add Depth With a Foreground Element

Make your selfie poses more immersive by adding depth. You can do so my placing something between you and your camera and shooting through it. For instance, you could shoot through flowers, branches, or a bunch of leaves.

Make sure that the focus is on you and that your face is not too obstructed.

15. Declutter Your Group Selfies

Usually, when it comes to taking group selfies, we tend to have everyone in the group come close towards the camera. That’s so old school.

A great group selfie pose you can try is to have everyone in the group spread out in the frame. However, to include everyone in the frame, you’ll need to take a few step forward and raise the phone slightly higher.

16. Lay Down and Pose

Spice up your selfie game by laying down on the floor, your sofa, or even your bed and shooting from a higher perspective. You can further take this to the next level by posing with a partner in a way that both of you have your heads in the opposite direction.

17. Two Handed Selfie

It’s very common for us to use just a single hand to take selfies. But, by intentionally using both of our hands, we can change things a little. After all, doing so has two important advantages.

First, using two hands will stabilize the camera better. And second, the two arms will work great as a frame for the face and draw the viewers right in. Try it!

18. Pose Near a Window

If you’re a fan of striking selfie poses indoors, it is best that you do so near a large window. That’s because the window works as a light source and the diffused light wraps around the face beautifully, helping you to take some gorgeous selfies.

19. Try Unusual Selfie Angles

If you feel that being normal is too mainstream, go ahead and try out some unusual selfie angles. Tilt your phone sideways in an acute angle and see how the photos come out.

20. Find Colorful Lighting

Now this selfie posing tip will come in handy if you’re looking to pose in dimly lit situations.

Look for colorful lights, billboards, or even neon signs that give out bright colorful light and strike your selfie poses in their vicinity. The colors will add a different personality to your selfie photos.

To Sum It Up

Taking selfies has become a way to express oneself. It is also a convenient way to make memories as you become your own photographer; you get to take your photos as you feel is the best.

If you’re looking to take your selfie game to the next level, these selfie poses will surely help you out in the process. Be sure to take a note of the ones that you like the best and try them out. We’re sure you’ll love them.

The post 20 Awesome Selfie Poses & Ideas to Rock Your Social Media appeared first on Photo to Cartoon – Cartoonize Yourself & Create Avatar Characters for Free.

Looking for ways to add a different background to your photo? Well, you’ve come to the right place. Whether you want to completely remove the background of your image or get it replaced, Colorcinch has your back. And it has never been easier than this.

Removing the background of an image and adding a new one can come in handy in various circumstances. For instance:

• To add a white background to product photos
• Make a portrait photo appear more exciting
• To place someone in a place where they’ve never been

In today’s article, we’ll see how we can do this using Colorcinch.

Add Background to a Photo: Step by Step Guide

1. Remove the Existing Background of Your Image

Before you can add a new background to a photo, it’s important that you get rid of the existing background first. This makes the entire process so much easier.

Thanks to the AI-powered background remover feature in Colorcinch, you can remove the background from any image with just a single click. Simply follow these easy steps.

Step 1: Upload your image to Colorcinch.

Step 2: Navigate to Edit – Remove Background. You’ll be taken to the Remove Background menu.

Step 3: Click on the Remove Background button. Our AI-powered algorithm will now analyze the image and automatically remove the background from the image leaving just the subject. Once the background is removed, click on Apply.

As you can see below, the AI-based background remover does an excellent job of getting rid of the background, and that too with the click of a single button.

The post How to Quickly and Easily Change Image Background Online appeared first on Photo to Cartoon – Cartoonize Yourself & Create Avatar Characters for Free.

What is an NFT?

Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) have taken over the world by storm. But what are they?

Simply put, an NFT is a digital asset that represents real-world stuff such as photos, art, music, in-game items, and videos. You can buy and trade them online, often using cryptocurrency, and they’re usually encoded with the same software as many other cryptos.

If you’re a photographer, you now have access to a new marketplace where you can make an NFT from your images and put them up for sale. And no, when you sell your image as an NFT, the buyer does not get the original file.

You still sell copies of the original image but since NFTs are stored in blockchains and cannot be copied, the owners can now provide a unique proof of ownership – and that’s what makes NFTs really convenient.

How to Make NFT From Photos

Broadly speaking, converting your photos to NFTs is a two-step process. First, you need to ready your image by giving them a unique look so they become  more desirable. Then you need to “mint” them and get them on the blockchain network so that you can sell them.

NFT Maker: Give Unique Looks to  Your Photos

1. Create Cartoon Like NFTs

If you look at the NFT marketplace, digital assets with cartoonish looks perform way better than regular-looking ones. And don’t worry, if you’re looking for an NFT maker that can do this, you can use Colorcinch to accomplish the task.

Step 1: Upload your image to Colorcinch.

Step 2: Navigate to Effects – Cartoonizer. You’ll be presented with a list of effects that’ll turn your photo to cartoon.

Step 3: Choose a cartoon effect that best suits your image. Be sure to fine-tune the effect by clicking on the Settings icon. Finally, set the strength of the cartoon filter using the Slider and click on Apply.

As you can see, the effect looks absolutely brilliant.

Now that we’ve seen how easily you can make NFT art using Colorcinch, it is important to understand that it’s not mandatory that you follow these processes in isolation. You can mix and match these different ways to make some really unique NFT art.

How to Mint and Sell NFTs

Now that you have readied your artwork for NFT, it’s time to put it up for sale at a marketplace. But wait, it’s not as simple as uploading an image to a stock images website. There are a few steps involved.

While we’ll list out the important steps you need to follow to sell your NFTs below, we highly recommend that you go through this elaborate article on how to sell NFT.

• Set up your cryptocurrency wallet and load some fund into it
• Create a digital wallet with MetaMask to pay for your NFT
• Add cryptocurrency to your wallet
• Connect your wallet to an NFT platform
• Upload your artwork to mint it (turn into an NFT)
• Set up an auction for your NFT
• Describe your NFT
• Pay the listing fee to sell your NFT

We also highly recommend that you watch the following the video that’ll help you get started on how to sell NFT art. It may sound complicated at first, so be sure to take notes.

To Sum It Up

NFTs have surely made a name for themselves and many swear that it is just the beginning. So, if you are looking to ride the NFT wave as a photographer, it’s still not too late.

If you are a photographer looking for ways to make a good income selling your work, transforming your photos to NFTs using the NFT maker features in Colorcinch is the best way to start.

With your great photos and our creative NFT maker tools, we’re sure you can come up with the coolest NFT art there is. All the best!

The post NFT Maker: Quick and Easy Ways to Create NFTs From Photos appeared first on Photo to Cartoon – Cartoonize Yourself & Create Avatar Characters for Free.

Having a photoshoot done with your best friend is a great way to treasure valuable moments. When you look back at them in the years to come, the photos will bring back all the crazy memories you’ve had together.

However, when it comes to doing a photoshoot with BFFs that are properly planned or professionally taken, not everyone has them. If you’re planning for a formal photoshoot with your best friend, you’ve come to the right place.

In this article, we’ve put together 25 of the most exciting ideas & poses that you can try out in the photoshoot with your best friend.

25 Fun Ideas and Poses for Best Friend Photoshoot

1. Play Dress-Up

As kids who didn’t love playing dress-up with our friends? Playing dress-up as adults can be a great way to reminisce the joyful times you spent together with your best friend.

Dress up as your favorite movie character, as fairy tale characters, or even as superheroes. The choice is up to you.

2. Go Crazy

When we’re with our closest friends, we usually act pretty goofily. Everyone loves to joke around when we’re with our besties. So, why not go crazy and document the goofy behavior during the photoshoot as well?

Later, you can easily add a smile to photo or enhance the laughter-filled moments using simple editing tools to make the memories even more joyful.

3. Go to Your Favourite Place

There must be a place that you often visit with best friends that you all love. Such a place makes for an ideal spot for a photoshoot with your best friends.

4. Get In the Tub Together

In the course of your photoshoot with your best friend, a good way to show how comfortable you are with them is to get into the same tub for a photo. And no, it doesn’t need to be in a bathroom; a symbolic one would do just fine.

While this pose will exhibit your intimacy, it will also look funny to look at. A perfect blend!

5. Celebrate Friendship

One sad aspect of growing up is how it becomes almost impossible for all the close friends to come together. This makes for a perfect reason to celebrate whenever you’re with your best friends together and do a photoshoot to capture the togetherness.

6. Enjoy the Sunset with Friends

There’s something about that soft light during the golden hour that gives a nostalgic touch to the photos. If you happen to be hanging out with your best friend during the sunset, don’t miss the opportunity to take a photo together.

If the light was not so dramatic when you took the photo with your friend, you can easily enhance the look using Colorcinch.

Step 1: Upload the image to Colorcinch.

Step 2: Navigate to Overlays – Sunflare & Haze. You’ll be presented with a selection of beautiful sun flare overlays to choose from.

Step 3: Select the sun flare overlay that best suits your image. You can adjust the intensity of the overlay using the Slider and fine-tune it further by clicking on the Settings icon.

As you can see below the before and after images look miles apart.

7. Chill Out Together

Spend some quality time with your best friend, preferably in nature, and be sure to take out some time for some photoshoot. Such photos will remind you of the good times you had together with your friends.

8. Wear Something Similar

Hey, if you don’t have a similar taste nobody would believe that you are best friends with each other. Dressing up in a similar fashion for the photoshoot is a great way to represent the commonalities you share with your bestie.

9. Try Different Perspectives

In life, our closest friends are usually the ones who teach us how to look at things from a different perspective. So, don’t be afraid to alter your perspective when shooting photos with them.

Lay down on the ground, hang down from a tree branch, or try out some weird angles. It’ll give a fresh look to your images.

10. Be a Kid Again

You should consider yourself really lucky if your best friend has been together with you from early childhood. In such case, a fun idea is to relive the past and feel like a kid again.

Blow some bubbles, play with the sand, spray each other with water, or play with the leaves. Look around you and think, “If I were a kid, what mischief would I be up to?”.

11. Play Your Favorite Sports Together

If you and your best friend share a common favorite sport be sure to do a photoshoot of you two enjoying it. When the body gets old, such images will feel really special.

12. Add Some Cuteness

Make your photos look a lot cuter by adding elements that’ll add that “awe” factor. It could be flowers, a pretty dress, or some other props. Think of what would look cute on you and your best friend.

13. Show Your Love for Each Other

Best friends are called so for a reason. Besides the casual friendship, we also develop a sense of love for them. A fun way to show your love towards your best friend is by making heart signs with your hands during the photoshoot.

14. Silhouette Photoshoot With Best Friend

Pose against a bright background and shoot by exposing for the background. You’ll end up with a backlit image that just shows the outline of the bodies. See if you can identify you and your friends in the years to come.

15. Laugh

When we think of our best friend, some of the things that come to our mind are all the laughter and the sincere smiles while we’re with them. They’re truly something to be treasured.

Crack an impromptu joke, do something stupid, or talk about a funny incident to ignite laughter on each other’s faces.

16. Head Out to the Pool

Pools always make for a great location for a photoshoot, so why not take some photos with your best friend there? Photos by the poolside give a sensation of relaxation and enjoyment, and are always fun to look at.

17. Get Classy

The idea here is to take a simple-looking image with your close friends. Nothing flashy. Be who you are, just be with your friend and take photos with no fancy poses.

Such photos showcase the basic and simple side of life that you share with your bestie.

Another great aspect of this sort of photo is how you can easily give it a classic black and white look using Colorcinch to make it immortal.

Step 1: Upload the image to Colorcinch.

Step 2: Navigate to Filters – Colorcinch. You’ll be presented with a list of awesome black and white filters.

Step 3: Choose the black and white filter that suits the most to your image. You can then fine-tune it by clicking on the Settings icon, and also adjust its intensity using the Slider.

As you can see in the comparison below, getting rid of the colors from the images makes us focus more on the feelings.

18. Make Funny Faces

There’s no shame in acting silly with your friends. Make goofy faces and laugh out loud. When doing so with your best friend, the energy it’ll add to the photoshoot is just unreal.

19. Do an Upside Down Photoshoot With Your Best Friend

Lay down on the ground, the sofa, or the bed and do an upside down photoshoot with your best friend. Such photos again will portray the level of comfort you share with your BFF.

20. Visit a Playground

Visit a nearby children’s park or a playground and take some casual photos with your best friend. Be sure to have a go at some of the games as well to rejuvenate the child in you.

21. Hit the Road with Your BFF

Spend some quality time with your BFF and go out somewhere. Road trips with your best friend are sure to leave you with cherishing memories, and they make for a good photoshoot reason as well.

22. Play With Smoke Bombs

Head out to an open space with your best friend and some smoke bombs for a photoshoot. We bet it’ll be one of the best days of your lives.

23. Photograph Partial Faces

Stand close to your bestie and take a photograph of just your faces. To add to the drama, make sure that the photo includes only the partial faces.

24. Turn Away From the Camera

Take some “mysterious” photos with your best friend by dressing up in a similar way and turning away from the camera. It’ll be fun to see if you can recognize yourself when looking back at the photo.

25. Get Creative

For this photoshoot idea with your best friends, it is important that you think out of the box. Instead of taking a general portrait, see how you can make different shapes by involving your best friend(s).

If there’s someone creative in the group, that’ll really be of help.

To Sum It Up

Believe it or not, but your best friend is a pivotal part of your life. It’s later in life that we tend to realize the impact they’ve had in our lives. So, it makes total sense to have at least one photoshoot with your best friend.

The poses and ideas that we shared here will definitely help you in your photoshoot with your bestie. So, be sure to try them out – you’ll love the photos for sure.

The post 25 Fun Photoshoot Ideas to Try With Your Best Friend appeared first on Photo to Cartoon – Cartoonize Yourself & Create Avatar Characters for Free.