Learn how to edit your pictures using conversational English
Nothing ruins a picture more than something ugly in the background that distracts you from the subject of your photo. Google posted a brilliant example of this using a photo of a child standing in front of an ugly metal fence with what appears to be a pier in the background. If you have a good eye for these things. you’d probably notice what a great shot this would be if you could get rid of that ugly fence. You could look for some type of construction company in Google, but you don’t own the property, and the costs to remove the fence would be prohibitive.
The best way to get the ideal shot is to tap on “Help me edit” in the editor and write, “Erase the text and the fence in bottom, zoom out, and sharpen.” The result? A great photo. Notice that you are simply speaking plain conversational English. You do not have to know any photographer jargon to use this feature.
Use your imagination to improve your photos
Will this feature work on selfies? Absolutely. Google gives an example of a selfie that has a dark shadow running over some of the subject’s face. If you’re thinking that a touch of studio lighting might make the picture better, that’s exactly what you ask for. Once again, tap on “Help me edit” and this time you’d type or say, “Add studio lighting to make me stand out.”
tap on “Help me edit”
This feature can also help expand the borders around a photo to improve the overall look of the picture. Tapping on “Help me edit,” you can say, “Expand the composition and make it better.” You want to know what is cool? If you take a photo and there is nothing in the background, you can add whatever you want by using your voice or typing fingers. After tapping on “Help me edit,” you can say or type, “Reimagine this room with a bookshelf and lights.”
Being able to use conversational English to make these edits is amazing. Take a photo of a woman walking through a field of grass. When it comes time to make the edit, you can say, “Fill the grass with beautiful sunflowers,” and you’ve changed the complexion of your photograph.
Google has a few more examples in the blog such as “Add a cute pumpkin costume to my dog,” “Straighten the photo, fix the shadows, and makes the grass greener.” and “Restore this old photo and make it sharper.” You are limited only by your imagination.
How to use this feature
To use this feature, open the Google Photos app on your Android phone (you must be in the U.S.) and choose a photo that you want to improve. Tap the edit button at the bottom of the display and you’ll then see a pill-shaped button on the bottom left that says “Help me edit.” Type in or use your voice to explain in conversational English the changes you want to make. Tap the Enter key and wait for your edit.
“Iconic Phones” is coming this Fall!
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