Using Picasa

First, before you do anything, you must open a photo in Picasa. Here’s how:

Opening photos in Picasa

1.   Picasa should have a sidebar with all of the photos on your computer

View of Picasa with sidebar displaying folders

2.   It gathers them automatically

3.   To open a folder of photos, scroll down the left side with all of the folders, and select one by clicking only once

4.   To select a single photo, click on it twice

5.   Now it should automatically open into a photo editing screen with editing options to the left, and the library of photos on the top.

Next you will want to edit the photo. Editing can mean anything from cropping to rendering the colors. Here is a step-by-step guide for each function.

Rotating Photos

1.   First of all, you want your photo oriented the right direction. If it needs to be rotated, find the arrows on the bottom under the photo and rotate accordingly

2.   If you aren’t sure which arrows, just hover the clicker over an arrow and it should say “Rotate clockwise” or “Rotate counterclockwise”

Basic Fixes Section

The 3 sections in Picasa: Basic Fixes, Tuning, and Effects

I’m Feeling Lucky

1.   Most photos need more contrast or brightness, so click the “I’m Feeling Lucky” button in the Basic Fixes section. This should make some general adjustments that will most likely benefit your photo

2.   If you don’t like this change, click “Undo I’m Feeling Lucky” in the same section

Cropping

1.   Some photos look better cropped. To crop, click the “Crop” button in the Basic Fixes section

2.   Simply place the clicker in a good location on the photo, then click and drag the crop box.

3.    Don’t let go until you get the crop to the desired size, then you can let go.

4.   If you aren’t sure about it, click “Preview” in the Crop Photo section to the left

5.   If it looks bad, click “reset” and it if looks good, then click “Apply”

6.   You can always click “Cancel” to get out of that specific action box

7.   You can also always click “Undo ____” and Picasa will undo your last action, or click “Redo ____” and it will redo your action.

Tuning Section

For more advanced actions, click the “Tuning” tab, located next to the “Basic Fixes” tab.

1.   Adjust the fill light, highlights, shadows, and color temperature in this section.

2.   If you aren’t sure what looks best, Picasa will help you if you click on the magic wand to the right of the “Highlights” adjustment. If you don’t like what Picasa chooses, click “Undo Tuning” and try again.

3.   If you want to adjust each setting separately, simply drag the level setting to the left or right on the bar until the desired effect occurs.

4.   Remember, some photos don’t need these adjustments, but most benefit from it.

Effects Section

Effects tab

For even more advanced options, click on the “Effects” tab next to the “Tuning” tab. If you look at the photo to the right, you will see that each option gives you a little preview of what it can do. This is the most technical section, but also the most fun! Don’t worry, its a piece of cake compared to Photoshop.

To Make Black & White Photos

You can do this several ways

Option 1 – just plain old black and white effect

1.   Click the “B&W” button

2.   If you like it, keep it, or if not click “Undo B&W”

Option 2 – gives a look of darkroom black and white, with different filters

1.   Click the “Filtered B&W” button

2.   Then it will give you an option to pick a color (which can greatly affect your photo).

3.   Play around by slowly running the arrow over each color to see how it affects the photo

4.   Click on a color, then click “apply”

Your Photo in Sepia Tone

1.   To make your photo sepia toned, click “Sepia”

Focal Black & White

This function lets you choose one spot in your photo that retains the color, and causes the rest to become black and white

1.   To make only part of your photo have color, click “Focal B&W”

2.   There will be a target that can be moved around the photo to a spot where you want the color

3.   Once your target is in the best spot, play with the “size” and “sharpness” levels

4.   Click “apply” if you want to keep this setting, or “cancel” if you don’t

Saturate Your Photo’s Colors

1.   Many photos can benefit from more saturation of colors

2.   To saturate, click the “Saturation” button in the “Effects” tab

3.   Adjust the level of saturation on the “amount” bar

4.   Click “apply” or cancel

Creating a Soft Focus Effect

The soft focus function will cause one area of your photo to be in focus, and the rest to be slightly blurred around that area. This function needs to be used very hastily. If you blur too much, your photo will look very bad. Just the right amount of blur is key to a successful soft focus.

1.   Click the “Soft Focus” button.

2.   Move the target inside the photo to a desired spot that you want to stay clearly focused.

3.   Drag the arrow along the “Size” bar in the left side of the screen. This will adjust the size of the in focus area.

4.   Drag the arrow along the “Amount” bar, located below the “Size” bar. This will adjust the amount of blur.

5.   Once you have adjusted it to your desired effect, click “Apply”

Undo/Redo Button

At any time, you can undo a function if you don’t like it. If you undo it, and then decide you wish you didn’t undo, you can redo. This can be handy to compare a photo before and after an effect, to decide which way you like it. The buttons will say “Undo _____” or “Redo _____,” and in the blank will be the last function.

Undo

Every section has the undo/redo button

1.   Find the “Undo” button in the bottom left corner of each tabbed section on the left side of the screen.

2.   Simply click the “Undo” button to undo your last function.

Redo

1.   Once you have clicked “Undo” you can then click “Redo” to change it back to how it was.

To Save a Photo

Once you edit your photo to your desired look, you can save it.

1.   Find the “File” button in the upper left corner.

2.   Click “File” and scroll the arrow down to find “Save As”

3.   Click “Save As”

4.   If you wish to replace the original photo, give it the same name.

5.   If you wish to keep the original and the new photo, then name it something different. (ex: IMG233_edited instead of IMG 233).

To Return to Entire Folder

Once you save your photo, you will probably want to go back to view the entire folder, instead of just that one photo.

1.   Find the big X button in the upper right corner to escape the window.

2.   It will escape from the photo, but go back to the whole folder.