Best Tool to Make HDR Images in Minutes

Picture this.

You’ve taken a trip to the forest and you come across this beautiful spot with the river gently flowing and the afternoon sunlight peeking through the forest trees. 

You take out your camera but you are unsure how to best capture the scene in its full detail. Do you light the dark shadows on the river? Or do you light the trees in the background? The high-contrast scene can prove an impossible task for a camera to capture but not to worry, there is a solution. That solution is called PhotoPad and its sophisticated HDR processing tool.

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What does HDR mean?

In a simplified definition, HDR photography or High Dynamic Range photography is the technique of fusing different exposure images to create a single image with overall correct exposure. PhotoPad, one of the most comprehensive photo editors and HDR software available, takes all the complications away in a couple of clicks to create an image with so much dynamic range and detail that couldn't otherwise be achieved with a normal photo. 

How to Make HDR Images with PhotoPad

• The first step is to capture at least three images with different exposures. The first image is to capture a mid-range exposure shot, the second captures the highlights with higher exposure and the third one is a lower exposure shot that captures the shadows. Feel free to capture additional photos that represent exposures between the two extremes.

  

• Once you have your images, the next step is to install PhotoPad which takes less than a couple of minutes to install.
  
  

• Open PhotoPad and navigate to the Tools tab in the toolbar and select the HDR icon.

  
  
  

• Select the dark, medium, and bright exposure images by holding the Ctrl key and click Open. 

• PhotoPad will now automatically align and combine your images into a single HDR image. 

  

Your eye-popping National Geographic-worthy HDR photo is complete. If you don’t want to take multiple photographs, you can also create an HDR from one RAW image format with neutral lighting and then later create different exposure images digitally with PhotoPad. 

Once your HDR image is complete, continue to edit your image like any other PhotoPad project. Maybe try out the advanced double exposure tool or why not some of our top travel photography editing tips? Download PhotoPad HDR photo editor below and check it out yourself.

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How to Take a Panoramic Picture in PhotoPad

How to Make a Panoramic Photo in PhotoPad

Most smartphones today come equipped with camera settings for taking panoramic photos. The result is always a nice big image that captures much more than a typical photo would. But what if you want to take a panoramic picture with your digital camera or another camera? There is an easy way to create stunning panoramic images yourself even if you don't have a phone with the feature. Lucky for you, a panorama can be created using the Create Panoramic Image dialog in PhotoPad Photo Editing Software

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How it works

The dialog provides an easy way to combine multiple images with overlapping views to create a single, larger, seamless image. When taking your pictures, stand in one place and move your camera from one side to the other, taking photos as you move along. Overlap is good because PhotoPad will use it to layer the images together. As a general rule of thumb, make sure that each image overlaps the others by about 1/4. The images should be the same size, taken from the same camera and from the same position. This will make it easier for the program to stitch them together.

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Download & Install PhotoPad

PhotoPad is a great photo editing software with many fun features to explore. The panoramic image feature is just one of many projects you can accomplish with this feature-packed program. In order to get started creating your panoramic photo, download and install PhotoPad onto your computer by clicking the button below.

Download PhotoPad for Windows

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Open The Panorama Dialog

Open PhotoPad Photo Editing Software on your computer. From the main menu, click on the Tools tab to view the tool options. Select the option that says Panorama to open the Create Panoramic Image dialog.

Add Images

Click on the button in the dialog that says Add Image(s) to launch the file finder window and import your images into the program. Once loaded, the images will appear in the preview window of raw images. You can change the order of the images from within the dialog as well as add or remove images.

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Preview Panorama

Before constructing the final image, the dialog will allow you to preview the results. Click on the button that says Update Preview to view a preview of the final product. Remember, at least two images are needed to create a panorama. If everything looks good, you can click OK and a new project with the stitched panorama will be created and opened for further editing in PhotoPad.

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Crop Your Image

As a result of how the camera moves when taking the individual pictures, there may be some excess black space left around the final product. From the Home tab, you can select the Crop tool and crop the image to get rid of this. After you have cropped your panorama, you can apply any additional effects to your image before exporting.

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Save & Share

Now that you have successfully created a beautiful panoramic image in PhotoPad Photo Editing Software, you are ready to save it and share it with the world. Click on the Share tab in the main menu to view some of the various sharing options that can be used directly within the program. Alternatively, you can select the File tab and choose Save As...to select where and how you would like to save your image onto your computer. 

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For more on PhotoPad, check out these articles:

• How to Make a Picture Collage
• How to Resize a Picture
• How to Add Text to a Photo
• How to Make a Transparent PNG in PhotoPad

How to Change JPG to PDF with Pixillion JPG Converter

How to Change JPG to PDF with Pixillion JPG Converter

JPG files are the most common image file type for photographers, designers, and hobbyists alike. However, sometimes it is useful to convert a JPG image to a PDF file so that it can easily be shared and stored while maintaining the same high quality as the original JPG format. Learning how to change JPG to PDF is a useful skill for anyone dealing with image files and with Pixillion Image Conversion Software, it has never been easier to do.

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Import JPG Files

To begin converting JPG to PDF, start by adding your JPG files to Pixillion. You can do this by clicking on the green Add Files icon at the top of the program, or by dragging and dropping your JPG image files directly into the Pixillion.

JPG Converter Options

Click on the Options icon located in the main toolbar to view some of the JPG to PDF conversion options available to you in Pixillion. Here you can make adjustments to the image resolution, add image metadata,  background colors, and more. This is also where you can decide how the program should handle duplicate files and folders when/if they are created.

Add JPG Conversion Effects

Click on the Effects button located at the bottom of the program to open the JPG conversion effects window. From here you can select from various image effects that you would like to have applied at the time of conversion when changing your JPG files to PDF. Pixillion allows you to resize your images, flip and rotate them, apply watermarks, and more. Click OK after you have set and selected your desired effects and they will be applied to all of the JPG to PDF conversions you perform.

Set Output Destination

Next, we need to choose our output folder. This is where your converted PDF files will go once you have changed them from JPG to PDF. You can use the dropdown menu to quickly select an output folder option or click on the Browse button to launch the file finder window and locate an output folder anywhere on your computer.

Set Output File Type to PDF

After you have chosen an output destination, you will need to set your output format. Because we want to change JPG to PDF, we are obviously going to set the output format to PDF. Click on the dropdown menu and select PDF from the list of output file types. From this point forward any conversions that you perform will be made to the PDF file type.

Change JPG to PDF

With our effects added, our output folder is chosen, and our output format set to PDF, we are now ready to convert our JPG images to PDF files. Click on the Select All button, located at the top of the program, to select all of the files at once and perform a batch conversion. You can also select and convert one file at a time. Hold down the Ctrl key while clicking on the files you wish to convert to select them. With your JPG files selected, click on the Convert button in the bottom left-hand corner of the program to start the conversion process. Your selected JPG files will quickly be changed to PDF and appear in your output folder as new PDF files.

Combine Multiple Images in a PDF

If you would like to combine multiple JPG images into a single PDF file, you can do so by selecting those images and then clicking on the Combine icon located in the main toolbar. This will open the Combine Images window where you can view your selected images. Click the button at the bottom of the window that says Combine images... to open the file finding window where you can choose an output folder and name your new combined PDF file. Once you click Save, a new PDF file will appear that contains all of the selected JPG images within it.

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How to Resize a Picture

How to Resize a Picture

There are often times when we end up with photos that are larger than we need them to be. Many websites will only allow images of a certain size to be used or uploaded. Meanwhile, here you are with your giant photo wondering how to resize a picture. If you encounter an error on the web or another situation where you would need to know how to resize a picture, don't sweat it. With a simple photo editing software such as PhotoPad Photo Editor you can easily learn how to resize a picture or graphic on your own.

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Import Your Photo into PhotoPad

The first step to resizing your picture is to bring your image into PhotoPad. After you have opened your copy of PhotoPad on your computer, there are several options for importing images. Click on the option that says Open when you first launch the program and you can immediately start using the Photo Browser. Otherwise, under the Home tab, you may click on the Photo Browser icon or the Open Files icon to select the image you wish to resize. Under the File tab, you can also choose to open an image into the program from a cloud service, such as Google Drive or DropBox.

PhotoPad Photo Browser 

Resize the Canvas and Layers

The Resize icon exists both under the Home tab and under the Edit tab. With your image in the program, click on the Resize icon to resize your photo. You will notice that a resize effect layer has now opened in the Effects History and Layers panel on the right-hand side of the program.

Resizing canvas and layers in PhotoPad

Select Your Scale

There are four options for how to resize a picture in PhotoPad. You can set your scaling units to resize based on Pixels, Percentage, Inches, or Millimeters. For images on the web, Pixels, and Percentages are the more common units used for resizing photos. If you choose to resize by inches, you can access the Resolution option and set the pixels per inch of your photo. You will notice the checked box at the bottom of the layer that says "Keep Aspect Ratio." This means that while you are adjusting the image's size, your width to height ratio will remain the same. This is commonly known as "Constrained Proportions." It is usually best to keep this option checked.

How to Resize an Image

For this example, I have chosen to resize a picture using the percentage option for my units. This is an easy way to conceptualize how to resize a picture. I want my image to be exactly half the size it is right now, so I have set my units to Percentage and then typed in 50% for the value in the width box. You will see that my image is now half the size it previously was. Some websites give you specific dimension requirements for photos in pixels. For this, you would simply change the units to pixels instead of percentage and type in the dimensions you were given into the width and height boxes.

Resize Photo by Percentage 

Save Your Image

Now that you are finished resizing your image, you are ready to save your work and use your newly resized photo. Under the File tab, select the option that says Save As...This will launch the explorer window and allow you to select your output destination and choose your output file type.

Resize by Compressing

Sometimes when people ask how to resize a picture, what they are actually referring to is the file size in terms of storage. This is also known as file compression and can be done just as easily in PhotoPad. With your photo opened in the program, simply go to the File tab and select the option that says Save for web... This will launch a window that will allow you to use a slider to adjust the compression quality of your image and preview the result in real-time. In this example, I have reduced the file size by 80% with almost no observable loss in quality. Click on the OK button when you are finished and your newly compressed image can be saved to your chosen output destination.

Save for Web...

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For more on photo editing, check out these posts:

• How to Resize a Photo in Pixillion
• How to Add Text to a Photo
• How to Make a Transparent PNG in PhotoPad
• Photo Browser in PhotoPad Photo Editor
• Create a Video from Photos with Slideshow Software
• Combine Black and White With Color In PhotoPad

Combine Black and White With Color In PhotoPad

How to Make A Photo With Color and Black and White

You have probably seen one of these dramatic-looking images and wondered how it was created. It is a clever and imaginative way to draw attention to a particular color or section of an image and give it that artistic look and feel. The coolest part about these stylish images is that you don't have to be a photo editing expert to make one of your own. The process of making a photo that combines black and white with color can be broken down into three easy steps:

1. Select the area you want to color 
2. Invert the selection 
3. Apply the Grayscale filter 

After reading this tutorial, you too will be able to create an attractive image of your own using the latest version of PhotoPad photo editing software.

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Making A Selection

The first step will be to select the part of your image that you wish to keep in color. PhotoPad features 6 different tools for making selections and they each have their own benefits. 

PhotoPad has six different selection tools

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Select a region along its outline 

Selecting With The Magnet Tool

The Magnet tool is the tool that is best suited for this project. The Magnet tool works by finding the edges on the object you are selecting. The tool looks for the abrupt color change that is typical of the edge of an object against a background and then uses those detected edges to make an incredibly precise selection.

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Select a region with similar colors 

Selecting With The Wand Tool

The Wand tool is another perfectly acceptable option. The wand tool uses color detection to make a selection. You can adjust the sensitivity of the tool so that it selects more or fewer colors on the spectrum of colors you are trying to select. Hold down the shift key while making your selection to add more to it. The Wand tool works best when the background is a different color than the object you are selecting and when the object you are selecting doesn't consist of too many different color tones.

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Inverting A Selection

I used the Magnet select tool to select the petals around this flower. You want to make sure you zoom in close to ensure that you are making your selection as precise as possible.

Once the object is selected, it is time to make everything else black and white. Since we want everything except our selected object to change, we are going to invert our selection.

With your object still selected, right-click on the selection and choose the option on the drop-down menu that says "Invert Selection." You will notice that now, instead of our flower being selected, everything EXCEPT the flower is selected. That is just what we want.

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Using The Grayscale Filter

With our background selected, we are going to visit the Filters tab, which is located at the top of the PhotoPad application. Click on the Filters tab and then look for the Grayscale filter on the far left. Grayscale means that only shades of gray will be used to color your image. It is more commonly referred to as "black & white." Now, click on the Grayscale filter option.

Because we have something selected, this will launch a prompt asking if we want to apply the Grayscale effect to the entire image or just to the selected region. Because we now have just the background selected, we will choose to apply the effect to the Selected Region.

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The Finished Product

As you can see in this image, the Grayscale Filter effect has been applied to the background while leaving the balloons and their bright colors untouched. The finished product is a beautiful image that jumps right out at you.

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5 Easy Vacation Photo Editing Tips

5 Easy Vacation Photo Editing Tips

Easy Vacation Photo Edits

When vacation photographs don't quite reflect the experience you remember, you can use a photo editing software to enhance and touch up your photos. Here are five easy ways to edit your travel photos.

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1. Enhance with AutoFix

Simply enhance your photo to bring out the best colors and details with AutoFix. This takes just seconds to complete and can drastically improve your photo quality! To apply autofix with PhotoPad, select "Auto Fix" from the "Retouch" tab. 

2. Apply Color Boost

Color boost can bring life back to your bleached out beach photos and over-exposed family photos. This stunning one-click-fix is simple and easy to apply. To apply Color Boost with PhotoPad, click on the "Color Boost" button in "Filters" tab.

3. Edit Image Saturation

Increasing or decreasing saturation can have an impressive effect on vacation photos. Increasing saturation can also apply a tanning effect to personal photos. To edit the saturation of a photo in PhotoPad, select the "Saturation" option from the "Color" tab in the top menu bar. You can then increase or decrease the saturation by moving the slider left and right.

4. Apply a Vignette

Apply  a vignette to your vacation photos to focus the photo's attention on a central aspect or to blur unnecessary noise on the edges of the photo. To add a vignette to your photo, simply select the "Vignette" option from the "Effects" tab in PhotoPad, and adjust the size, strength and color of your vignette in the right hand options panel. 

Vignette Effect

5. Create an Oil Painting from a Photograph

To add a creative twist to your vacation photos, you can use PhotoPad to quickly and easily transform your photos into oil paintings. To add the oil painting effect to your photograph, select "Oil Painting" from the "Creative" tab in PhotoPad. You can add more or less detail to your digital photo oil painting by changing the brush size in the right hand options panel. 

Create an oil painting from a vacation photo

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Edit and Order Professional Prints with PhotoPad

Order Prints directly from PhotoPad Photo Editing Software

We are very excited to announce that you can now order professional prints of your photos directly from PhotoPad Photo Editor! 

After editing your photos with PhotoPad, you can order photo prints, calendars, canvas prints, mugs, t-shirts, luggage tags, mousepads, posters, greeting cards, aluminum prints and more!

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Custom Photo Prints

To order prints or customized products featuring your photos and images, begin by opening the photos that you would like to edit and print with PhotoPad. 

Edit, crop, and add effects to your photos as you see fit. When you are happy with your photo, click on the File menu, and select "Order Prints...".

PhotoPad will prompt you to enter a password to protect your photos. This password will be automatically copied to your clipboard every time you order prints so that you can use "Crtl" + "V" to paste your saved password. 

In the custom print gallery, you will be able to select a number of methods and products to print your photos. Click on "Buy" or "Select Product" to navigate to the gallery of custom print items.

To finalize your order, simply select the product that you would like to purchase, and add it to your cart. You can add multiple prints and product styles to your cart before finalizing your purchase. 

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You may also like:

• Create a Panorama with Photo Stitching
• Add Curved Text to Images with DrawPad
• How to Easily Resize Photos
• New PhotoPad Embroidery Software
• Create your own Photo Mosaics for the Holidays
• Fast and Free Photo Red Eye Removal