I think of editing as my canvas, and I’m the artist. The different presets are the brushes I use to unleash my creativity. Edits are unique to each creator, and interpreted differently by each viewer. Identifying set presets for your travel photos helps with the aesthetics of your Instagram feed or website. I want to share 4 IOS applications (app) that I use religiously to edit my travel photos. If you are at the beginning of your journey, don’t stress about this too much.  It took me 4 years to master my photo edits – it comes with time.  Mix and match filters, reduce exposure and increase the saturation till you grow fond of the edits.

I use all 4 apps to edit every single photo you see on this website. It usually goes in this order:  VSCO, Facetune, Snapseed and finally, Tezza.

1.      VSCO. VSCO is a mobile photography app for IOS and Android devices. If you don’t know which application to start with, VSCO is a good one.

It allows users to upload or capture photos through the app and edit them. VSCO has custom presets and filters that you can use to edit your photos, along with some of these editing tools: contrast, crop, exposure, sharpen, saturation etc. When I started editing my travel photos for aesthetic purposes, VSCO simplified the process. I currently use VSCO to add exposure to all my photos before moving on to FaceTune. They have free presets and costly ones. The paid ones cost less than $4.99 a pack. It is much cheaper than buying an Influencer’s preset.

2.      Facetune. Facetune is where the magic happens! You can edit, enhance and retouch photos on this app. It is also available for IOS and Android devices.

 I’ll give you a scenario based on a true story. When I traveled to Egypt in September 2019, the temperatures were extremely high. I was sweating profusely, so I carried a box of tissue with me everywhere. During my photo-shoot, I had to keep patting the sweat off my face. In all the photos, you could spot tissue residue on my face. I used the ‘paint’ tool on Facetune to match the tissue to the color of my skin. Another feature I use a lot is the ‘whiten’ tool - I whiten my teeth using that. The ‘reshape’ tool is equally great – instant hour glass shape. Facetune does a great job of enhancing photos, so you definitely want to add that to the mix.

3.      Snapseed. When I first started using Snapseed, I found it quite complex. 8 years after its original release, Google (developer) has made it extremely user friendly. Available for IOS and Android devices, Snapseed has 29 tools and filters: healing, brush, structure, HDR, perspective and more. Read about each tool here. When you are traveling solo, you can’t always guarantee a clear background. I use the ‘healing’ tool to remove any uninvited guests from my photo. The lens blur is great for portraits – you can soften the background and shift the focus on whatever you’d like.

Did you know you can copy and paste a previous edit to the next one? Snapseed saves your previous filter, and you have the option of applying it to the next photo. This is an effective mechanism in solidifying your aesthetics.  

4.      Tezza. Tezza was created by Tessa Barton, a NYC-based photographer/musician/blogger with a self-described “boho-rocker-chic” style. That boho-rocker-chic style is eminent in the app presets. Unlike the other three apps, this one has a costly monthly subscription - $3.99. There is however a 7-day free trial period if you wish to try it out. The app has 17 presets, and I use the same ones interchangeably – Vintage, Mood, INSPR and Mocha. While the presets are available for IOS and Android devices, the Tezza website has editing kits available for desktop. Her desktop kits start at $89.00.

I edit all my Instagram stories, videos and feed photos on there. For the feed, it is a much longer process because I edit on all three apps mentioned above and finish off with Tezza. Without a doubt, the Tezza presets elevated my travel aesthetics. It adds a certain ‘je ne sais quoi’ to your photos, and it is great for branding. I Stan!

There you have it, the 4 apps that I use to edit my travel photos. Try it out and let me know what you think.

Xx, Kris