How to Use Smartphone Filters to Fix Bad Lighting in Photos

While smartphone cameras are usually good at judging how bright or dark your photos are, they aren't perfect. You can use brightness and exposure sliders, but that can be time-consuming. So sometimes adding a filter is your best bet.

1. Native filters on smartphones

Before you download any third-party apps, you should start with your stock filters. You'll find some great iPhone camera filters that, in addition to changing the lighting of your photo, will also edit the rest of your photo in one go.

The filter you choose will largely depend on whether your photo is underexposed or overexposed, as well as the weather conditions. For example, Dramatic is a great option if you want to edit a photo taken on a rainy day that was underexposed. This adds contrast to the photo, but also slightly desaturated it, giving it a gloomy look.

On the other hand, use Vivid if you want to edit a photo taken on a sunny day. This filter usually increases the saturation of the photo. Vivid Warm is also great if you want to add a little contrast and warm up the tones.

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2. Photoshop Express

Photoshop Express has a number of filters that can help you quickly fix poor lighting in your photos, and they're called Looks. There are quite a few options, including filters that correct white balance.

Charm is great if you want a vintage look to your photos. Light is an option for adjusting the lighting in your photos, with options for overexposed and underexposed photos.

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3. PicsArt

Picsart offers a variety of fun filters to fix the lighting in your photos. Instead of just fixing overexposed or underexposed photos, you should use Picsart if you want to add some style to your photos.

Some of our favorite filters in Picsart are BRL2 and Stenciler 1 , but APR2 and BRN2 are also great options. Similar to PS Express and the native smartphone filters, you can change the intensity, but it's called Fade in Picsart.

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4. Canva

You can create a lot of cool stuff in Canva, but the app also has a ton of filters that you can take advantage of, even without a Canva Pro subscription. Like Photoshop Express, you can choose from a variety of themes when you sift through the filters.

Canva has a ton of soft filters, and Whimsi is our favorite. It's a great option whether your photo is underexposed or overexposed, and it gives your photos a soft, dreamy look. You can adjust the intensity of each filter with a slider.

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5. Google Photos

Google Photos is best known for its storage options, but it also lets you add filters to your photos. Some filters are monochrome, while others let you edit the colors in your photos.

Modena brightens up underexposed photos and also creates a nice blur effect. Ollie is great for adding a little personality to overexposed photos. However, if you want to tone down the exposure, consider Clay .

If you have an Android phone, you can further enhance your photos by taking full advantage of Android's Google Photos Editor.

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1. Get Google Photos for | (Free, in-app purchases available)

6. VSCO

While many of the filters are paid, VSCO remains one of the most popular mobile editing apps. You can easily control the intensity of each filter, which can help make your photos look more unique. The filter you choose depends less on whether your photo is overexposed or underexposed, and more on the overall style. For example, use the A4 filter for both overexposed and underexposed photos.

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1. Get VSCO for | (Free, in-app purchases available)

7. SnapSeed

One of the easiest ways to fix poor lighting in smartphone photos is to use the Snapseed app; many people argue that Snapseed is better than Lightroom for editing on the go.

While Portrait mode is designed for people and animals, it works really well in landscapes when it comes to improving lighting. If your photo is underexposed, the Bright filter is a good choice. This filter adds a warm tone, which is great if your photo has a lot of yellows, browns, and reds. Pop is another good filter if you need to add a little extra exposure to your photo.

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Jessica Tanner

Update 09 December 2024