How to use GIMP to edit photos

As is known, there are many photo editing software that can replace Photoshop such as Adobe Photoshop Lightroom , PhotoScape or Corel PaintShop Pro ... However, when it comes to efficiency, features and interface, GIMP can be considered as "twins". If you have installed GIMP but do not know, not familiar with how to use it, you can refer to the following tutorial.

GIMP for Windows GIMP for Mac GIMP Portable

Before embarking on implementation, you need to pay attention to some important points as follows:

  • Go to Windows / Single-Window Mode to activate all tools and put them in the common toolbox.
  • Photos open in the default mode is zoom mode ( Zoom ), so it is best to View / Zoom / Fit Image in Window to adjust accordingly.
  • Image changes made with GIMP are not reversible, so it is best to do this on a copy of the original image.

Rotate images in GIMP (Rotate)

Rotate an image or Rotate with a square icon with 2 opposite arrows (shown below). Can click on the icon to use or press the keyboard shortcut SHIFT + R .

How to use GIMP to edit photos

Then click anywhere on the image to make the Rotate box appear . In the Angle , you can choose two arrow keys to change the rotation angle (each click corresponds to a rotation angle of 10 degrees). You can also enter the correct number directly there if you wish.

How to use GIMP to edit photos

Select the rotation angle, click on Rotate to perform. The image will be rotated with the corresponding angle, go to Image / Autocrop Image to remove the excess from the rotating image and retain the main part.

Cropping in GIMP (Crop)

This is the most effective way to remove redundant details or take photos of the desired size. Select the Crop tool (tip) to get started. Then click on any point in the image, hold and drag to start framing the part to be cropped. You can also press the SHIFT key to crop the image with the original scale.

How to use GIMP to edit photos

We can also use the shortcut SHIFT + C to perform this crop if you are familiar with the hand. After creating the frame to be cut, can:

  • Click on the markers on the frame and move them to change the selected image.
  • Click in the middle of the image, hold and move to change the image area.
  • Hit Enter to perform the Crop.

Adjust image brightness

Adjust the brightness of the image (also known as the exposure of the image) to help you take photos with the most appropriate, standard colors.

How to use GIMP to edit photos

Go to Colors / Brightness-Contrast , when the options like the below appear, adjust the Brightness or Contrast bar to change the exposure of the image to the desired level. Click Preview to preview the image with the operation just made, OK to perform.

How to use GIMP to edit photos

A small note is that if you are adjusting for JPG images, you should enter the exact number in the cell of that bar or adjust appropriately to avoid losing the original color or reducing image quality.

White balance

This is a term often used to talk about how we handle fake, unrealistic tones on every image detail.

How to use GIMP to edit photos

Open the image to adjust, go to Colors / Auto / White Balance , this option will immediately take effect. However, because it is Auto, GIMP will automatically analyze and adjust, if you feel that it is not reasonable, or want to have other special effects, just go to Colors / Levels and select an intermediate pixel. Other colors will be calculated and changed based on this intermediate color.

How to use GIMP to edit photos

A little tip is that you should choose this intermediate pixel in the dark areas and try on many different points until you choose the best color.

Adjust image colors

This is also one of the most used photo editing tips. Not only does it create impressive photos, it can sometimes "trick" viewers with misunderstandings about the color of the image.

How to use GIMP to edit photos

Just go to Colors / Hue-Saturation , this is the saturation mode. From here, you can change the options bar to change the color of the image. However, if it is too much, the photo will become very fake and lose the truth. It is best to change slowly or enter the correct number in the box next to it.

If you are a photo editing experience, you can directly change details for each color in the image (6 basic colors). And don't forget, the Lightness bar is just as effective and important as Hue or Saturation.

Adjust the contrast

Contrast is usually not too important, but in some photo situations, it will help the image to have more depth, or even change the image material (style).

How to use GIMP to edit photos

Go to Colors / Levels , the Levels dialog box appears as the picture above. And you can see a graph of the current contrast of that image. The left side is dark ( black ), the right is light ( white ), and the middle is the intermediate color ( gray ). Just change one of these three options (using the triangle below the bar), and we'll make a lot of changes to the image.

Remove dust, dead spots

If you do not hold the camera carefully, the lens may become moldy and cause the photo taken with the black dots to appear. Or this could also be the dirt on the lens cause.

How to use GIMP to edit photos

If you want to fix this, you just need:

  • Zoom in a little bit for easy operation, click View / Zoom / 1: 1 or press 1 on the keyboard.
  • Then press the spacebar and use the left mouse button to click on the image, move to the image area to be edited.
  • Select the tool named Healing Tool ( shortcut H ) to get the implementation tool.

By default, the edit icon will have a circle of a certain size, but we can use the [ or ] key to resize it more appropriately.

How to use GIMP to edit photos

  • Hold CTRL (Windows) or CMD (on Mac) at a sample point.
  • Release and move the mouse to the area, pixel to be deleted, then left-click.

This will turn the dirty pixel into a color similar to the sample we have just selected. Repeat several times until the dirty spot disappears or the desired level is reached.

How to use GIMP to edit photos

In addition to the above basic operations, you can discover more about GIMP by:

  • Use third party plugins.
  • Learn about Curves - the dominant color and tone control tool for photos.
  • Masks - blend multiple images, image overlays.
  • Clone and Airbrush and many other tools that GIMP is providing you.

In short, GIMP photo editing software will be quite simple if you have used Photoshop or have some experience in photo editing. If not, this article is also the initial reference that you need if you decide to use GIMP.

Sign up and earn $1000 a day ⋙

Leave a Comment

Must-Have Windows Desktop Visual Enhancement Tools

Must-Have Windows Desktop Visual Enhancement Tools

If you're tired of staring at the same interface every day, these tools will enhance your desktop experience.

Windows 11 wont respect your privacy until you make these changes!

Windows 11 wont respect your privacy until you make these changes!

Windows 11 has a reputation for being a privacy-poor operating system, with many default settings that can cause privacy problems. But don't worry - there are ways to regain some control in this area.

How to View All Accounts on Windows 11

How to View All Accounts on Windows 11

On Windows 11, checking all the accounts on your computer can be useful in many cases. Here is a guide to view all accounts on Windows 11.

Learn about dark web tracking service F-Secure ID Protection

Learn about dark web tracking service F-Secure ID Protection

Many people never considered the dark web a real threat until one of their favorite services issued a warning about a data breach.

Fix error of not being able to open Windows Security on Windows 11

Fix error of not being able to open Windows Security on Windows 11

This article will help you fix the error Windows Security cannot run on Windows 11.

12 Most Useful PowerShell Commands for Windows

12 Most Useful PowerShell Commands for Windows

Most IT admins use PowerShell for scripting and automation, but it's not just for IT pros—anyone who deals with messy folders needs these commands.

12 Best Custom PC Building Websites

12 Best Custom PC Building Websites

Building a custom PC is no easy task, especially for beginners. Luckily, there is plenty of help available on the Internet.

How to delete old Windows restore points to free up space

How to delete old Windows restore points to free up space

By checking your storage usage, deleting old restore points, and setting reasonable storage limits, you can keep your storage under control without sacrificing its protection.

How to fix Microsoft Store not working error

How to fix Microsoft Store not working error

Microsoft Store (Windows Store) is not the most popular app store, as it is full of bugs, issues, and tends to be unstable.

What is Windows Superfetch (SysMain)? How to disable Superfetch?

What is Windows Superfetch (SysMain)? How to disable Superfetch?

SuperFetch is available on Windows versions but is known by very few users. In the article below, WebTech360 will guide you how to enable or disable SuperFetch on Windows 10/8/7.

How to view Windows 11 text and image creation apps

How to view Windows 11 text and image creation apps

Starting with Windows 11 build 26120.4741 (Beta 24H2) and build 26200.5710 (Dev 25H2), users can see which third-party apps have used Windows-powered AI models.

How to fix the error “Ethernet doesnt have a valid IP configuration”

How to fix the error “Ethernet doesnt have a valid IP configuration”

Sometimes DHCP cannot get a valid IP address from the Network Interface Card, it will show an error message “Ethernet doesn't have a valid IP configuration”.

PowerShell and everything you need to know about this utility

PowerShell and everything you need to know about this utility

What is PowerShell? Microsoft PowerShell is a command-line utility and scripting language that is a powerful tool for administrators, allowing you to automate a wide range of tasks for computers and networks.

Popular TP Link modem login addresses

Popular TP Link modem login addresses

To change the password or WiFi name for TP Link modem, users need to log in to the address for this modem line. So what is the TP Link modem login address?

Top 10 best internet security software today

Top 10 best internet security software today

These days, users can pay to protect all their devices – whether it’s a PC, Mac, or smartphone. But with so many options on the market today, it can be hard to know where to start. Here’s a list of the best internet security suites available today.