Here is a fresh roundup of the most interesting digital image editing tools available online. These are all web-based services which allow anyone to upload, edit and retouch digital images and photograph with maximum simplicity and great ease of use. No more need to use Photoshop unless you are a professional digital image editor.

Photo credit: Nicemonkey

Many of these web-based image editing tools integrate all of the basic features that are normally available on any desktop photo-editing application and, in some cases, they also provide additional, unique features, such as special effects and filters that are hard to find elsewhere.

Most of these online image-editing tools allow you to either upload your stills or to grab them directly from other web sites where they have been published. Some of these online photo-editing services are also integral part of popular image sharing sites, making it extremely easy for users to use their tools both for editing as well as for public (or private) hosting.

While reviewing these online image-editing services I have identified the following traits as comparison criteria for this list:

• Load images from URL / PC: the possibility to upload pictures from a computer of from a website


• Direct upload to photo sharing services: the capability to directly upload images to photo sharing services after editing them


• Crop and resize: the possibility to reduce the size of an image


• Correct exposure: the availability of commands that allow you to balance the colors and the exposure of a picture


• Add special effects: the capability to add special effects to images


• Input file formats: the format of the images that can be uploaded


• Output file formats: the format in which images can be saved


• Image hosting: the possibility to store edited images online

Please remember that this mini-guide does not aim to be a definitive resource of all the online photo editing tools available out there. This list will grow with time thanks also to new items that you will be suggesting by using the Comments section at the end of the article. Your contribution will be much appreciated.

Picnik

• Load images from URL / PC: URL and PC


• Direct upload to photo sharing services: YES


• Crop and resize: YES


• Correct exposure: YES


• Add special effects: YES


• Input file formats: gif, jpeg, png


• Output file formats: gif, jpeg, png


• Image hosting: NO


• Price: Free


• Link: http://www.picnik.com/

Picnik is an image editor that lets you quickly edit all your photos online. It helps you fix underexposed photos, remove red-eye, or apply many special effects to your photos. Picnik is directly connected with many photo sharing sites and works on Mac, Windows and Linux. Picnik is completely free to use.

XMG Image

• Load images from URL / PC: PC


• Direct upload to photo sharing services: NO


• Crop and resize: YES


• Correct exposure: YES


• Add special effects: YES


• Input file formats: gif, jpeg, png


• Output file formats: gif, jpeg, png


• Image hosting: YES


• Price: Free


• Link: http://xmgimage.com/
  

XMG Image is an image hosting service that provides an interface for users to manage, edit, and share their images online. You can use some powerful editing features to crop, rotate, and resize your images. You can also add special effects, enhance your images, and do much more. XMG is completely free to use.

OnlinePhotoTool

• Load images from URL / PC: URL and PC


• Direct upload to photo sharing services: NO


• Crop and resize: YES


• Correct exposure: YES


• Add special effects: YES


• Input file formats: gif, jpeg, png


• Output file formats: gif, jpeg, png


• Image hosting: YES


• Price: Free


• Link: http://www.onlinephototool.com/
  

OnlinePhotoTool is a service that lets you edit and save your images, screenshots and photos online. You can use photos and images from your hard drive as well as pictures on the Internet. If you want to save your images online you need to register. It is possible to resize, crop, add text and set up special effects to any pictures. OnlinePhotoTool is completely free to use.

Preloadr

• Load images from URL / PC: PC


• Direct upload to photo sharing services: YES


• Crop and resize: YES


• Correct exposure: YES


• Add special effects: YES


• Input file formats: gif, jpeg, png


• Output file formats: gif, jpeg, png


• Image hosting: NO


• Price: Free


• Link: http://www.preloadr.com/

Preloadr is a service providing image manipulation functions that is connected with your Flickr account. Before sending the images to Flickr, you can modify them with several tools and perform cropping, sharpening, color correction and much more. Once you've optimized your photo you can specify details about the image and set tags, as you're used to do at Flickr. Free to use.

Cellsea

• Load images from URL / PC: URL and PC


• Direct upload to photo sharing services: NO


• Crop and resize: YES


• Correct exposure: YES


• Add special effects: YES


• Input file formats: gif, jpeg, png


• Output file formats: gif, jpeg, png


• Image hosting: NO


• Price: Free


• Link: http://www.cellsea.com/java-cellsea/media/index.htm
  

Cellsea is a site that lets you rotate, resize, and crop photos to get the exact composition and size you need. There are over 15 ways to correct color, exposure, and lighting problems. You just need to click and drag your mouse to ripple, circle, sphere and curl the photo. It is also possible to add professional-looking blur effects to your photos. You can upload pictures from your PC or from an URL. Free to use.

myImager

• Load images from URL / PC: URL and PC


• Direct upload to photo sharing services: NO


• Crop and resize: YES


• Correct exposure: YES


• Add special effects: YES


• Input file formats: gif, jpeg, png


• Output file formats: gif, jpeg, png


• Image hosting: NO


• Price: Free


• Link: http://www.myimager.com/

myImager is a web-based image editor. You can upload images from your computer and from anywhere on the web and edit them freely with the dozens of tools and filters that this tool offers. Uploaded files can not be larger than 500 KB. myImager is completely free to use.

Snipshot

• Load images from URL / PC: URL and PC


• Direct upload to photo sharing services: YES


• Crop and resize: YES


• Correct exposure: YES


• Add special effects: YES


• Input file formats: gif, jpeg, png, tif, pdf, eps


• Output file formats: gif, jpeg, png, tiff, pdf


• Image hosting: NO


• Price: Free


• Link: http://snipshot.com/

SnipShot is a browser-based tool that enables you to edit big pictures (up to 10 MB, or 5000x5000 pixels). You can also edit pictures from any web site (including Flickr) and export them to Flickr, or save them as .gif, .jpg, .pdf, .png, or .tif. You can also import pdf (first page only) and .eps files. You will be provided with basic editing tools like crop, rotate, resize, basic image adjustments. Free to use.

Picture2Life

• Load images from URL / PC: URL and PC


• Direct upload to photo sharing services: YES


• Crop and resize: YES


• Correct exposure: YES


• Add special effects: YES


• Input file formats: gif, jpeg, png


• Output file formats: gif, jpeg, png


• Image hosting: NO


• Price: Free


• Link: http://www.picture2life.com/

Picture2Life is an online tool that allows you to edit your pictures online. There are several methods that you can use to upload or import your pictures: you can either enter the URL of the pictures or upload them. You can edit pictures directly from your internet browser and import your pictures from photo sharing websites like Flickr, Photobucket, ImageShack, and much more. Free to use.

Pixenate

• Load images from URL / PC: URL and PC


• Direct upload to photo sharing services: YES


• Crop and resize:


• Correct exposure:


• Add special effects: YES


• Input file formats: gif, jpeg, png, tiff, bmp


• Output file formats: gif, jpeg, png


• Image hosting: YES


• Price: Free


• Link: http://pixenate.com

Pixenate is an online photo editing software that lets you edit your pictures online and add special effects to them. Additionally, if you own a website, Pixenate can offer you an easy-to-use integrated photo editor that doesn't require your users to download and install additional software.

Phixr

• Load images from URL / PC: both URL and PC


• Direct upload to photo sharing services: YES


• Crop and resize: YES


• Correct exposure: YES


• Add special effects: YES


• Input file formats: gif, jpeg, png, tiff, bmp, eps and others


• Output file formats: gif, jpeg, png


• Image hosting: NO


• Price: Free


• Link: http://www.phixr.com/

Pixer

• Load images from URL / PC: PC


• Direct upload to photo sharing services: NO


• Crop and resize: YES


• Correct exposure: YES


• Add special effects: YES


• Input file formats: gif, jpeg, png


• Output file formats: gif, jpeg, png


• Image hosting: NO


• Price: Free


• Link: http://pixer.us/

With pixer.us you can edit your photos online using only your browser. Once you upload your photo (you can only modify images that are stored on your hard disk), you will be able to apply special effects to it, and change its shape and size. Images can be saved in the most popular file formats.

Read more

• Online Picture Editing: Free Web-Based Image Editing Tools
• Photo Sharing: New Digital Photo Tools Make It Easy To Share, Organize, Publish Your Best Pictures
• How To Create And Distribute Multimedia Web Presentations And Stunning Visual Photo Albums: Scrapblog - Video Review
• Online Slideshow Creator Lets You Mix Digital Photos With Original Music: vMix Photo Jockey

Originally written by Livia Iacolare for Master New Media and originally published as: "Online Photo Editing Tools: A Mini-Guide"