I have been looking for a good and easy to use photo-editing app so I downloaded Google’s Snapseed to try it out.
The landing page was very understated and simple. Similar to other photo-editing apps like VSCO, it prompts the user to upload a photo as the first step. Interestingly though, Snapseed does this with the feature of tapping anywhere on the screen to open one. This made the action more intuitive in my opinion and quick.
I was then prompted to select a photo from either my existing camera roll or take one in the moment. This is similar to other apps, however, what caught my eye was the amount of white space used in the option tabs. It was refreshing.
I chose an image from the Foo Fighters concert that happened over the weekend. I wanted to see if it was possible to get it close to looking like a live album cover. The image page was interesting, generally you would see many options for you to edit the photo but in Snapseed, all they included in that page was the button you see on the bottom right. Very clean and simple design which doesn’t distract the user away from the image he or she is trying to edit.
Clicking the edit button brought me to the editing tools page. I loved the look of it because it was very concise and easy to understand. The buttons are huge as compared to other apps, which is another plus for me. Due to the number of editing tools available, the format in which it is presented helps the user with selection.
The same tools page contains filters as well, only needing the user to scroll down. Granted, there are other photo-editing apps which have a larger library of filter options, but the way Snapseed presents them is attractive and at the same time easy to understand. The use of actual photographs as the background for the filter options is simple yet brilliant, showing the user the effects.
I selected a Noir filter and a Vintage filter for the image. The filter editing page is very similar to that of VSCO. However, it is a lot more aesthetically pleasing to me. Additionally, the option to adjust the filter scale is very well incorporated into the app. You merely have to drag your finger left or right on ANY part of the screen and it will adjust accordingly. A minute feature but a very intuitive and memorable one for me.
I then selected the Text tool. Again, very simple format and the use of blank space helped me focus easily on the different options. The move and rotate feature on the text was also very intuitive, using my fingers I was able to type and position the text very easily.
Same goes for the Crop tool. Very well designed and easy to use.
The Undo button on the top right corner is well placed. Selecting it brings up a menu of options which are also very easy to understand.
The user is also able to edit different layers of the photo, a feature which I have never encountered on a photo-editing mobile app before.
After I was satisfied with the final product, I attempted to save the image into my phone camera roll. Attributed to well design, the SAVE button is very obvious, adding to the ease of use of the app.
I think it would suffice to say that I was thoroughly impressed with Snapseed. I was not expecting to encounter such an easy to use photo-editing app, most of which require a number of minutes to figure out. I also was a fan of the aesthetic design of the application, very subtle but elegant. To end off, I think the final product of my photo edit came out pretty well and I am a satisfied user. Judge for yourself.