iPhone Photo Editing Settings: Formula For The Best Results

You snapped a great picture and think that’s the end of the photography process? Think again! With the best iPhone photo edit formula at your fingertips, you can elevate your snapshot from good to breathtaking.

Today, we’re diving deep into the steps that will guide you to the pinnacle of flawless photography. Plus, we'll reveal a popular formula from TikTok that revolutionizes iPhone picture editing. Get ready to answer all your burning questions like "Should I increase this setting?" or "Is there enough contrast?" and "Is this too bright, or should I dial it down?"

Uncover the secrets to mastering the best iPhone photo edit settings and transform your images into professional-looking masterpieces!

TikTok's Formula

This iPhone photo edit settings formula has won a lot of views and attention on TikTok from its users, so we want to share it with our readers, too! If you still haven't tried it, it's a sign to do it now! Let's break it down:

To Start:

• Exposure: Jump to 100.

• Brilliance: Also ramp up to 100.

These dramatic settings are initially maxed out to catch the eye, but you'll bring them back to zero at the end!

Follow These Steps:

• Exposure: 100

• Brilliance: 100

• Highlights: -32

• Shadows: -32

• Contrast: -30

• Brightness: -15

• Black Point: 10

• Saturation: 9

• Vibrancy: 8

• Warmth: 10

• Tint: 40

• Sharpness: 15

• Definition: 23

• Reset Exposure and Brilliance: Back to 0

This sequence helps to boost the natural beauty of your photo with just a few smart tweaks!

The before-and-after shots shared on TikTok really spotlight how this method can make your photos brighter and more defined without going too far. It's not your ultra-professional editing way unlike using tools such as an image combiner or AI removal and others, but the results from this formula are pretty impressive for any picture, especially if your starting image is already good.

Tips For the Best Editing

1. Use the Live Photos Function

The first step before editing is to use Live Photos. This feature is quite useful because it lets you manually choose the best moment from a short video clip! This way, you will be certain that you captured the right expression or action. Here’s how you can do it: Open a Live Photo, go into edit mode, tap the "Live" icon with three concentric circles, and then slide through the frames below to pick your favorite. After you chose, hit "Make Key Photo" to set it. You can even turn off the Live feature to keep it in the form of a standard image.

2. Crop It

The basic adjustment we recommend is cropping. When can it be helpful? Of course, for accentuating the parts of the photo you want to stand out or removing details you don't need. To crop an image on your iPhone, open the edit mode, tap the crop tool on the left, and adjust the boundaries. Before you hit the "Save" button, it is better to try different options to find the best fit.

3. Apply Filters

If you are eager to get quick and good results, it is time for filters, which are handy for applying the desired effect with just a button press. In your photo gallery's editing mode, tap the filter icon (three interlocking circles) to access the different options. The best iPhone filter settings range from vivid to monochrome and are completely non-destructive. After you make your choice, use the slider underneath to adjust its intensity.

4. Make It Bright

Adjusting brightness, or 'exposure,' can make your images pop on screen and print. Do not go overboard, though; too much light and you'll lose details in the highlights! Think of brightening as the base for all other edits. Often, just tweaking the exposure is all it takes.

To adjust brightness on the iPhone, open edit mode, look for the circular dial icon, tap the plus/minus icon, and adjust the slider. A slight increase, about one-third to half, usually does the trick without overexposing.

5. Improve Colors

To improve colors, adjust Saturation to enhance color intensity without overdoing it, use Vibrancy for a subtle pop, and tweak Warmth to cool or warm the mood of your photo.

How do you adjust colors on an iPhone? Go to the 'adjust' tab, find the saturation icon (solid rainbow circle), and tweak the scale to brighten or mute the colors.

6. Boost Contrast

Contrast deepens your shadows and highlights, which adds depth to your photograph. It’s best to apply this effect gradually to avoid losing detail.

In edit mode, under the 'adjust' section, find the 'contrast' option (half-filled circle icon) and adjust it.

7. Adjust Highlights

Managing highlights helps maintain the texture and details in the brightest parts of your photo. If you adjust them correctly, you can prevent these areas from looking washed out. To do that, in the 'adjust' tab, find the icon with lines and solid white filling, and use the sliding scale to modify the exposure on these bright spots.

8. Work with Shadows

Tweaking shadows clarifies and details darker parts of your photograph, which ensures they neither overpower the photograph nor disappear into the background. To correct that, in the 'adjust' tab, look for the icon with solid black and lined filling, and adjust the slider to lighten or darken these areas. 

Main Tip

No matter how many tools or effects you play with, the golden rule is to keep it natural. No matter if you're applying a filter, retouching photos, emphasizing a color, or toning down another, always remember how the scene actually looked when you captured it, for example, the way the sunlight bounced off surfaces or the true color of the sea.

Editing often involves a bit of trial and error to authentically represent the moment as you experienced it. But sticking to these subtle truths ensures your photo remains a genuine reflection of that memory.

How to stay true on your iPhone? For that, while editing in your native iPhone camera app, tap on the photo to peek at the original for a quick comparison. This can help you check if you've strayed too far from what the scene genuinely looked like, and if needed, you can always hit "revert" to start over. Remember, editing photos is an art form — patience is your friend!

Conclusion

So, after a simple click on your iPhone's camera, you'll be on a whole editing journey! First, you could try the well-known TikTok formula we shared with you, but if the results are not what you aim for, follow your heart and intuition!

Basics like exposure are good to start with; crop if needed, adjust colors, tweak the contrast, and manage shadows. Your iPhone is already a powerful tool for basic editing, so why leave your photos raw?

If you think basic is not what you are looking for and your photographs need more advanced adjustments, try Luminar Mobile, especially if you're on iOS 17 or higher! This AI-powered photo editor comes equipped with smart features like SkyAI, SkinAI, and RelightAI, which help you replace skies, retouch portraits, and correct exposure effortlessly.

Expand your creative limits and make your photos unforgettable. What will you edit next?