Edit and Enhance Your Photos

Overview
Getting Started
Saving Your Changes
Undoing Your Changes
Removing Red-eye
Adding Borders
Cropping
Correcting Color
Rotating
Flip Photos Horizontally or Vertically
Fill Flash
Fun with Your Photos - Applying Tints
Common Questions about Editing Photos

Overview

Correct imperfections, add borders, flip, rotate, tint your photo and more with the Costco Photo Center suite of editing tools. Below are just a few of the many things you can do with your photos.

Important: If you edit photos that you have shared, the people with whom you shared the photos will see the edited copies. To edit them without changing the shared version, move or copy them into another album prior to editing them.

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Getting Started

To edit and enhance your photos, follow the steps below.

  1. There are two ways to begin editing your photos. You can click 'edit and enhance' in the 'edit and enhance' menu on the right side of the page or click the picture you would like to edit.
  2. If the photo you would like to edit is not displayed automatically, select the photo you'd like to edit from the thumbnails on the left.

  3. There are various editing tools and fun features you can use to enhance your photo located in the 'edit panel' to the right of the editing preview. Select the action you'd like to take, and follow the instructions below.

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Saving Your Changes

There are two ways to save your photos when editing and enhancing them.

When editing or enhancing more than one photo in an editing session, it is important to save your changes before moving to the next photo. Whenever you edit one photo and click another photo without clicking the 'save' button before you move on, Costco Photo Center does not save your edits.

In every 'editing' session, you can select how your edited photo will be saved. When you're happy with the changes you've made, choose one of the following options (located to the right of the thumbnail version of your photo):

By default, we will save your edited photo 'as a copy'. Saving 'as a copy' means that you save the version that you were just working on as a new photo in your album. The edited version will have a slightly different file name than the original. For example: if your original photo is called 'Fir tree' then the copy will be called something like 'Fir tree(1)' to distinguish it.

If you select 'as a replacement,' Costco Photo Center saves your newly edited photo in place of the original.

When you are all finished with editing your photos, click the 'save edit' button.

To discard all of your changes, except the ones you have saved, click the 'cancel' button.

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Undoing Your Changes

There are two ways to undo any changes that you have made to your photos. Both options are listed in the 'edit history', to the right of the editing area below the 'edit panel':

To erase changes you have made since the last time you clicked the 'save edit' button during the current editing session, click 'revert to last saved photo'.

To return to your original photo as it was uploaded, click 'revert to original photo.

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Removing Red-Eye

If you are taking a portrait or a group shot with a flash, there is always a chance that 'red-eye' might occur. Our red-eye removal tool in the 'edit panel' will eliminate as much of the red as possible while leaving the original eye color untouched.

  1. Click 'edit and enhance' in the 'edit and enhance' menu on the right side of the page.
  2. Click the 'fix' tab to the right of your photo.

  3. Click the 'red-eye' icon.

  4. The red eye removal tool automatically eliminates red eye.
  5. The change will be applied to your photo unless you click 'revert to last saved' or revert to original in the edit history at the bottom right of the page.

Remember to click the 'save' button when you are finished making all of your changes or you might lose your edits.

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Adding Borders

Borders provide an element of fun. They can turn an ordinary photo into a gift all on its own, or they can be used to add a touch of creativity to one of our many photo gifts.

  1. Click 'add borders' in the 'edit and enhance' menu on the right side of the page.
  2. If you selected a photo first, then clicked the 'add borders' link, you'll see the photo you selected in the edit preview.
  3. Click the 'border' tab in the edit panel.
  4. If you don't like the first border you choose, click another to see what it would look like with your picture.

  5. The last border you click will remain unless you click 'remove border' at the bottom of the box, or 'revert to last saved' or 'revert to original photo' in the edit history at the bottom right of the page.

    6. Tip: You can add a border that you like to all of your photos by clicking the link below the border previews.

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Cropping

During the printing process there will automatically be some cropping due to the difference between the aspect ratio of pictures taken on some digital cameras and the aspect ratio of standard print sizes. The Costco Photo Center crop tool allows you to take control of how your photo will be cropped to make sure that your photo looks exactly as you would like. Use the crop tool to effectively crop your photo so that the details of your photo are not lost during printing.

If you would like to see a specific print size, then select that print size from the list displayed. When you select a print size from the list, a crop box set to the appropriate aspect ratio will appear on your photo.

We will warn you if you are cropping your photo to a size that would negatively impact the printed quality of your photo. Watch for the resolution warning triangle and a warning message below your photo.

Click here to learn how to crop your photos if they are currently in your cart

How to crop your photos

Once you have logged in to your account, click the 'photos' tab and select an album that contains photos you would like to crop. Follow the steps below to crop your photos.

  1. Click the checkbox above the photo you would like to crop and click 'edit and enhance' in the 'edit and enhance' menu on the right side of the page or click on the thumbnail of the photo you would like to crop.
  2. Click the 'crop' tab in the 'edit panel' to the right of your photo.
  3. Select a size from the list provided if you know what size you would like to print your photo.

  4. Select an orientation for your cropped photo, either vertical or horizontal.

  5. You can resize the crop box that appears on your photo by clicking and dragging the corners of the crop box until the area that you wish to crop looks right.
  6. Click and hold your mouse button on the cropped area to move the crop selection box.

  7. When you are ready to crop your photo, click the 'apply crop' button.

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Correcting Color

The Color Correction tool can dramatically improve the color quality of your photo. The correction tool adjusts the brightness, contrast, intensity and color balance.

  1. Click 'edit and enhance' in the 'menu on the right side of the page.
  2. Click the 'fix' tab to the right of your photo.
  3. Click the 'auto correct' icon.

  4. Selecting 'auto correct' adjusts the brightness, intensity and color balance of your photo.
  5. Selecting 'auto contrast' adjusts the contrast of your photo.
  6. When you have made your selection click 'back' to return to the 'edit panel' and apply your adjustments. Click 'cancel' to return to the 'edit panel' without making any changes.

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Rotating

If your photo is sideways or upside down, you can easily rotate it to a better orientation.

  1. Select the album that contains the photo you would like to edit.
  2. Click 'edit and enhance' in the 'edit and enhance' menu on the right side of the page.
  3. Select the photo you would like to edit if it is not currently displayed.
  4. Click the 'fix' tab to the right of your photo in the 'edit panel'.

  5. Click the 'rotate' icon.

  6. Click the 'rotate' button until your photo is positioned how you would like.
  7. Your photo will remain rotated. Be sure to click the 'save edit' button before navigating away from your photo.

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Flip Photos Horizontally or Vertically

To flip your photos horizontally or vertically, follow the steps below.

  1. Select the album that contains the photo you would like to edit

  2. Click 'edit and enhance' in the 'edit and enhance' menu on the right side of the page.

    3. Tip: If you begin on an individual photo page, you won't have to choose your photo later.

  3. If you began on an album page and the photo you would like to edit is not displayed, select the photo you'd like to edit from the list on the left.
  4. The photo you select will display in the editing preview area.
  5. Click the 'fix' tab to the right of your photo.

  6. Click either the 'flip vertically' or the 'flip horizontally' button in the edit panel.

  7. The changes to your photo will remain unless you click 'revert to last saved' or 'revert to original photo' in the edit history at the bottom of the page.
  8. Be sure to click the 'save edit' button before navigating away from your photo.

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Fill Flash

Sometimes you might find that your photo has patches that are a bit too dark to see clearly. Use the fill flash tool to balance the light in your photo.

  1. Select the album that contains the photo you would like to edit
  2. Click 'edit and enhance' in the 'edit and enhance' menu on the right side of the page.
  3. If you began on an album page and the photo you would like to edit is not displayed, select the photo you'd like to edit from the list on the left.
  4. The photo you select will display in the editing preview area.
  5. Click the 'fix' tab to the right of your photo in the 'edit panel'.
  6. Click the 'fill flash' icon.

  7. Click 'strong' or 'medium' to choose the intensity of the flash.
  8. Click 'back' to apply your changes and return to the 'edit panel' or click 'cancel' to return to the 'edit panel' without making any changes.

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Fun with Your Photos - Applying Tints

Applying a tint to your photo can be a lot of fun! Age your photo with the sepia tone, or give your photo a classical look with the black and white tint. Try one of the colored tints to make your photo truly unique.

  1. Click 'edit and enhance' in the 'edit and enhance' menu on the right side of the page.
  2. If you began on an album page and the photo you would like to edit is not displayed, select the photo you'd like to edit.
  3. Your photo will appear in the preview area.
  4. Click the 'tint' tab to the right of your photo in the 'edit panel'.

  5. Click the tint that you'd like to apply.

  6. Try as many tints as you would like until you get your photo just right.
  7. Click 'remove tint' or 'none' if you change your mind.
  8. When you have selected a tint, or removed a tint and if you are finished editing your photo, click the 'save edit' button.

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Common Questions about Editing and Enhancing Photos

Can I edit or enhance friends' photos?

To edit a photo from a friend's album, you must first copy it to one of your own albums. Then use the editing and enhancing features as described above.

Will red-eye removal eliminate the appearance of a white flash in my picture?

The red-eye elimination tool is designed to alter the color red and will leave all other colors in your photo untouched.

What if the red-eye removal tool doesn't get all of the red?

You might have to repeat the process a few times to eliminate all of the red.

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