iPhone & Android Photo Editing: AI Tools & Apps Class 9.17.26

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 iPhone & Android Photo Editing: AI Tools & Apps Class



Class Context & Recap

  • This is a continuing technology class at SFCT (sfct.net), focused on photos on the phone
  • Previous class covered Apple device releases, the new iPhone, and iOS updates; iOS 27 is now available
  • Jason plans to demo iOS 27 next week; today's class covers iOS 26 features since most students are still on that version
  • Key iOS 27 teaser: AI will be able to expand photo borders by filling in edges that weren't originally there

Photo Backup & Storage Reminder

  • Services covered previously: iCloud, Google Photos, Amazon Photos
  • Recommendation: only use one backup service — using multiple results in duplicate or triplicate copies and extra storage fees
  • If using Google Photos, make sure iCloud photo backup is turned off, and vice versa
  • iCloud sync demo: once enabled, all photos appeared immediately on a second device, showing the value of cloud storage even if a phone is lost

Android (Google Photos) — AI Features Demo

  • AI Enhance: one-tap tool that automatically adjusts brightness, contrast, cropping, and blurs the background to make subjects stand out — much more powerful than iPhone's magic wand
  • AI Framing Suggestions: the camera analyzes what you're pointing at and suggests how to better frame the shot (e.g., rotating to landscape)
  • Magic Eraser (Google Photos): select an unwanted person or object, choose "Erase," and Google's servers process and remove it; results vary by complexity of the scene
    • Works best with simpler backgrounds; complex scenes can produce imperfect results
    • With careful refinement using the brush tool, results can be very clean — comparable to what would take much longer in Lightroom or Photoshop
  • Key point: Google Photos is more advanced for editing than Apple Photos; Google Photos app can be downloaded on an iPhone
  • Caveat: Google Photos is free but enabling backup means photos are stored in Google's storage; fees apply if you exceed limits

iPhone (Apple Photos) — Editing Tools

  • Magic Wand: auto-adjusts brightness and contrast; individual sliders (exposure, brilliance, highlights, shadows, etc.) show what was changed after the fact
  • Crop & Straighten: drag the slider to fix a crooked/tilted horizon
  • Filters: presets include Vivid (brighter, more contrast), Warm (yellowed/vintage), Cool (more blue), and Black & White options
  • Undo/Revert: left arrow undoes last change; "Revert" button restores the original photo
  • Spatial Scene: adds a subtle 3D parallax effect to a photo, as if you're looking around the scene
  • Stickers: hold a finger on a subject in a photo to isolate and save them as a sticker; stickers can be sent in text messages
  • Overall assessment: Apple Photos editing is fairly basic; more advanced tools are expected in iOS 27 next week

Photoshop Express App (iPhone)

  • Free to download from the App Store; may have a subscription component
  • Features demonstrated:
    • Subject vs. Background masking: automatically separates subject from background; apply changes to each independently
    • Face editing tools: adjust nose size/shape, eye size, chin length, jawline, lips, and more — all via simple sliders
    • Smart Brush / Heal: brush-based removal of unwanted elements, with variable results
  • Demo showed dramatically altered portraits — emphasizing that photos can be heavily manipulated and undetectable
  • Tip: for serious editing, do it on a computer or at full screen — phone screens make fine detail work very difficult

Scanning Old Printed Photos — Google PhotoScan

  • Google PhotoScan app allows you to scan a printed photo using your phone's camera
  • Process: app guides you to each corner of the photo and stitches them together with AI enhancement
  • Can reduce scratches, improve color, and produce a digital version that closely resembles the original
  • Tips: use good lighting, avoid casting shadows over the photo while scanning
  • Once digitized, the photo can be further edited in any app (e.g., Photoshop Express to restore color or brightness)
  • Best for a small number of photos; doing hundreds would be very time-consuming

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