App review-Touch Retouch

Hello again on a day dominated by the tragic earthquake and tsunami in Japan. No words can really do justice to what is happening over there at this time, my thoughts go out to everyone involved.

Back to the purpose of today's post. How many of you regularly take photographs with your iPhones only to find out at a later date that there are plenty of unwanted additions to the image such as, advertising or random people that just spoil the picture? In the past the photo would probably have ended up being deleted but now there is an answer to this problem.

Touch Retouch-(29mb) 59p from the Apple App store.

Touch Retouch is an app that allows you to amend any image you have taken on your device and it really is very versatile.

Example.

I took this picture of the Grand Union canal and it is spoilt by the brick building in the distance. Using Touch Retouch I can now remove that building in a few easy steps. 

Original image

Step 1. 

By touching the "move" icon, a gold star next to the icon will highlight your choice of action, you can zoom into the building making the next step much easier. You zoom by using the normal, two finger, pinch and release gestures used in all apps. 

"Move" selected and zoom used

Step 2.

Touch the "lasso" icon and place your finger over the building. You will notice a small box pop up within the image which allows you to see what is happening beneath your finger as you move it around the building. This is a really excellent idea and shows the amount of thought and design that has gone into making this app.
Move your finger around the building until it is fully highlighted.

"Lasso" selected and showing the "in image" pop up box

 Step 3.

Once you are happy with the highlighted area touch the "go" icon and allow the app to re process the image. 

building now highlighted and ready to be processed

Step 4.

Having touched the "go" icon wait a short time for image to be processed.

Image being processed

Final result.

As you can see, the building has now been removed and the image much improved!

Building removed!

You can now save your image back to the camera roll on the iPhone.

Image saved to camera roll

As you can see, by using Touch Retouch I have improved my original photograph in a few simple steps. The resulting image is, in my opinion, much better and far more attractive. I amended this picture using just one feature of the app, the lasso but there are three other features called, brush, clone stamp and eraser, all of which perform slightly different tasks. All four of the editing features are fully adjustable to make editing of your images completely flexible.

The possibilities are literally endless with this app. You can do as much or as little as an image requires, whether it be removing an object or simply touching up your loved ones face!!! Use this in conjunction with Photogene and you have everything you could possibly need for photo editing.

There are two in app "help" video's to help you get the best out of the software, I can recommend viewing them just to give you an idea of how the app functions.

Touch Retouch is easily picked up and fun to use. I consider it an essential for any of you that use your device to take photographs so what are you waiting for?!

I have no hesitation in awarding this little gem 5/5.

Andy.