3rd January 2002
Working on someone else's computer is like putting your shoes on the wrong feet. Things might be uncomfortable at first, but you'll quickly adjust. Editing digital photos is fun and easy when you're using a familiar tool set. But let's say you're at a friend's house. She needs to touch-up an image but doesn't have the "right" software installed. It's one of those "one time" deals. Fine. Click your way to PHOTOS.MSN.COM. Here, you can create an account to upload, share, and edit (!) digital pictures. After the image in question has been uploaded, click the Edit Pictures link. From here, you'll be able to correct brightness, contrast, tint, and more. Either use the Autocorrect button or tweak each setting individually. Fix a red eye or two before you're through, rotate the graphic if need be, and crop the photo to fit a specific print size; digital dimensions (measured in pixels) aren't always congruous to printed dimensions (often measured in inches). For quick and dirty processing, MSN Photos is amazing. And, for the moment, it's free for anybody to use.