Tidy up your image collection, view photos, edit images by adding effects and share the files via Google+ or other services.
Picasa is a nice application designed to simplify the way you manage photos on your computer. With this tool, you can easily view, edit and organize your pictures however you like. Picasa has been recently updated and a variety of editing effects have been offered. Making use of this particular program, you're still likely to enjoy Basic Fixes options. Among them, you'll see such functions like cropping, editing in Picnik and retouching. The special mention is related to Sliders in the Tuning tab that assist you in changing colors and shades in your photo. As you know, there's 12 Basic Effects to enhance the picture: for instance, sharpen, saturation or graduated Tint.
In order to sophisticate the photo, employ Advanced effects: such fresh functions as Infrared film, 1960's, Posterize, Duo-Tone, etc. Also in this version, you're able to invert colors and cross the process. So you see that it is a feature-rich application. Don't be afraid to undertake an experiment on your photo as Picasa keeps photos in its original form even if you make up your mind to save changes. I find it pretty convenient that you can preview the results of applying effects to choose the most exited ones. The program allows for comparing different edits on the same or distinguished photos. That's the business of side-by-side editing. Sharing photos to Google+ is the most long expected option Picasa offers. It should be noted that this feature is available even for users who haven't joined Google yet. Keep in mind that you're able to upload pictures in a private way, as well. Furthermore, you can tag people who are in the photo and share them nearly with the whole world.
In short, Picasa deserves your attention if there's a need of a rich palette to exert substantial effects on your pictures that later can be shared to Google+.
v3.6 [Dec 8, 2009]
Picasa 3.6 has improved name tags, a feature based on the same technology that powers name tags on Picasa Web Albums. With name tags, you can organize your photos based on what matters most: the people in them. In this new version, you can also upload photos to your friends' collaborative albums, more easily geotag photos using Google Maps, and import photos from your camera and upload them to Picasa Web Albums in one step. Get started by downloading Picasa at http://picasa.google.com
Add name tags -- Picasa scans all the photos in your collection, identifies the ones with faces, and groups photos with similar faces together. It's easy to add name tags to dozens of photos at once by clicking "Add a name" below a photo and typing the person's name. Once you've tagged some pictures, you can make a face collage with one click, easily find all your pictures with the same two people in them, or upload your name tags to Picasa Web Albums.
Collaborative albums -- Upload from Picasa -- In August 2009, we introduced collaborative albums in Picasa Web Albums. Now you can upload to a friend's album directly from the Picasa software.
Geotag your photos with Google Maps -- Quickly add geotags using the newly integrated Google Maps. Click the Places button and drag your photos to the location where you took them. Of course, you can still use Google Earth to tag or view photos if you prefer.
Import, upload, and share, all at once -- We've improved the import process so that you can star your favorites, upload to Picasa Web Albums, and share with Google contact groups at the same time.
Tags -- Better bulk tagging, quick tags & tag counts -- We've improved the tagging experience. Just click the new Tags button on the right side of the Photo tray to add Quick tags , see tag counts for groups of images, and manage tags more easily.
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