While most photographs are rectangular, the tools we use to edit them online come in all manner of shapes and sizes. Here's a look at 13 of them.
Josh Lowensohn
Josh Lowensohn joined CNET in 2006 and now covers Apple. Before that, Josh wrote about everything from new Web start-ups, to remote-controlled robots that watch your house. Prior to joining CNET, Josh covered breaking video game news, as well as reviewing game software. His current console favorite is the Xbox 360.
While most photographs are rectangular, the tools we use to edit them come in all manner of shapes and sizes. We've looked at more than a dozen different online services that let you edit your photos and capture what each one of them looks like so you can get a preview before you dive in.
To see how they stack up against each other, click here for a complete comparison chart.
Flauntr Here you can see how Flauntr's user interface packs a lot of features in a small space. When you're done working on a photo, you can also kick it over to one of FotoDesk's other editing tools from the top menu.
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FotoFlexer
FotoFlexer FotoFlexer's menu uses tabs that let you cruise through various settings and options. It's also got a great full-screen mode to let you work on a photo to the maximum resolution of your display--something that's useful for large photos.
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Lunapic
Lunapic Lunapic may not be the prettiest of the bunch, but it's got a ton of goodies, including a huge list of tutorials that tell you how to use it. It will also run in browsers without Adobe's Flash, which can be handy if you're trying to edit a photo or two on a public computer that doesn't have it installed.
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Phixr
Phixr Phixr is hard to spell, but not to use. What its UI lacks in aesthetics, it makes up for in solid, easy-to-use tools. Seen here is the noise removal tool, which can get rid of the speckling that happens when taking photos at high ISO levels.
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Phoenix
Phoenix Phoenix, which is part of the Aviary image editing suite, lets you edit photographs in a virtual workspace. If you're looking for something that looks and responds like a desktop app, this comes close.
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Photoshop.com
Photoshop.com Adobe's foray into online photo editing may have been a little later than everyone else, but it's come with some innovation. For example, its filter effects (seen to the left) show you what your photo will look like before you even apply the effect.
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Picnik
Picnik Picnik has one of the best visual styles of any photo editing service. It's got quirk and character, and some really good tools to back it up. Like Photoshop's offering, you can see what special effects and filters look like before applying them to the photo.
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Picture2Life
Picture2Life Picture2Life has a simple but very deep offering. On one hand it lets you add things like glitter and stamps to your images. On the other, there are great filters and smart editing tools that make your photos look like you edited them using expensive software.
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Pixenate
Pixenate Pixenate is dead simple to use. There are a wide variety of one-button fixes, alongside tools that will give expert editors granular control over things like tone, contrast, and exposure.
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Pixer.us
Pixerus Pixerus may be the simplest looking of the bunch, but it packs a lot of special effects and filters you can add to your photos. If you're looking to do a quick crop, rotate, or resize of a picture, this is one of your best bets.
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Pixlr
Pixlr Pixlr looks and feels a lot like Adobe's Photoshop. This includes support for layers, of which you can control the opacity and masking of each one. If you're looking for a tool similar to Photoshop that won't require a steep learning curve, Pixlr is an attractive offering.
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Snipshot
Snipshot Snipshot has some really fun and powerful effects, but you'll need to pony up to use them. Most of Snipshots' utility can only be obtained by paying the $7 a month for the premium membership.
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Splashup
Splashup Splashup is another tool that attempts to emulate the experience of working in a desktop software application. If you like working with multiple pictures and layers at once, this tool does an admirable job.
