Free image editing software

Photo editing software (such as Adobe Photoshop) offers endless possibilities for image manipulation, but it isn't the only way to improve your snapshots.

These five websites let you upload, edit, and amuse yourself for hours with your photos for free.

Flickr.com

It's one of the web's most popular photo- sharing websites for a reason.

Be it moments captured on your camera-phone or high-resolution shots from your DSLR, Flickr lets you show off your favourite photos to anyone in the world.

You can upload your images (in full size) from your desktop, via email or in an MMS from your mobile, and share them with the public or by invite-only.

Flickr is also a great place to find stunning photographs from around the world, and even use them for your own purposes for free using Creative Commons licensing.

Pixlr.com

There's a lot of photo-editing software available for free download, but many of the good programs are trial-only (and specialised software can cost hundreds of dollars).

Pixlr is an advanced online image editor.

It lets you retouch your photos and use advanced editing tools, layers and resizing right in your browser.

While it's not for professionals who need highly technical editing capabilities, Pixlr is great for at- home users who want an easy way to turn their photos into visual wonders.

Bighugelabs.com

Fancy starring in a Hollywood blockbuster or getting your portrait done by Andy Warhol?

Bighugelabs is a fun website where you can upload photos of yourself and your friends to create movie posters, pop art imagery, photo mosaics and jigsaws, and a whole lot more.

Construct a photo collage in the style of the artist David Hockney, or create inspirational, parody, or motivational posters for any occasion.

Bighugelabs also lets you turn your images into calendars, badges, and even CD covers.

Photofunia.com

To play around with some of the most realistic effects you can find online, upload an image to Photofunia.

The website automatically identifies the face in a photo, then lets you add cool photo effects, create montages and place your head all over the world.

Put yourself on the cover of Esquire or Glamour magazine, on a poster on the Berlin Wall, a billboard in LA or even on the side of a Mini Cooper.

Photofunia is also available on your iPhone.

Yearbookyourself.com

Want to look like a member of The Breakfast Club? Fans of American high-school culture will love this website, which lets you upload a photo of yourself and turn it into a high- school portrait from an era of choice.

Give yourself a Brylcreemed hairdo from 1952 or a mullet from 1988, or even place yourself in a cheerleading squad.

- © Fairfax NZ News