How to handle photo rotation on your smartphone

Even if you’re just a casual photographer, proper photo rotation is a skill that will help you give your photos a professional look. However, if you do this editing trick incorrectly, your images will look amateurish and unbalanced.

Why photo rotation is important and when to do it

You take a picture in a hurry only to realize later that the picture is upside down. Or you like the orientation but find that the angle is just a little bit off. Alternatively, you may think that flipping the image will create more symmetry. Whatever the reason, rotation is an underrated photo editing effect that can transform and enhance your images.

Of course, it must not be overdone. Most photos, especially if taken with a pointed and properly positioned camera, do not need to be rotated. If you have to constantly rotate your images, it might help to learn a few tricks to enhance your smartphone photos first. Keep in mind that rotating a photo that doesn’t require it can look unnatural. If that’s not the effect you’re after, it’s best to leave it as is.

The best time to actually rotate a photo is when you want to straighten any angles, create a new perspective, or center your subject. Additionally, since not every device and platform is on the same page when it comes to image rotation, you may sometimes need to manually rotate a photo to ensure it displays correctly on select platforms.

Image rotation types

There are different types of photo rotations, each of which allows you to achieve a certain effect or orientation. Here are the most common types:

1. Turn 90 degrees or 180 degrees

Rotating the photo 90 degrees is a good option if you capture the image in a different orientation, such as portrait or landscape mode. Not only is this kind of photo rotation useful if you want the image to appear in a certain orientation, but it’s also useful for social media if the image looks better in a certain format.

Alternatively, if you capture an image upside down, rotate it 180 degrees to turn it upright to ensure it appears correctly when you see it or share it with people.

2. Proper angles

If, on the other hand, you are not trying to completely change the orientation and just want to correct minor misalignments, it can be useful to rotate the photo by a few degrees.

Sometimes even a small adjustment like a 10 or 15 degree tilt can help straighten a photo or change the perspective just enough to make the image more unique and engaging.

3. Horizontal flip

If you’re trying to fix the way mirror images and selfies are displayed to make them look more true to life, horizontal flipping might be your best bet. This basically changes the orientation of the photo so the image looks like someone is looking directly at it.

How to rotate a photo on an iPhone or Android device

Rotating a photo on an Android or iPhone device is quite simple thanks to the built-in photo editing tools. Here’s what you need to do:

1. On your Android phone, open the file Photo app and select the image you want to rotate.
2. Tap on Edit icon at the bottom of the screen.
3. Choose Crop.
4. Tap on Rotate option (usually represented by a circular arrow icon) to rotate 90 degrees with each tap. Alternatively, drag the slider above Rotate the ability to rotate it to your own angle.

The default Photos app on Android devices doesn’t allow you to flip photos; however, third-party photo editing apps usually include this feature as well. So if you want to flip an image, consider downloading a third-party photo editing app.

If you’re using an iPhone, here’s what you need to do:

1. Open it Photo app and select the photo you want to rotate.
2. Select Edit option in the upper right corner of the screen.
3. Tap on Crop icon at the bottom of the screen.
4. In the upper left corner of the screen you will find options to rotate the image in 90 degree increments and also to flip it. You can also drag the slider at the bottom to rotate the image to your own angle.

If your phone or tablet’s default photo editing app doesn’t offer the exact rotation options you need, third-party apps can help. While there are many photo editing apps for Android and iPhone available in their respective app stores, some of the ones I’ve personally used are Canva, Lightroom, and PhotoGrid. Canva and Lightroom allow you to rotate images with Crop option while PhotoGrid has a Rotate functions within a set of general adjustments.

If you’re exclusively using another third-party photo editing app for editing, be sure to check the editing menu as well as the v options Crop or Edit tools to find the right image rotation options.

I miss rotating photos that should be avoided

As with all kinds of photo editing, rotating photos has its own pitfalls if you don’t do it the right way. Here are some mistakes to watch out for and avoid if you want professional-looking edits:

• Rewind images: Subtly changing the angles can help straighten the image and add a unique perspective. However, if we take it too far, it can make the image unbalanced.
• Ignoring background text: If you’re trying to flip or rotate an image, take a few seconds to check the background for any text or logos that might be distorted by the rotation.
• To leave an image uncropped: Rotating the image can sometimes change the framing of the photo. Not cropping the image after you rotate it can distract from the subject and reduce the visual appeal of the image.

While rotating photos is often straightforward, at least in terms of the actual process, how you do it can make a big difference in the end result. Keeping these tips, steps, and common mistakes in mind the next time you rotate your images will help you achieve a more polished look.