Photo filters explained: grayscale, sepia, vivid & more

Photo filters are the fastest way to change a photo's mood. But which filter fits which photo? Here's the plain-English guide.

The filters

• Grayscale — timeless, editorial, great for portraits and architecture
• Sepia — vintage warmth, suits old-style scenes
• Invert — bold and surreal (use sparingly!)
• Vivid (2× saturation) — makes colors pop, great for food and travel
• High contrast — dramatic shadows, strong shapes
• Bright — rescues underexposed shots
• Hue shift — creative color grading

How to apply

Open Image Filter Editor, upload a photo, pick a filter, download. The effect is applied with the Canvas API — instant and fully local.

Pro tip

Combine filters in sequence: bright first, then vivid, then a touch of contrast. You can run the same image through multiple times.