Camo: Photo Editing Coach

Just-in-time learning • Ed-tech research • UI/UX design

Overview

Camo⁠ is a photo-editing app with an intelligent coach that guides users through various photo-adjustment techniques by analyzing differences between the user’s raw image to be edited and a professional-level reference image to be emulated. It is specifically designed for users who want to learn how to digitally enhance their photos with greater precision than single-swipe Instagram filters, but are intimidated by the sheer volume of functions in complex programs like Photoshop.

Final Product

Camo’s suite of tools is similar to those of a standard photo-editor. Its defining feature is AI functionality that analyzes the user’s raw photo in comparison with professionally edited reference photos, and then offers the user multiple guided approaches to choose from in emulating a reference.

Conventional internet tutorials tend to dictate to the user a specific sequence of tools and exact adjustment values, which completely usurps the user’s sense of control even if success is guaranteed. In contrast, Camo keeps itself in a supporting role by proposing multiple (and all equally promising) options and recommended ranges for photo adjustments. This enables the user to remain process-driven instead of product-driven, since they still have to make creative judgments throughout the editing process. As well, the proposed pathways and adjustment ranges are determined so that even with creative freedom, the user is assured throughout the experience that the final product will be within professional standard. Access to comparative visual feedback, such as histograms (graphs showing the distribution of light and dark pixels in an image) for both raw and reference photos, encourages “thoughtful emulation”, rather than a strict copycat approach. This in turn reinforces the arc of skill development, rather than risk aversion, which most effectively trains the user’s skillset and intuition as a growing photo editor.

Analysis & Insights

Exploring user personas and their diverse relationships with photography

Photography is a highly varied and personal endeavor across individuals. One user explained that she only takes 10-15 photos each day, and the photos must tell a story or show small moments in life.

“I don’t want a photo of me in a museum, but me in the museum with a cup of coffee. Or an afternoon in Paris. Or if a beach photo a book [should be present] too. Since I’m only uploading one picture to represent a bigger [experience], then the one picture needs to be self-explanatory.” -Rachel

Another identified as a power-user, taking up to hundreds of photos in a day and dedicating blocks of time at night to craft a visual story as he painstakingly narrows them down to a chronological sequence.

“Chronology is important for me when I have people in photos. It’s actually easier to remember people in relation to each other, like I met Jack with Jill before John. But with food, I don’t really care that I made a cake in April.”

The “DIY Perfectionist” needs to feel in control of their photo-editing software, because intimidation by complex tools stifles mastery.

Ultimately, one user persona I decided to focus on was the “DIY Perfectionist”, who needs to feel in control of their photo-editing software because intimidation by complex tools stifles mastery. From this persona, several design questions naturally emerged:

  • How might we make photo editing welcoming to use, and to learn to use?

  • How might we give the DIY Perfectionist the confidence and mastery to produce “flawless” photos?

  • How might we get photo-editing software to anticipate the DIY Perfectionist’s vision for “flawlessness”?

  • How might we remove the source of intimidation from the tool in one’s pursuit of mastery?

Design & Development

My solution to merge education with photo-editing came about in response to “DIY Perfectionist”-inspired design questions.

Through follow-up interviews, users expressed that they strived to edit their photos with the same tools that the pros use. This informed the app’s interface design; serving as an intermediate tool before users become more comfortable navigating more powerful tools like Photoshop, most aspects of the interface were designed to parallel those power tools, such as workspace setup and visual indicators.