Light and colour
Fix the light first, then the colour: the tools that do most of the work in most photos.
Light
The four tools that fix most photos, in the order most people use them.
Tool
BlacksShadowsMidtonesHighlightsWhites
Plan
Black point and haze
Sets where black begins and cuts the grey veil of a hazy, misty or rainy day.
Works on blacks
Free
Shadow lift
Brings faces and detail out of the dark side of a backlit photo, without turning the sky grey.
Works on shadows
Free
Highlight recovery
Pulls detail back into bright skies, white shirts and window light, as far as the file allows.
Works on highlights and whites
Free
Tone curve
The whole curve: drag any point, or tap a step of the wedge to move only that band of tones.
Works on every tone
Free
Colour
Colour tools work after the light, so a warm sunset stays warm when you brighten it.
White balance
Warmer or cooler, greener or pinker; tap something grey in the photo to set it at once
Vibrance
Stronger colour in dull areas, while skin and already strong colours stay as they are
Colour mixer (Plus)
Hue, saturation and brightness for eight colours: calm a green, deepen a blue sky
Midtone colour (Plus)
Warm or cool only the middle tones, where skin sits
Edit tonight's photos on your phone
Fixer (sample) is free on iPhone, iPad and Android, with the tone curve, shadow lift and four looks included. Plus and Studio add the rest.