Warm-up (30 seconds): Think about your Something Real project from Lesson 1. What kind of image could make it look more professional — a photo of the location, a promotional graphic, or a before/after of your idea?

This lesson teaches you how to edit images using built-in tools in your word processor to make your Digital Portfolio and pitch deck stand out. You'll learn simple edits that serve your project goals, then apply them to create a professional image for your Something Real.

Why image editing matters for your project

Good images make people pay attention to your idea. This lesson focuses on 4 essential edits with built-in word processor tools:

• Crop: Remove unwanted edges or focus on the important part
• Brightness/Contrast: Make dark images brighter, flat images pop
• Resize: Fit images perfectly without distortion
• Text overlay: Add project titles or calls to action

Real project example

Galway TY Trip poster: Before = dark photo with random people. After: Cropped to venue, brightened +30, 'TY Galway Adventure 2025' overlay. Result: Looks fun and professional.

Common Issues

• Image looks pixelated: Don't stretch bigger than original size
• Can't find picture tools: Right-click image or check 'Picture Format' tab

Practice image editing with a sample photo of a school event. You'll crop distractions, brighten the image, resize it properly, and add a title overlay.

Now edit a real image for your Something Real project. Choose a photo related to your project (venue, product, team, event location) and apply 2-3 edits that serve your pitch goals. Follow the same step-by-step process from above.

Success criteria:

• Before/after versions saved in your Digital Portfolio folder
• Image sized properly for document or slide use
• Edits make the image more professional/persuasive
• Filename shows it's for your project (e.g. 'galway-trip-poster.jpg')

Example projects: TY trip to Galway (venue photo), charity bake sale (cake photo), film club (movie poster), sports tournament (team photo).