(CTN News) – One thing you can always count on in photography is that someone will always be winking or making an odd face in a group shot on Google Pixel 8.
You can try snapping 20 shots in a row to boost the chances that everyone will look their best in one of them, but it’s not infallible — and you’ll frequently end up with a photo that you’re only sort of happy with.
But what if you could combine the most important faces from your series’ photographs into your group shots?
That’s the premise of Best Take, Google Photos’ new — and somewhat contentious — editing tool. Best Take is now available on the Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro, but we expect it to be available on older Pixel phones soon.
It works straightforwardly. You shoot a series of photographs of your group as usual, then edit your favorite facial expressions into a single frame afterward. It seems a little strange, and it is, but it’s a true lifesaver – especially if you’re photographing children.
Best Take will only function with photographs captured in a burst of highly similar shots within a 10-second interval. Faces should be visible and not covered by objects or hands in any of your images for the best results. Oh, and it currently only works with human subjects.
If your photos meet these criteria, follow the steps below to start using Best Take. I tried it out on a Google Pixel 8 running Android 14 and the October 2023 security patch.
Best Take is under the Tools section of Google Photos.
The suggested face swaps are automatically generated so you can give your friend a silly face from an earlier photo (sorry, Makena).
Because the alternative faces suggested by Google Photos are chosen automatically, you can’t pick and choose which face to use from which shot.
If you’re unhappy with the options offered when editing a photo towards the conclusion of your sequence, attempt Best Take on a shot from the beginning of the series, and you may see other options.
It may also work with older photographs in your Google Photos collection if they meet the above criteria, although, in my experience, this does not always work.
It does, however, work consistently with photographs taken using the Pixel 8. And, despite my reservations, I know I’ll use it a lot when photographing my squirmiest subject: my kid.
Related CTN News:
Google Photos Update Brings New Video Effects To Pixel And One Users
