Add a caption to a photo in Paint.NET

Adding a caption to an image can be tricky if there are both light and dark areas where the text should go. In these situations neither black nor white text will be legible. The solution is to add a slightly transparent grey background to the text. The photo can still be seen beneath it but the text will be much clearer.

Open the image but before you start typing click on the Layers menu and select Add New Layer. Click on the Text tool in the Tool section, click on the image and type the caption. Use the options above the image to change the font and size.

Click on the Layers menu and then Add New Layer to add another layer. This layer needs to go beneath the text. You will need the Layers window for this; if it is not visible click on the Window menu and then Layers, or press F7. Click on the new layer (it should be called Layer 3) and then on the downwards pointing arrown to move it beneath Layer 2.

Click on the Rectangle select tool (top left of the Tools window) and draw a rectangle around the text. Click on the Fill tool (or press F).

If the Colors window is not visible, click on the Window menu and then Colors, or press F8. Select a grey and make sure that it appears in the upper of the two squares. Click inside the rectangle you just drew to fill it with the grey.

To make this layer translucent, click on Layer 3 in the Layers window and then on the Properties icon, this is the one on the right in the Layers Windows. Adjust the bottom slider to make the layer more or less transparent, we used 114; when this is done, click on OK.

Keep in mind that not all image formats support multiple layers. If you save the file as something other than the Paint.NET format, all the levels will be merged together and it won't be possible to remove the text or grey layers.