Inkscape doesn't allow for extensive photo manipulation, but some filters within the program are best used for photographs or non-vector based images. These are the basics and fun effects for your photographic images. Filters that are photo- and bitmap-friendly are:
Blurs
Bumps
Color
Distort
Image Effects
Image Effects, Transparent
Transparency Utilities
Overlay filters—For some fun try Scatter and Texture filters and Clip with photographs as well
Let's walk through using one of these filters as an example. Keeping in mind the theme for our travel web site design, we'll work with a photograph of a local lake and see if we can enhance it for use within our design.
Open a new Inkscape document and import a bitmap. From the main menu select File and then Import.
Select the correct bitmap file and click Open. Make sure your imported bitmap is selected, and then select File and then Document Properties. In the Custom Size section, click Resize page to content.
Click Resize...