A method for displaying images, the method comprising: displaying, by an electronic device on a touch screen, a first image in an image pane of a screen of a camera application, wherein the first image is displayed based on image data obtained from an image sensor, and displaying an effect menu button in the screen, wherein the first image is refreshed based on image data obtained in real-time from the image sensor, wherein the screen of the camera application comprises an upper portion and a lower portion; detecting a touch input for selecting the effect menu button on the touch screen; responsive to detecting the touch input for selecting the effect menu button, displaying, by the electronic device, a plurality of second images and the first image, wherein each of the second images is generated by applying a respective image effect to the real-time refreshed first image, wherein the second images are generated in real-time, displayed as thumbnails and are arranged horizontally at the lower portion of the screen; detecting a touch input for selecting at least one of the second images on the touch screen; responsive to detecting the touch input for selecting the at least one of the second images, applying a respective image effect of the at least one selected second images to image data obtained from the image sensor to generate a third image; displaying the third image with the second images, wherein the third image is displayed in place of the first image, wherein the third image is refreshed in real-time by displaying in real-time data obtained by the image sensor onto which the respective image effect is applied; receiving a touch input with respect to the third image; and generating, in response to the touch input with respect to the third image, a still image based on the respective image effects applied to the image data to generate the third image, wherein the displayed second and third images stop being refreshed and transition to a state in which respective images based on the image data of the still image are displayed. displaying, by an electronic device on a touch screen, a first image in an image pane of a screen of a camera application, wherein the first image is displayed based on image data obtained from an image sensor, and displaying an effect menu button in the screen, wherein the first image is refreshed based on image data obtained in real-time from the image sensor, wherein the screen of the camera application comprises an upper portion and a lower portion; detecting a touch input for selecting the effect menu button on the touch screen; responsive to detecting the touch input for selecting the effect menu button, displaying, by the electronic device, a plurality of second images and the first image, wherein each of the second images is generated by applying a respective image effect to the real-time refreshed first image, wherein the second images are generated in real-time, displayed as thumbnails and are arranged horizontally at the lower portion of the screen; detecting a touch input for selecting at least one of the second images on the touch screen; responsive to detecting the touch input for selecting the at least one of the second images, applying a respective image effect of the at least one selected second images to image data obtained from the image sensor to generate a third image; displaying the third image with the second images, wherein the third image is displayed in place of the first image, wherein the third image is refreshed in real-time by displaying in real-time data obtained by the image sensor onto which the respective image effect is applied; receiving a touch input with respect to the third image; and generating, in response to the touch input with respect to the third image, a still image based on the respective image effects applied to the image data to generate the third image, wherein the displayed second and third images stop being refreshed and transition to a state in which respective images based on the image data of the still image are displayed.