Thursday, September 10, 2009

Photo Enhancing and Retouching For Photography

By Lucas Godfrey

For some novice photographers it can be quite frustrating when they think they've taken the perfect picture and then when it comes time to developing them they see all the flaws. Mind you, some experienced photographers run into the same problem as well. That's what makes great editing software for photography so important.

A great program is Adobe's Photoshop, which is good for not only the novelist but the experienced photographer as well. So all is not lost when a photo doesn't turn out just the way you wanted it. Perhaps there are some flaws in it such as little spots that may have come from being on the lens of the camera for example. This is where retouching your photo is valuable.

Then there's those times that something gets into your photo that you didn't really want in their Maybe there are a few soda cans sitting on the ground that are really distracting from the focal point of your picture.

This is where you can use a couple of the tools that you may find in the software that you're using such as the clone stamp or healing brush. With your clone stamp, you are able to actually paint over the areas that you don't want in your picture just as if you were using a paintbrush. If you are using this tool though you want to use it in the areas of your picture where there isn't that big of a difference in your color or the texture of the photo.

If that is not the criteria then you need to resort to the healing brush, which often is the better choice anyhow. Use it pretty well the same way but it will keep the color and texture around the spots that you're removing easier. These really are a couple of neat tools to use when you want to retouch.

It's always important that you inspect your photos carefully no matter what purpose are being used for you and you can do this make your checking very easy by creating an adjustment layer, then go to curves make a high contrast in the areas of your photo which you are more than likely going to see spots. This would be your sky or any open surface areas. This will make the spots stand out as if you were using a magnifier.

Now just click on the layer that's in the background to make sure that you're working on the right photo and then work with your clone stamp in the software. Then once you are done just take out the adjustment layer and you should have a perfect picture.

Two other great tools for working with for retouching is well are the burn tool and the Dodge tool. Burning is to make bright areas darker and the Dodge for making areas brighter. You also might want to consider the sponge tool as well.

Then when you want to remove noise, you can simply use plug-in filters like those that you find at no noise ninja. Many pieces of software are available to help you work and get the perfect photos.

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