More and more people are becoming interested in photographs and their editing due to the popularity of social networks such as Instagram. To attract new followers with quality content, you must not only be able to take pictures or pose but also be creative. You should know how to embody your idea in the photo and how to improve or supplement it at the post-production stage.
Even if you haven’t bought a high-tech camera yet, and take photos on a regular smartphone, editing will help to fix all the flaws. It is accessible to everyone and not as difficult as it seems. Here are simple life hacks for retouching images that famous bloggers use.
Get rid of artificiality
Whitened background, unnatural shades in the photo and artificial lighting don’t look pleasant to our eyes. Minimalistic image editing, as if it doesn’t exist at all, is beautiful and easy to implement. To begin with, you need to adjust the Warmth of the photograph. If it was made in a room with artificial yellow lighting, then it is recommended to add a little “cold” to remove the warm shade. In the case of photos taken on the street, you can leave it as it is or adds some heat.
However, if the image is too dark due to low light or lack of it, you can add the Brightness as much as necessary. If you want to make the picture more colorful, but to avoid the effect of artificiality, play with the Contrast settings. So, you increase the difference between light and dark shades, which creates clear lines and makes the photo more attractive. Always balance to maintain “no filter” illusion.
Body retouching
It’s important to say that retouching the model’s body in the photo is absolutely normal. The camera makes objects larger, so even thin people need to correct themselves to look as in real life. Portraits are a headache for editors since poor retouching can be worse than imperfect skin. Work on the face is always very responsible since it is very important to know the balance and preserve the unique features of a person, making them only better.
It is a difficult task to get rid of double chin in pictures so that it looks natural. If you are an ordinary user who wants to remove this drawback, try the Retouchme app. It was created by a team of image editing specialists and helps to get the desired result very quickly. Its large number of tools for photo post-production includes the “edit double chin” function. Learn more about this feature at retouchme.com.
Vignetting for directing the focus
When there are many objects in the frame, but it is necessary to focus all attention on what is happening in the center, the Vignette is a great option. Most likely, you have already seen images with this effect but didn’t know what it was. Vignetting is the darkening at the edges of the photo that fades closer to the center, creating a kind of frame.
Many photographers use this trick in their dark photos. The darkened edges look almost invisible in the images of the night city or ones made in a dark room. However, the Vignette always performs its function in directing the gaze to the center of the picture. The main thing is to add only a slight dimming, otherwise, it will be very noticeable and artificial.
Cropping can change everything
Many photographers often have to crop a photo to get a more beautiful and correct end shot. Sometimes it’s hard because it can lead to cutting a beautiful element off. Anyway, it is a necessary and deliberate need.
This does not mean that you should crop your every shot, but only those that do not look perfect. It’s difficult for novice photographers to determine whether it is necessary or not. Learning the rules of composition and a sense of style should help in this. Over time, the photographer begins to feel the need for cropping based on experience.
What you shouldn’t do when editing a photo
Don’t try to imitate the editing process of others. Yes, it may work and help from time to time, but their style may not suit you. Create something unique exclusively for yourself. Also, do not show your skills and knowledge, applying them in one photo all at once. Besides, the presence of a huge number of advanced packages for image editing can also kill art. Balance and wise approach are important elements.
If you understand that a photo is bad, for various reasons, do not try to save it with post-editing. Perhaps, you can improve the image, and make it acceptable for viewing, and maybe even for printing. However, such a picture is unlikely to be your best work. Choose only those shots for editing that have the potential to become a masterpiece. Anyway, always make sure that the retouching doesn’t change the essence of your original image. Also, remember that editorial marks should not be visible to those who look at the photo.
Conclusion
Always remember that editing should help the image become better and more interesting. It definitely should not spoil your work. Find this delicate balance that will help you create wonders and take stunningly beautiful photos. Use all the opportunities that you have but don’t go too far with their number in one photo.
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