Assignment Four: Editing Tools
There are a number of simple edits you can do with post-processing in software that can improve your
composition.
STRAIGHTEN
If you often have crooked photos coming straight out of the camera, you are not alone. It’s easy to focus on
everything else as you create an image, so you may not notice until you review your images that the horizon is
not quite level, or the vertical lines are slightly askew. The “straighten” tool can be used in post-processing to
resolve this issue. It can also be used to intentionally make the lines even more askew, if desired.
CROP
Cropping is a tool that changes how a photograph is framed. Choosing what elements are in the final frame can be done in the camera at the time the photograph is taken, or in post-processing. A fun way to learn more about composition is to explore different crops of the same photo in post-processing. What you learn in this photo editing “play” will help you build stronger compositions in the camera as you take photos in the future. When
you find a composition you like while shooting, you might also consider taking a step back and framing the same composition with more space around it. This allows for more cropping adjustments later in software. Cropping in post-processing can also be a helpful tool when you are using a fixed focal length lens, or cannot get close enough to your subject at the maximum zoom of a zoom
lens.
SHARPEN
Sharpness is related to focus and refers to how clean the edges of the in-focus part of a photograph are. Initial image sharpness will highly depend on your camera, lens and chosen file type. (JPG images are sharpened by the camera, while RAW images are not.) If your images are not as sharp as you would like them, you can do some adjustments in post-processing to increase the sharpness. Sharpening may also help you recover a photo if the focus is slightly off or “soft,” but it can’t recover an image if it is completely out of focus. It is important to avoid over-sharpening in digital photography – you can get some weird effects. If you see “halos” around objects or next to lines, then you have sharpened too much. When sharpening, enlarge your photo on the screen in order to see the effect on the image at a detailed level. Look at the image both sharpened and unsharpened, to decide which looks better.
CLONE
Sometimes you get elements that distract the viewer’s eye from your intended focal point. This could be trash on the ground or a street sign in the field of view. The goal is to remove the distracting elements at the time of capturing the image by changing perspective, but there are times it is not possible to remove the element this way. Luckily, you can often remove a distracting element in software. This is typically done by using the “clone”
tool in your software. Using a clone tool requires that you have similar elements in your photo that you can copy over the distracting element. Investigate whether your photo editing software has this capability.
YOUR ASSIGNMENT
Revisit some of the images you have taken, and play around with them using the editing tools in Photoshop. Try cropping, sharpening, cloning, and straightening. Make note of whether or not you prefer the photo before it was edited, or if you prefer the edited version. Send two examples of photos before and after editing .
There are a number of simple edits you can do with post-processing in software that can improve your
composition.
STRAIGHTEN
If you often have crooked photos coming straight out of the camera, you are not alone. It’s easy to focus on
everything else as you create an image, so you may not notice until you review your images that the horizon is
not quite level, or the vertical lines are slightly askew. The “straighten” tool can be used in post-processing to
resolve this issue. It can also be used to intentionally make the lines even more askew, if desired.
CROP
Cropping is a tool that changes how a photograph is framed. Choosing what elements are in the final frame can be done in the camera at the time the photograph is taken, or in post-processing. A fun way to learn more about composition is to explore different crops of the same photo in post-processing. What you learn in this photo editing “play” will help you build stronger compositions in the camera as you take photos in the future. When
you find a composition you like while shooting, you might also consider taking a step back and framing the same composition with more space around it. This allows for more cropping adjustments later in software. Cropping in post-processing can also be a helpful tool when you are using a fixed focal length lens, or cannot get close enough to your subject at the maximum zoom of a zoom
lens.
SHARPEN
Sharpness is related to focus and refers to how clean the edges of the in-focus part of a photograph are. Initial image sharpness will highly depend on your camera, lens and chosen file type. (JPG images are sharpened by the camera, while RAW images are not.) If your images are not as sharp as you would like them, you can do some adjustments in post-processing to increase the sharpness. Sharpening may also help you recover a photo if the focus is slightly off or “soft,” but it can’t recover an image if it is completely out of focus. It is important to avoid over-sharpening in digital photography – you can get some weird effects. If you see “halos” around objects or next to lines, then you have sharpened too much. When sharpening, enlarge your photo on the screen in order to see the effect on the image at a detailed level. Look at the image both sharpened and unsharpened, to decide which looks better.
CLONE
Sometimes you get elements that distract the viewer’s eye from your intended focal point. This could be trash on the ground or a street sign in the field of view. The goal is to remove the distracting elements at the time of capturing the image by changing perspective, but there are times it is not possible to remove the element this way. Luckily, you can often remove a distracting element in software. This is typically done by using the “clone”
tool in your software. Using a clone tool requires that you have similar elements in your photo that you can copy over the distracting element. Investigate whether your photo editing software has this capability.
YOUR ASSIGNMENT
Revisit some of the images you have taken, and play around with them using the editing tools in Photoshop. Try cropping, sharpening, cloning, and straightening. Make note of whether or not you prefer the photo before it was edited, or if you prefer the edited version. Send two examples of photos before and after editing .