Simple Image Editing, Cropping Suggestions
Key Vocabulary to Remember
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Introduction
Image editing aims to achieve the best results from your initial captures. The most effective approach is to select what part of the picture best conveys your message. Cutting the less interesting parts from the picture may offer a more meaningful end result. In this way there is less of a requirement for image processing and editing to emphasize the subject.
There are also other ways in which an image can be adapted for publishing. Creating images that have the same aspect ratio, or proportion of width to height dimensions, ensures a consistent look that is well suited for websites and other similar processing tasks. Resizing a picture, ending with one that has less resolution, can be highly suitable to fit within the constraints of size imposed on various formats.
The final option for editing is to apply various effects such as adding transparency, colour and image processing algorithms that alter the initial image to fit various esthetic requirements. Editing is highly personalized, depends on talent and has complex goals, going beyond the scope of this document. There are very good tutorials and examples available on the internet that showcase very good techniques.
Cropping
The most simple and effective way to vastly improve the attraction of any picture is to have a very good framing of the picture. Even for very good captures, it is likely that there are elements which detract from the atmosphere that you want to convey. Sudden highlights, the presence of certain high detail objects or individuals close to the edge of the picture frame may detract from the focus you want to have. To counteract this limitation, cropping the edges of the picture is highly useful.
Cropping a picture may end up with different results. Each subsequent crop has to be analyzed side by side with the initial one, and compare cropped versions with each other in order to decide the most suitable photo. This goal can be achieved in free PC image editing software such as Gimp, Paint.Net, Krita. Certain publishing platforms such as Facebook and Instagram integrate on-the fly cropping in the image uploading interface, leading to great creative capabilities on all photos that do not require using the previous mentioned software. The ability to preview the image before publishing is highly valuable. As image sharing websites are already created to accommodate pictures from various sources, there are no concerns about inconsistent cropping between different pictures as the platforms has a good control on how it frames such pictures to maintain the intended look.
For websites, video editing, desktop publishing, cropping is best left as the final stage of composition, carried out in the main program and not on image editors. Keeping the unedited picture as long as possible improves the prospect of reaching high quality results. Any subsequent editing reduces the picture quality and permanently affects the outputs in ways that may not be easily overcome.
Aspect ratio adjustments
Certain publishing formats, such as websites, may benefit from images that are particularly edited to suit a graphics theme. As most websites are created for the typical laptop screen, this means that a landscape or 16:9 format is targeted. Since initial photos can have any resolution and aspect ratio, simple editing may be required prior to publishing. Most editing software can superimpose a freely movable, white edged cropping area on the original image that can be moved freely, showing visual cues that help decide which crop is most suitable. After applying the process, a resulting image is created.
Advanced effects
Complex effects may be applied to images