The power of a picture to speak more than a thousand words is not unknown to many of us. In the digital age, the presentation of an image could be improved easily through image retouching with software such as Adobe Photoshop.
These tools have enabled professional photographers to churn out the best from their work in the final output.
Image retouching helps in refining the image to such an extent that the viewer would not be distracted by any flaws in the image. In simple words, image retouching could be defined as the process for modifying photographs to make slight alterations in the appearance of the subject. Some examples of photo retouching include erasing pimples and freckles or slight improvement of skin complexion.
The pursuit of a career in image retouching has found notable recognition in recent times especially in the case of commercial products. This has been possible due to the increase in some online businesses. However, there are some essential skills for image retouching that play a crucial role in determining professional success.
Basic Skills Required for Image Retouching
The skills for image retouching could only be refined through fluency in using the different tools that can be presented as follows. The basic tools are a crop, resize, saturation and brightness and contrast.
The crop tool is used for removing a specific part of the image retouching service and is also associated with the tools for straightening or rotating the image.
The saturation tool is helpful in increasing colour intensity in the image and is particularly helpful for images in outdoor locations. The brightness and contrast tool assist in obtaining a specific level of brightness to the image and can be extremely helpful in emphasizing in particular areas in the image.
Some of the other essential tools that professionals utilize in photo retouching for getting the best of results include colour temperature, eraser, layers, cloning, curves and levels, and sharpening. The gradual practice of these tools is the only proven way that can be supported by experiments on behalf of professionals to accomplish effective results in image retouching.
Maintaining Credibility
The job of a commercial product image retouching professional is associated with diverse responsibilities. These responsibilities could be addressed effectively only through improving competency and skills alongside improving acquaintance with the industry trends. Here are some pointers which could help aspirants in photo retouching to strengthen their portfolio beyond the basic skills.
Apart from learning the basics, product photo retouching requires communication. It is recommended to understand the product’s appearance in real life by taking its texture, colour and shape into account before moving ahead with the project. Therefore, image retouching professionals have to maintain communication with the photographer as well as the clients to accomplish effective results in colour management as well as matching the client’s expectations.
The next significant aspect that contributes potentially to the capability of photo retouching professionals is a consistent practice. Continuous involvement with the craft is a proven and tested approach to accomplish professional success in photo retouching. Some of the recommendations that can be outlined in this context would be to take note of the difference in the requirements of various customers or taking inspiration from various design blogs, magazines, and renowned product designers.
Planning a career in image retouching is easy. However, it is also essential to get the basics in place to accomplish a promising future in this industry.
