Before we talk about Image Manipulation Services in detail, let’s get to know what is Image Manipulation. That way, we can have a full grip on who it is suitable for getting image manipulation services and the different areas where it can be applied.
What is Image Manipulation?
The process of using any Photo Program to technically manipulate or correct an Image digitally or analogically, giving the image a Professional and much clearer look and feel. Manipulating an Image will alter or transform that piece of Photography work from one version, which is the original to another which is the desired. This is achieved through the help of several image editing techniques and methods. There are quite a sizable number of Photo Editing and Manipulation Software out there that helps in this process. In all, Photoshop remains popular amongst young amateur photography folks, Photo Editing Enthusiasts, Individuals, and Professional Photographers alike.
Where does Image Manipulation Service Apply?
A whole lot of Industries and Profession relies on the Services of an Image Manipulator to get their daily Life Activities and Business Operations running smoothly. For each Industry, each or a combination of two or more Image Manipulation Service is required to turn their photos to a stunning masterpiece that will capture their Audience. Let’s take a look at the different Industries that this service is needed and used every day
Journalism
Most especially today, the Digital Manipulation of Photojournalistic images has been on the rise as every media houses and Journalists are trying to portray either what they couldn’t capture when taking the shot. Sometimes they are just blatantly trying to deceive the Viewers into believing in what they see. They achieve this by subtracting or adding objects on the Photo. At times by toning and radiating the image in such a way that it no longer portrays nor reflect the reality of the image. Most times these Photos and pictures are deemed Controversial and Questionable
Fashion
Just like Journalism, we talked about, the services of Image Manipulation are also deployed in the Fashion Industry to alter or manipulate the appearances of a Model. It could be done on the piece of Fashion work that he or she is putting on. Most times, they tend to focus more on the Model, altering his or her Skin complexion, Hair Color, Body shape. This can transform them from fat to slim, chubby to slim, slim to fat or vice versa. There are many other manipulative features that we can’t start listing here. Software like Photoshop has an excellent tool for this task, a tool like the healing Tool found on Photoshop which is used to remove blemishes from Model’s Photos
Advertising
This is another grand area where the services of a professional Graphics Designer who have a stronger grip in Image Manipulation is required. Being that the essence of this manipulation is to make the resulting image or Photo look better, attractive, and at the same time, deliver the right message. Billboards, Newspapers, Posters, and Ads on Magazines are required to manipulate the images they use dramatically and entertainingly. This way, they can easily convey the Campaign message to the target audience
Online Apparel Stores
For a Store that sells apparels offline, they need to upload the pictures of their products to the online world. This will help people who need their product from afar who can not be in their Physical Store location to be able to see their Product catalog. This helps them make an informed buying decision. First, photographers come in and take the photos of these Apparels one after the other. As we noted earlier before, it’s either the background used for the shoot won’t be needed or the image will need some additional effects. Other pictures placed on it to either showcase a product mix or a fascinating use of the product, would require the service of an image manipulator
Publishing and Media Houses
Media Houses, Magazines, and Publishing Houses need to deliver a great masterpiece in their Publishing works. The more eye-catching their works look, the better chances they stand to get more deals, offers, and sales. In a bid to stand out and have eye-catching contents for their Audiences, Media Houses go as far as deploying the Services of an Image Manipulator to help create the desired photo works for their Publications. People love great eye-catching Houses, buildings, People, and anything that they are viewing. With this understanding, Media Houses and Magazine makes sure that all the photos they took from a Ghetto for a Glam mix or News are manipulated to look a bit attractive and appealing to the eyes.
Photography Studio
Have you walked into a Studio before for a Photoshoot session, either some Passport photographs or a full body shoots for your Birthday. At times it could be for an event or to have something to post on your Social Media Walls to impress your followers and Peers? I guess you have. After the shoot, you would observe that the Studio will move your Captured Photos to the PC and import it into their Photoshop program and start editing, brushing up and manipulating the Photo. At the end of the day, most times the Photo looks more glamorous and beautiful without any dot or blemishes on your skin as compared to the real you.
Real Estate
In real estate, Image manipulation is required to present the view and design of the properties, giving the Target Customers a feel of how the House would be. If you have been handed a real estate or Property Brochure before and you happen to visit the location of the Property then. You would know the difference between the real Property and what you saw on the Brochure. The Brochure was manipulated to captured to
These are but a few of the different areas that Image Manipulation Service has been used each day. Apart from the ones mentioned above, there are many other places and Industries that Image Manipulation is required, like in Web Development, App, Movies, and more.
There are some apps on the Play Store and the iTunes stores that help photography enthusiast, Beginners, and even Professional Photographers. With this, they can get the different effect and techniques applied to their Photos without the need for a Laptop or a piece of Photo editing Software of their PC. Some of this Software does great while some can only do a handful of things
Software like Canva has proven to be exceptionally invaluable and helpful to the host Community of Photographers, Enthusiasts & Businesses alike. They use this piece of App out of the Box to achieve quite a Scale of Image Editing, Manipulation, and Corrections
The drawbacks of Applications like these are the capacity it can handle at once, the resulting output size & Quality and the Convenience. In a nutshell, this piece of Applications might not be ideal for a Large Commercial demand for Image manipulation Services. As they might not be suitable for massive scale manipulation and rendering like a piece of Photoshop Setup would do on a PC.
Different Types of Image manipulation Services
When you head down to a Professional Photography Company, an Individual Professional Photographer (Indie Photographer) who offers the service of Image manipulation to get one or two images manipulated either for your Marketing Campaign, Company Branding or Fashion Book. You have to, first of all, understand the different Services that are available and what it means to get those services applied to your piece of work. These Image Manipulation Services deploys the various techniques there is in image manipulation to bring out a mixture of crafts and aesthetic designs through Imagination and creativity. Examples of these services are;
1. Photo Correction: With the help of this technique, a bare Photo or piece of the image that wasn’t that cool and sharp is turned into a beautiful radiating work of art. Through the help of a range of touchups that leads to a radiant, makeup, or makeover regardless of the original Quality of the Picture.
2. Photo Color Correction: Just as the name implies, this technique is used in the correction of image Colors. Most times, photos don’t come out high; instead, they come out poorly due to a lousy Camera used. Could also be due to poor handling of a camera when taking the shot or an insufficiently lighted shoot area. Sometimes photos that have stayed longer can become yellow and hence requires some Color corrections
When a Photo Color Correction is applied to a Photo, the Photos regain their sharpness, brightness or contrast. Further, it does away with the Blemish and dots. It improves the skin Texture of the Subject and lots more. A few techniques in this area are;
· Digital Sliming
· Sun-tan effect addition
· Changing of the Eye Color
· Image Bracketing
· Adjustment of the Color Hue
· Red Eye Removal
· Ghosting Correction
· Adding Motion Effects
· Brightness and Contrast Correction
· Color Grading for Consistency
· De-noising
· Adding Highlights & Shadows
· Color Balancing
· White Balancing
· Adjusting Saturation
· Etc.
3. Cinemagraph Creation
4. Photo Collage Creation
5. Automobile Image Editing
6. Jewelry retouching
7. Adding Persons to a Group
8. Background Replacement
9. Photo Conversion to Paintings, cartoons & Sketches
10. Cropping and Enlargements
11. Adding, Replacing or Removing Objects
12. Image Watermarking
13. Spot and Wrinkles Removal
In Summary, you now have a full Idea of the different areas that Image Manipulation is required and the various Services that are obtainable plus the diverse Industries that require it