MODULE 3 Digital Multimedia Production

Lesson 1: Image Editing

After reading this lesson, you will enable to:

 Identify and use image editing software in a specific tasks.

 Apply image editing concepts.

Time frame: 3 hours

INTRODUCTION:
This lesson will introduce the concepts of image editing. Provide examples and discussions to
accomplish the given task.
ABSTRACTION:
Image editing refers to modifying or improving digital or traditional photographic images using
different techniques, tools or software.
In digital image processing, image editing is basically categorized into pixel editing and parametric
image editing. Pixel editing focuses on altering the image by working at the pixel level. Parametric
image editing, on other hand, focuses on changing the appearance of the image without altering the
original image.
There are benefits associated with image editing. It enhances the original images in accordance to the
user's requirements. They can bring more color and life to the image. It helps in bringing the best
possible image in the interests of the viewers.
There are a few drawbacks for image editing. Advanced software for image editing is expensive and
often requires time for an individual to understand and become familiarized with its features.
Furthermore, some consider edited images to be false or misleading, causing a negative reputation for
some people toward image editing.

Here are some key points in editing your photos

1. Crop and Clean Up Your Images
Straighten images: It’s always better to pay attention to be sure your horizon is horizontal when you
shoot, but straightening is also an easy first editing step.

Crop images: It’s best to crop to improve minor compositional details, like distracting elements at the
edge of the frame or repositioning your subject slightly.
Spot-clean images: The outdoors is a dusty place and nature’s gritty elements have a way of finding
their way onto your camera lens, and then onto your photos. (Using a lens brush regularly in the field
cuts down on this.)
Most editing programs have a spot-removing tool. The name varies: “clone stamping” and “spot
healing” are two variations. Programs also let you change your view of a photo to highlight the location
of spots. Work your way methodically around your photo until you have a spot-free image.

2. Adjust the White Balance

White balance relates to color levels, not exposure levels. If your image has an overall color tone that
you find displeasing or unnatural, you can adjust white balance to fix it. Note that JPG files, because
they capture far less digital data than RAW files, offer a minimal amount of white balance adjustment
during editing.

Most editing programs let you pick from preset modes like “flash,” “daylight” or “cloudy” to better
calibrate the image for the lighting conditions when it was shot. In addition, many have both a
“temperature” and a “tint” slider that you can fiddle with to fine-tune the overall lighting cast on an
image.
3. Adjust Exposure and Contrast

Adjusting exposure: This is the process of making the photo exactly as bright or dark as you want.
Note that “noise” (a mottled look) can sometimes be introduced when you crank up the brightness.
That’s why it’s always better to get the correct exposure (one that’s sufficiently bright) when you first
take the photo.
Adjusting contrast: Contrast is the range of dark to light tones. When it’s extra high, you see a stark
image, where all tones, regardless of color, are either very dark or very light. When it’s extra low, you
see a flat image where no elements in the frame stand out. Typically, you want a middle contrast that
avoids either of those extremes. But if you prefer either of those effects, you can adjust the contrast to
achieve that.

How to use the photo histogram: This graphic representation of the tonal range of a photo helps you
optimize final exposure levels during editing. You don’t always need to look at the histogram, but it
can be helpful when a shot has a large amount of dark area or a large amount of light area. Many
editing programs include it on the screen where you adjust exposure, making it easy to reference. A
well-exposed photo would give you tones throughout the range from dark to light with more tones
grouped in the middle:

Your goal isn’t to always take photos with a histogram like the one above: Evenness of the lighting on
the subject largely determines that.

When you have a spike on the left side of the histogram, though, that indicates your photo has a lot of
darker tones:
When you have a spike on the right side of the histogram that indicates your photo has a lot of lighter
tones:

You can also eyeball exposure as you edit, but a histogram can be an incredibly useful tool, especially
if you get in the habit of looking at it regularly. Here’s an example of the same two photos and their
histograms after adjusting the exposure during editing:
Note that a histogram can also be useful when you’re shooting photos. The backlit LED screen on your
camera can be hard to see and often makes images look brighter than they truly are. If you look at the
histogram on a tricky exposure, you can then adjust exposure settings to get a fuller range of tones, as
well as enough tones in both the dark and light areas of the histogram

4. Adjust Color Vibrancy and Saturation

Once white balance is adjusted, you can further refine colors in your photos with the saturation and
vibrancy controls. The distinction between the two is subtle: Increasing vibrancy increases color
intensity in neutral color tones and maintains color intensity in the brighter colors. Increasing
saturation makes all colors throughout the frame more intense. When bright colors pop, it can give the
photo a more dramatic look.

5. Adjust Sharpness
Sharpening an image gives it a crisper, cleaner look. Many programs offer multiple sharpening tools.
Begin by adjusting the overall amount of sharpness (on a scale from 0 to 100). Start at 50 percent, then
adjust the level up or down to get the sharpness you prefer.

Experiment with your editing program's additional sharpening features to see the effect each produces.
One you might try is a “clarity” or “structure” tool. It makes the edges of objects in the photo stand
out more, giving the overall image a punchier look.
You need to look closely at individual areas of the frame in order to evaluate the effect of each
sharpness adjustment. Having super-fine details won’t matter much for social media posts, but it will
make a big difference for any image you plan to enlarge and print.
Note that sharpening an image can’t turn an out-of-focus shot into an in-focus shot. No editing tool
can do that. In addition, if you sharpen an image too much you can create an unnatural halo effect
around objects in the frame.
Things to Think About Before You Begin Editing

Photo editing programs: Options include advanced and expensive pro programs, free open-source
online options, and often your camera comes with basic editing software as well. If you get a more
advanced program, consider whether you want one that’s cloud-based (a monthly fee) or you want the
standalone version (a one-time purchase price). Cloud-based programs stay up to date, and let you
store photos in the cloud (an added expense). You can also edit in the field with a tablet or a mobile
version of the software, but that assumes you have online connectivity. If you compare pricing over
time, though, buying a standalone version of an editing program will usually save you money.
Understand the difference between “non-destructive” and “destructive” editing: Some editing
software automatically preserves your originals—non-destructive editing. Others save edited images
over originals—destructive editing. Editing involves trial and error, and you need to be able to return
to an original file if you make a mistake. So make sure you know if your editing program makes copies
of your originals. If it doesn’t, then make a copy of all images you plan to edit before you begin.
Importing and Sorting Photos: A beautiful thing about digital photography is you can take multiple
shots to increase the odds of getting some spectacular ones. So, your first step after you transfer and
organize your images on your computer is to review them to decide which ones to edit.

APPLICATION:
Laboratory Activity
Capture your own image/photo and apply necessary image editing key points discussed in this lesson.
Describe the editing points you have applied on your photo and identify the image editing software
you’ve utilized.
Eg.

Description:

Image editing application:

Congratulations! You have just finished Lesson 1 of this module.

If you are ready, please proceed to Lesson 2 of this module.