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[Tips] Subtle Photo Editing Techniques that Make a Huge Difference

Posted on by Bhavik Sarkhedi

If you are working as a photographer, or if you enjoy photography as a hobby, or even if you are just trying to take a perfect selfie for a new profile picture, you know just how difficult it is to make a perfect photo. Fortunately, you don’t need to constantly delete your photos and make new ones, until you find a perfect fit.

You can use Photoshop and simply improve the photo. Even if you manage to capture a perfect moment, you can use the photo editing services to turn a good picture into a great one. In the following article, we will share some of these simple Photoshop tricks that you can use to make a huge difference in your photos.  

Crop out distractions2 (2)

Maybe the image you are looking at doesn’t look too bad; maybe all it needs is more focus on the central figure. You’d be surprised at just how much a picture can change if you simply crop out all of the distractions.

You should try to crop your images in the shape of a square, that way the object or person you want to focus on can be in the center of the photo. This is a great trick to know if you want to create high-quality product photography, or if you want to take pictures of nature, wildlife, urban city scenery etc.

Basically, any image with a lot of distractions and unnecessary elements can be improved significantly if you crop out the useless elements. You can also change the angle a bit as you crop, to add more harmony or symmetry to the image.  

Black and white3 (2)

If you want to transform or significantly alter the image, you can turn the photo into a black and white version of itself. However, it is advised not to rely on the built-in feature “convert to gray scale”, since there is a different way which will provide much better results.

You can change each color layer individually, by creating a new “black & white” adjustment layer, and moving every slider until you get the desired results (there should be six color sliders). Using a black and white picture you can make it look more vintage and more professional.

This is a great solution if you need a professional photo for your website, or social media profiles or anything else that requires you to have serious and professional photos.

Desaturation and modification of contrast and brightness

One of the reasons why you might think your image is not good, or overburdened with unnecessary colors. When there are too many different colors competing to grab your attention, the image can become bothersome to look at.

Using the previous example with a black and white photo fixes this problem, but there is also another way around it. You can simply tone down the color, or saturation, and then emphasize the contrast between the areas that are light and dark. With this kind of action you can easily reinvigorate the image and make it more appealing.  

Use the healing brush4 (1)

If you want to make selfies, portraits, or simply close ups of faces, then the Photoshop healing brush is your next best friend. When the main point of attention is the face, you start to notice all kinds of irregularities.

You can use the healing brush to easily remove pimples, or any other type of inconsistency that is visible on your skin. You can get rid of any minor distractions and turn the type of photo that you would have immediately deleted into your next profile picture.

When you buy magazines and see the entire top models on the cover with pristine facial features, know that the effect was achieved thanks to the healing brush. Bear in mind that the success of healing brush is highly dependent on your attention to detail, so you need to have a good eye and the ability to spot even the most minor facial irregularities in order to use it.

This is why you should use high resolution images, because you can enhance them, or zoom in, for a more thorough overview, and notice tiny spots that would otherwise be unnoticeable.

Photoshop Action tool kits

Finally, you can get a whole lot of new photo editing tricks by simply downloading Photoshop action packs. These are basically new filters and new effects that you can add to a picture with just a few simple tricks.

There are a lot of cool frames and effects here, but those that look the coolest are usually the ones you have to pay for. Luckily, there is a wide selection of free Photoshop packs that can make a significant difference.

You should definitely get Free Photoshop Action to add light pop and toning, and you can get the one called Eye Doctor to sharpen the eyes in your pictures. Magic skin actions can help you out with skin irregularities, much like the healing brush.

There are really numerous action packs, and you should definitely look them up, since you can use them for wedding photography, wildlife photography, portraits etc.

If the image needs heavy editing 

In the event the images you have require heavier editing, you should go through online tutorials to fully master photo editing tools. You can also outsource photo editing to companies who have experts that can edit images much quicker, since they know all the shortcuts and techniques by heart.

These were some of the easiest photo editing tricks that can make a lot of difference and make your photos look absolutely amazing. It is not too difficult to create better photos, and every action listed here won’t take up more than 20 minutes of your time, so it would be a shame not to try them out and master them.

Hopefully, the article was helpful and you will use it to improve your images in the future.

3 Things You Should Emphasize in Your Real Estate Photos

Posted on by Bhavik Sarkhedi

Photography is paramount for real estate. It is especially important because a majority of people look through the photos first and then read the descriptions of the property they are considering, but only if they actually find that the photos are great. That is why your real estate photos need to be professional and of the highest quality possible, so that you can make sure they stand out in the listings, especially because the market is highly competitive and new competitors keep popping up around every corner.

You don’t get a second chance to make a first impression. This is especially true when it comes to real estate photography, which can really make or break every real estate transaction. Why is that exactly? Well, because real estate photos trigger emotions, so you need to make sure that you succeed in taking photos that will make potential buyers truly fall in love with the places. If you provide high-quality photos of a house, for instance, people will instantly imagine living there and they may not even continue with their house hunt, because that particular place will be exactly what they were looking for.

This is, of course, a picture-perfect scenario, but you can successfully help each and every one of your potential real estate buyers find the home of their dreams if you make sure your real estate photos are absolutely impeccable.

There are quite a lot of techniques that you need to learn and master in order to ensure that your every real estate photo is awesome, especially if you are a complete beginner. However, there are some things that you need to pay special attention to when it comes to emphasizing certain details in your photos, so take a look at everything that you need to emphasize to make your real estate photographs instantly sell every property.

  1. Space2

It goes without saying that real estate buyers consider the square footage when choosing their new home, but they also need to get a clear picture of how exactly the space is used. That is why you need to emphasize the dimensions, but you must be careful so as to not mislead people by providing them with the photos that are not at all authentic. You should try and make the space look roomy, but at the same time, you need to be truthful.

You can emphasize the space by using a wide-angle camera lens that will enable you to take wider shots that will give the space a sense of depth. You should place your camera really close to the entrance of a room, or completely close to a wall, so that you can show as much space as you possibly can. The key for emphasizing space is to shoot from a corner of the room that will enable you to show the longest side of that room. That way, potential buyers will know exactly how usable the space is. 

  1. Natural Light3

When it comes to lighting, particularly interior lighting, it is crucial that you make sure that there is enough natural light in every room you shoot. In order to make the interior look absolutely great, without shadows in some areas that don’t have a directional light, you should either use flash or add constant lights. They will help you make the rooms look completely bright and natural.

Constant lights are just like window lights and they are excellent for shooting the interior. When it comes to using flash, you need to make sure that you really master using direct on-camera flash, as that will help you emphasize interior lighting and make the rooms perfectly bright.

When it comes to exterior lighting, you need to make sure that you choose the best time of day for your shooting. The best time is to shoot a house early in the morning or later during the day, depending on which side the house is facing in regards to the sun. For instance, if the front of a house is facing east, the best time to shoot it is definitely after sunrise, because that is when its every feature will be ideally emphasized.

If you want to shoot a house at dusk, you should turn on all the interior and exterior lights, as that will help you create the perfect exposure and the house will look dramatic. The exposure of interior lights will perfectly balance with the sky’s exposure, and the ideal time for achieving that is right after sunset.

  1. The Best Features in Each Room4

What is the real selling point in the living room you are shooting? For instance, does it have a reading nook that really shows the room’s personality? Take a look around every room to find the best feature in it and focus on emphasizing that exact feature. It is precisely what will make potential buyers curious about the house. Emphasizing the house’s best features will make the buyers want to hang out there and enjoy their free time.

Bring your photographs to life by adding a pop of bright colorto the features that are the most important ones for selling the house. It will make everything more appealing to your buyers. For instance, you can highlight the colors of some flowers in a vase, or make the pillows in the living room and bedroom more vibrant by emphasizing their colors. If there is perhaps some colorful artwork, make it really pop in order to grab attention. If you’re shooting a backyard with lots of flowers, make sure you truly emphasize their colors as well.

These are the most important things you should emphasize in your real estate photography, but make sure you explore this world much deeper, so that you can improve your knowledge and master a number of essential techniques. Therefore, remember to always emphasize the space and the property’s best and strongest features, as well as learn everything you can about real estate photo editing services and photography lighting techniques, so that you can capture every property beautifully.

How to Take Your Street Photography to the Next Level [Tricks]

Posted on by Bhavik Sarkhedi

Street photography is a very interesting “sub-specialization” to pursue. You don’t need models, high end gear, nor do you need to travel in order to practice and learn it. All you need to do is get out with your camera and be ready to meet new people, document life on the streets, and the ways of our civilization.

While street photography may sound like something very straightforward, there are certain tricks and tips that could help you bring your game to the next level. If you are eager to find out how to do so, you are at the right place. Stick with us because we are going to share some tips you might find useful. 

The Gear2 (1)

The thing about street photography is not the immaculate image quality, but the moment captured on it. I mean, yeah, you have to know to take clear shots with as little damage as possible, but the scene and the emotion is what counts the most. And, you won’t be able to achieve this with a big lens that makes you look like a Soviet spy airplane.

You need to use a smaller, wide-angle lens that will help you to stay discreet. Whilst on the subject of discretion, try not to wear something that will make you stand out. If you want to take real action shots, you have to get close to people and blend into the crowd.

Another important thing is to stay as light as possible. You don’t want to miss that perfect shot that awaits you just around the corner just because the heavy gear wore you down and you have to take a breather at some local café.

Inconspicuous gear is what will get you unnoticed and allow you to make shots a few centimeters away from the subject. This is why you should leave that “threatening” DSLR and buy a compact point and shoot camera. Make sure to get the model that allows shooting in manual mode and can store images in raw format, so that you can send those raw files to experts, should you decide to pay for photo editing services.

Some of the cameras you should check are Nikon 1, Canon EOS-M3 and Fujifilm X100T. If you want to be able to make those ninja shots from the hip, a camera with a flappable screen is a nice addition to your ninja gear. Stealth mode will allow you to get some very nice shots without being noticed.

Get Some Accessories

While getting accessories is not of the utmost importance, they are still handy and could help you a lot on the streets. Get a strap that you can tie to your camera and around your wrist. Put on some cool shades and you are ready to blend in and take some very close shots.

There is No Need to Be Afraid of People

Rule number one of street photography is: “Do whatever it takes to not kill the candid moment!” And, asking people for permission to take a photo is exactly this. Sometimes, asking for permission is a must and it all depends on the circumstances. For instance, you won’t take photos of someone sitting in a café or restaurant without previously asking them, while on a busy day in a marketplace, or public transportation, you can go wild and capture dozens of candid moments with your camera.

Get Out at Night3 (1)

Nightlife provides amazing opportunities for street photographers. The dimmed lights at night can provide that unique moment in your frame. If you haven’t practiced shooting in the night before, you will need a bit of practice. The catch is to learn how to avoid blur and how to compensate the lack of light with your aperture and ISO.

Make sure to bring your tripod with you if you want to play with long exposure shots. Traffic lights on the busy street can help you take some of the most amazing night shots you have ever made.

Ask around if there is an open basketball court nearby. You can take some very dramatic close ups of the street players. Make sure to ask people for permission in this case, especially if you are not familiar with the neighborhood.

Become a True Moment Hunter

Street photography is all about capturing the emotion and drama of the moment on the image. There is no general advice to read and become instantly enlightened. You will have to discover this for yourself. Usually, the first thing that attracts your attention as a photographer on the street is very possibly your street photography niche.

Also make sure to learn as much as you can about composition. While there are many things that can be fixed with professional photo editing services, bad composition is not one of them.

Use Your Smartphone

The Fujifilm X100T, the compact point and shoot camera that we have mentioned above, is fully compatible with a smartphone. This means that you can place this camera wherever you want and take full control over it with your smartphone. When you can manually control your camera via smartphone, you will be able to take those close-ups without anyone ever suspecting that you are taking shots.

As any other photography field, street photography requires experienced and a knowledgeable photographer in order for it to be rewarding in a professional sense. You could see quite clearly that this particular field requires far more mingling, wandering through town, and having a sense for the right moment to take a shot. This is why the most passionate street photographers don’t spend time post-processing their street images but instead use photo editing services. This way, they get more time to spend out there, on the streets, developing their eye, intuition and confidence.