Photo Manipulation: The Basics

Posted on 19. Feb, 2010 by DAS Team in Articles, Photography

My name is Cindy Grundsten and I live in a middle-sized town in Sweden. I have always loved creating art with my hands for as long as I can remember. In autumn 2007, I started to have a passion for editing. I had an old Photoshop Elements software laying around that i had no idea how to use, so I joined a small community to learn the tools that would  help me get started.

I started editing my own photos and started to realize how fun photo editing can be. Eventually i realized that i had to buy Photoshop, and I am really glad I took this decision.

After one year, I discovered this website called DeviantArt.com. There are so many beautiful images on DeviantArt! I could sit for hours just watching and enjoying the artwork posted there. I couldn’t understand how anyone can make something so beautiful and nice with photo manipulation. I was so inspired that I decided that this is what i wanted to learn.

So what is photo manipulation?

Photo Manipulation is when you add, remove and alter an image. Changing a sky in photograph for example requires ‘manipulating’ the photo. Although this example might sound as a slight change, but in reality the photo is considered to be manipulated. A more advanced task would be changing facial expressions for example. Photo manipulation can sometimes add drama or suspense in an image. It basically gives a chance for digital artists to combine many photographs (sometimes with artworks) to provide an unparalleled influence on an audience.

When I work with images I use Photoshop CS3. It is the only image editing program I feel that I need for now.

The reasons of manipulating images can be different depending on what the final product is required to address.
In the field of advertisement, photo manipulation is used extensively to help give the right message.
Other places where photo manipulation can be seen is in the movie business. Many movies have unique posters that would want to convince people to go visit/buy the movie. The purpose of manipulating images are endless. The reason i do photo manipulations is mostly because I find it VERY enjoyable.

My ideas vary a lot. I have made romantic images, tough images, and found many inspirations from children and animals.
I think its a good idea to be creative with your thoughts in order to experiment with new mediums which will help you develop your artistic skills.

I still have so much to learn. I love to practice on new technologies, and I constantly try to explode the boundaries for myself.
In my manipulations, I usually add some of my own paintings in the photograph itself. Most of the time, I paint the hair on the models. Sometimes I also paint other small things that i think would help achieve higher detail. I have seen many wonderful images painted in Photoshop and i believe Photoshop can help truly transform your images completely.

For those of you who are interested in beginning photo manipulations, I would like to share with you some tips and advices that I hope would become useful for you in the future.

First, Cut Out, is hugely important. When I work with an image, I maybe need around 10 different images to build the background. All images have different contrasts, different color, etc.. By Cut Out, i mean taking shots of various photographs that you would want to add to your main image. You must be sure however to always ask for permission when using other artist’s work. When you have all the images you want to use in your artwork ready, start working with each image separately. Make sure that all the different images get the same tone, contrast and so on.

Also remember that things that are further away are not as sharp as objects closer to you in the picture.
Shadows and lighting are very important. I myself am a little bad at making the shadows right in an image, but it’s something I have to keep practicing on to get better at.

Another very important thing to consider in photo manipulation is composition. It is extremely important to think upfront about how you want the final composition of your artwork to end like. It can get confusing sometimes when working with so many cut outs, so that is why you should think ahead about how you envision the final product to end like.

Do Not Rush, Be Patient. Study your picture and make sure that nothing looks strange. If you find any item that does not blend in, try to adjust the color – contrast – light and shadow. Do what it takes and Never give up.

Sometimes its helpful to stop editing and leave the image for awhile, and then go back to it and continue. This will help you refresh your creativity and easily detect mistakes that you might not have noticed earlier.

For me, colors are very important. I never name an image ‘complete’ unless i feel the color tones are perfect. I’m very picky when it comes to details and colors, so I can sit for a long time and change back and forth the image until I am fully pleased. Make sure that all the images you used are all in perfect harmony. You don’t want people to realize the separate layers of your artwork.

When you feel in your stomach that the picture is good, then it is! The most important thing is to enjoy working with images. Unleash your imagination and just have fun.

For each new work we do, we learn to solve problems and the more you practice the better you’ll get at it. It’s very helpful to study other images and learn. I have personally learned the most from studying other people’s works.
So keep on practicing, and have fun!

Thank you for your attention, and good luck.

Cindy Grundsten

For more information, visit:

Official Site: www.cindyartdesign.com

DeviantArt Gallery: http://dezzan.deviantart.com/gallery/

Tags: basics, photo manipulation, Photography