We explain what photo retouching is, what it is used for, why it can be controversial and the applications that are used to perform it.
What is photo retouching?
Photo retouching It is the digital treatment of a photograph or an image already taken, using different computer tools that allow you to obtain an improved, modified or totally different version of the original. This is a very common procedure today, which advertising and social networks usually use.
Photographic retouching is not something new, and previously it was part of the so-called “post-production” mechanisms, that is, the ways of altering the image taken to obtain a greater expressive effect or to correct a mistake. This It has been done in both photography and film since its beginnings but it has gained greater strength today thanks to digital photography and the rise of design software.
However, these types of mechanisms are still controversial in certain areas, given that can be used for the purpose of deceiving or defrauding altering the reality frozen in photography. Something especially important when it comes to graphic reports, news photography or documentaries.
Even in the promotional or advertising field, it is often viewed with suspicion, since it allows the dissemination of unreal or implausible content as true. Thus they create unattainable beauty standards, since the models in the photo have been retouched to look much better than they really do.
However, photo retouching can be a useful tool for photographers and filmmakers who seek the perfection of the image taken (and not the apparent perfection of the photographed model), that is, who want to “polish” or eliminate imperfections from their photographs and achieve a much higher standard of beauty: levels of brightness, contrast, color saturation, etc.
Thus, a certain level of digital intervention It is increasingly accepted in artistic photography since it is understood that the beauty captured by the photographer's eye can be further enhanced with certain digital processes. In other cases, even, the work of art is impossible to obtain without photographic retouching, as in the case of collages and fantastic or avant-garde compositions.
Photo retouching programs
Some of the best-known applications that allow digital retouching of a photograph are the following:
- Adobe Photoshop developed by Adobe Systems Inc., is one of the best known on the market. It was launched in 1990 and its most recent stable version dates back to 2020, so it remains among the most in demand.
- Corel Photo-Paint specialized in the editing of raster graphics (bitmaps or bitmaps) is part of the suite Corel DRAW Graphics computing, from the Corel company. It has a highly customizable work environment and its 2010 version is the most recent.
- Adobe Lightroom another computer program from Adobe Systems Inc, was released in 2006 for both Macintosh and IBM computers, and quickly became one of the favorite programs of designers. Its most recent stable version dates back to 2017 and there is a newer version in development.
- GIMP another bitmap editing program, whose name stands for GNU Image Manipulation Program. It is a free program, part of the GNU project with a general public license, also available in several languages. Its most stable version is from 2020 and is constantly updated by its own users.
Continue with: Application Software
References
- “Photo retouching” on Wikipedia.
- “What is photographic retouching” in Loyvan Servicios Empresariales.
- “What is photo retouching for” in FUDE.
- “Why photographers should embrace digital retouching” in Behind The Shutter.
