Every single day, people around the world upload over 1.8 billion photos. And that’s just the photos that are uploaded! Stop and think about how many photos you take that are only sent to clients or saved on your computer.
If you’re a photographer who wants to attract business and stand out in an over-saturated market, each photo you upload needs to be the best possible.
If a picture is worth a thousand words, say more with your images by bringing them to life with a pop of color. Consider these tips to enhance photos.
Learn About ISO, Shutter Speed, Aperture
The easiest image enhancer tool you have is your camera itself. Your camera has three main adjustable elements that make up your exposure triangle — ISO, shutter speed, and aperture.
The ISO represents how sensitive your camera is to light, a higher number allows you to capture lower quality images with less light. Your shutter speed refers to how fast the camera’s shutter opens and closes. A slower speed means your photo receives more light but is more susceptible to motion blurring. Lastly, the aperture affects your depth of field.
You’ll want to play around with your camera settings to study how all these elements affect your photographs. While you may be able to capture the occasional great image on auto mode, manual mode gives you full creative control of your photographs.
Focus on Color Balance, Exposure
Photo enhancing can also be done post camera by adjusting the basic elements of the photograph. The two main elements that can have the biggest impact on your photo is color balance and exposure. If you don’t account for these elements when adjusting your camera’s setting, you can alter them with a photo editor program later.
Color balance deals with the intensity of certain colors within your photograph. Most photographers concentrate on the three primary colors (red, green, and blue) when adjusting the color balance.
Make your photo feel warmer by intensifying the reds, or cooler by deepening the blues. For a comprehensive look across your photos, develop a central color palette and enhance images accordingly.
Exposure is the amount of light, or brightness, of a photograph. Low exposures make photos appear moody while high exposures give a clean, bright look.
Retouch with Editing Program
You can also digitally enhance photos by retouching them with an editing program.
If you work in Adobe Photoshop, there are several tools that make retouching a breeze. The healing brush and patch tools allow you to eliminate small blemishes or remove people from backgrounds. Use the clone stamp to repeat patterns in the background or use the paintbrush tool for a more involved touch-up.
Deleting minor blemishes or distractions in your image can help the viewer concentrate on the photo’s main subject. This will help get your message across clearer and show your attention to detail.
Knowing How to Enhance Photos to Improve Your Photography
Using these tips will help you enhance photos and improve your overall photography skills.
There is no magic image quality enhancer. The first step is capturing the best possible photo by understanding your camera settings. Then, adjust your color balance or exposure and retouch the image through an editing program.
Looking for other ways to improve your photography business? Browse the Business section of this website for all the best tips and tricks.
