Definition of Image Retouching

In recent years a verb has become popular: “Photoshopping”. It has not been accepted by academic authorities (yet, and that we know of), but it is often used in the language colloquial and in some media communication, especially those who are part of the so-called "pink press."

Although the program that has made the photographic retouching known to society has been the famous Photoshop, already For many years before, we have had the need and the will to modify the reality embodied in the Photographs

And that was already demonstrated by Stalin after Trotsky's purge, since he ordered that the purge (and that it would eventually end murdered in his Mexican exile) was removed from all official photographs, thus attempting to change the story. Since there were no computers, this work had to be done by hand.

Digital technology, and not only that of computers but also that of cameras, has made it easier for photographic material to be available in Format digital, and that programs have been possible that allow to manipulate the contents, in ways that go from art to simple aesthetics.

Among the common techniques that are applied to retouched images, we have the app filters, manipulation of brightness and contrast values, adjustment of color curves, balance and color levels, playing with hue, saturation and lightness, or changing colors.

The image retouching task requires an artistic side, almost more than a technical vocation.

In fact, the majority of those who are professionally engaged in disciplines that require the use of photographic retouching techniques, pursue artistic rather than technical careers.

What is required of technique is the basic / medium management of the computer, and advanced in terms of the retouching program.

In addition to the famous Photoshop, there are other alternative tools, other computer programs that allow you to perform the same or similar tasks

As is the case with its free GIMP alternative, the IrfanView, or openCanvas. So why is Photoshop the most famous, to the point of giving rise to the verb “photoshop”?

A conjunction of factors They elevated Photoshop to success and made it a reference: although it was not one of the first, it knew how to combine a simple user interface with a complete assortment of tools and support for a large number of image formats, resulting more adapted to the times than its rivals, which dragged a true inheritance and they weren't moving so fast.

His availability for Mac platforms (the preferred one in the field of desktop publishing and multimedia edition) and Windows did the rest, since it allowed having a drafting with various Mac workstations and other PCs.

Photos: Fotolia - Andrey Popov / s_l