Photo Editing techniques

Photo editing is the changing of images. Some types of editing, such as airbrushing, are done by hand and others are done using photo editing programmes like Adobe Photoshop. Photo editing is done for many reasons. Photo editing is sometimes called photo manipulation, usually when it is used to trick people.

Reasons to edit a photo include:

• Fixing errors (red-eye, contrast, brightness, etc.), practical jokes, and tricking people.

• To remove unwanted elements from a photo we may crop it.

• Photo editing is also used to make completely new images.

Here are few of the best photo-editing software available today. Among this Adobe Photoshop is the best. Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Lightroom, Corel Paint Shop Pro, Serif Photo Plus, Apple Aperture, GIMP, Paint.net, Phase One Capture, and One Pro Pixelmator.

Photo Editing Basics : Adobe Photoshop

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Basics of Photography: Composition and Technique

Rule of Thirds

The rule of thirds is the simplest rule of com-position. All you do is take your frame and overlay a grid of nine equal sections. This means you split the vertical space into three parts and the horizontal space into three parts. Generally you want to place important elements where the grid intersects. The intersection points are where the eye tends to go first, so it’s useful to place your subject on one of those points. People generally tend to aim for the centre, but that’s often less effective.

Perspective

Photographing your subject straight-on is sometimes the right choice. Also you can create visual impact by moving the camera left, right, above, and below. When you’re beneath the subject it often makes them/it appear more powerful to the viewer. Conversely, when you’re above the subject it makes them/it appear more diminutive.

Additionally, left and right positioning isn’t as direct and can often make a photograph feel more honest and candid. When capturing a moment, whether it’s staged or not, photographing the subject head-on can often seem a little awkward and end up being less-effective. Of course, you can also combine different positioning elements to create other effects. Try taking photographs of the same subject from different perspectives and see how people interpret them. This is a good way to understand the effects your choices have on the end result.

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What are film Editing techniques?

Film editing is part of the creative post production process of filmmaking. The term film editing is derived from the traditional process of working with film, but now it increasingly involves the use of digital technology. The film editor works with the raw footage, selecting shots and combining them into sequences to create a finished motion picture. Film editing is described as an art or skill, the only art that is unique to cinema, separating filmmaking from other art forms that preceded it, although there are close parallels to the editing process in other art forms like poetry or novel writing. 

Film editing is often referred to as the "invisible art" because when it is well practiced, the viewer can become so engaged that he or she is not even aware of the editor's work. On its most fundamental level, film editing is the art, technique, and practice of assembling shots into a coherent sequence. The job of an editor isn’t simply to mechanically put pieces of a film together, cut off film slates, or edit dialogue scenes. A film editor must creatively work with the layers of images, story, dialogue, music, pacing, as well as the actors' performances to effectively "re-imagine" and even rewrite the film to craft a cohesive whole. Editors usually play a dynamic role in the making of a film.

With the advent of digital editing, film editors and their assistants have become responsible for many areas of filmmaking that used to be the responsibility of others. Film editing is an art that can be used in diverse ways. It can create sensually provocative montages; become a laboratory for experimental cinema; bring out the emotional truth in an actor's performance; create a point of view on otherwise obtuse events; guide the telling and pace of a story; create an illusion of danger where there is none; give emphasis to things that would not have otherwise been noted; and even create a vital subconscious emotional connection to the viewer, among many other possibilities.

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Three Point Lighting technique

The three point lighting technique is produced by three types of lights, i.e., key light, fill light and back light. These lights are classified on the basis of its functions. Key light illuminates the major portion of the scene and it is the main source of illumination. It produces a level of light that creates proper exposure. Basically flood lights are used to for key lighting.

The area that is away from the range of key light will remain dark. This area is filled with illumination using a fill light. It is the source that partially illuminates dark areas. It is used to soften the harsh shadows created by the key light. The intensity of a fill light will be comparatively lesser than a key light. It reduces the contrast between bright and dark sides.

The back light is used to separate the subject from the background and create a three dimensional effect. It is used to enhance the depth of the scene. It is applied from a higher level behind the subject which is opposite to the camera. For the purpose of production the intensity of light is controlled by using barn doors. The lights will be mounted on two types of grids. One is slung lamps which are attached to the ceiling of the studio and pointing downwards. Lights are also fixed on floor stands of adjustable heights called stand lamps.

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Studio Lighting techniques

Lighting is an essential part of cinematography and video production. Lighting provides enough illumination to produce a technically acceptable picture. It conveys a visual sense of space, time and mood. Studio lighting helps to clear the shape, texture and important details desired.

When filmed, the subject and the background look two dimensional to the viewers. Lighting helps to create a convincing three dimensional image by separating the subject and layers or background of the scene. A cinematographer plans how light falls on and around the actors, how light bounces and reflects onto subjects, and where then highlights and shadows are to be.

·         Styles of lighting

There are various kinds of lighting styles applied during a production. Some of them are:

1.      Directional or Hard Light

It illuminates a relatively small area with a clear and sharp light beam. Hard light produces shadows. Shadows can reveal shapes and details of the environment. When it is used effectively it can create vibrant images and emotions.

2.     Differed or Soft light

Soft light illuminates a large area with a wide blurry light beam. It can be used to lessen or avoid shadows. When it is effectively used it can produce sensitive effects. It is also used to compare with the potential harshness of directional light.

3.     High key Lighting

High key light is a highly bright light stream and diminishes the dark areas or shadows within the scene. It produces strong lighting on the subject and the other features present in the scene.

4.     Low Key Lighting

In this type of lighting only few areas are illuminated. It produces more shadow areas. It enhances the depth of the scene and subjects using highlights and shadow.

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Camera techniques - Camera Movements

Camera movements can create brilliant visuals and effective communication. A moving shot can look more real and interesting to the viewers. Various equipment like track and trolley, dollies, rigs, jibs, cranes, drones, etc., are used in this process.

1.      Tilting

Tilting is a vertical camera movement in which the camera points up or down from a stationary position. Tilting the camera up can show the height of the subject; whereas tilting down can show the depth of a subject. Tilting up can also resembles emotions or situations like rising interest, expectation, hope and tilting down show disappointment, sadness etc. A variation of the tilt is the pedestal shot, in which the whole camera moves up or down.

2.     Panning

Panning is a horizontal camera movement in which the camera moves left and right about a central axis. This is a rotating movement, where the camera is mounted on a tripod. Panning can film a panorama view of the location. Panning should be smooth and jerk less for a perfect shot.

3.     Trucking

Trucking refers to side-to-side camera movement with respect to the action. In a trucking shot the camera move along or parallel to the subject, creating a feel that the background is moving while the subject stays stationary.

4.     Tracking

Tracking shot is defined as movement parallel to the action, at a constant distance. In this kind of shot, camera travels along the movement and actions of the subject or scene. The tracking shots use physical tracks, or hand-held walking shots, Steadicam shots, etc.

5.     Dollying

Moving the camera towards or away from the subject is dollying shot. A dolly is a cart which travels along tracks. The camera is mounted on the dolly and records the shot as it moves. Dolly shots have a number of applications and can provide very dramatic footage. Dollying creates an in and out movement. This type of shots can create varied emotions in the viewers. Dollies are operated by a dolly grip.

6.     Zooming

Zooming shot does not require the camera to move at all. Zooming means getting the subject moving closer to or further away from the action, using a zooming lens. Zoom in and zoom out are the effects created using a zooming lens. Zoom in is getting the subject closer to the camera while zoom out is moving away from the subject. It creates a great amount of creativity to the videographer. Zooming is just changing the focal length of the camera lens. As the distance from the subject varies, it also changes the entire portion of the frame, including the background.

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Camera techniques - Camera Angles

Camera angle determines the angle or position of the camera from the subject. The height and orientation or level of the camera decides the angle of the camera. Various angles can create different moods and meanings to the scene.

1.      High Angle Shot

In a high angle shot the subject or scene is filmed from a higher angle. Here the camera points downwards. The subject looks relatively smaller while filming from a higher angle.

2.     Low Angle Shot

The subject or the scene is filmed directly from below in a low angle shot. The camera is pointing upwards towards the subject and it appears larger to the viewers.

3.     Bird’s Eye View

It is an extreme of high angle shot. In this case the camera is pointing downwards to the subject from a longer distance. The camera will be either mounted on a crane or a drone. In this case the camera is directly above the subject and the subject may look too small for the viewers. It is also called overhead shot.

4.     Eye Level Shot

In this case the camera is placed proportionate to the eye level of the subject. It is commonly used in medium shots. It gives a feeling to the viewer that the character or the subject is directly looking at them.

5.     Dutch Angle Shot

In the case of Dutch angle shot the camera angle is deliberately slanted to one side. This can be used for dramatic effect and helps portray restlessness, disorientation, worried or desperate action, alcoholism, madness, etc. It is also called a Dutch tilt and oblique shot.

6.     Point of View Shot

This type of shot shows the perception or view point of a specific subject or character present in the scene. It is not deliberately used in film making. Point of view shot can make the audience feel they are watching a real incident. Found footage films and horror films have extensively used this type of shots.

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Camera techniques - Distance from the Camera/ Shot sizes

Distance from the camera is determined on the basis of the shot. A shot is a series of frames that runs for an uninterrupted period of time. It is the moment that the camera starts rolling until the moment it stops. Shots vary on the basis of the distance from the object and the angle through which the camera captures the visual. The concept of distance and proximity is important to determine the shot. Basic types of shots are:

1.      Extreme Long Shot (ELS)

In the extreme long shot, the view is so far from the subject that the subject isn't even visible. The point of this shot is to show the subject's surroundings. It is commonly used to capture landscape shots.

The extreme long shot is often used as an establishing shot. It is the first shot of a new scene that is used to show the audience where the action is taking place. It is also useful in scenes where a large number of subjects are involved. For example, in a war movie an extreme long shot can show the scale of the action. It is also called and extreme wide shot or landscape shot.

2.      Long Shot (LS)

Any shot that shows the full body of the subject is called a long shot. It shows the bottom to top of the subject and the details of the location in which the subject is situated. It can also be defined as a camera view of an object or character from a considerable distance to make the subject look relatively smaller in the frame. It is also called a wide shot or wide angle shot. It is used to show the location where the action takes place. Long shot is used to set the atmosphere of the scene. It is also used establish the interconnections between the characters in a course of broad range of action.

3.     Medium Shot (MS)

The shot that is filmed from a medium distance is called a medium shot. It refers to the presentation of the subject from the top of the head to the waist or knee. It is also called waist shot or bust shot.

The medium shot shows a portion of the background, and details of the action of the subjects. It is commonly used for two person shots and for showing working scenes. 

4.     Close Up (CU)

In the close-up shot, a certain feature or part of the subject is magnified. It takes up most of the frame. It is a shot taken from a close distance and is used for showing details. A close up of a person usually means a close up of their face, i.e., persons head from shoulders or neck. A close-up exaggerates facial expressions which convey emotion. It emphasizes the subject’s emotional state.

5.      Extreme Close Up (ECU)

It shows the extreme details of the subject. It is also called a detail shot or close on. It is too close to any specific part of the subject to show the general reactions or emotions.

6.     Over The Shoulder (OTS)

In this shot the camera is placed behind a subject who is looking at the main subject. The person facing the subject should usually occupy about 1/3 of the frame. This shot helps to establish the position of each subject, and get the feel of looking at one subject from the other's point of view. This kind of shot is used during a conversation scene.

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Sound Recording Techniques in Radio

Sound is a series of pressure waves created by vibration. Every living and non-living things makes sound. Sound travels through the substances in the form of waves. The vibration created by these waves in the eardrum helps a person to hear sound. Sound recording is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. There are two main classification of sound recording technology, namely analog recording and digital recording.

Analog Recording

Analog sound waves are also called acoustic sound waves. Analog recording is the oldest form of recording sound. Analog recording is done by a small microphone. The diaphragm inside the microphone can detect changes in atmospheric pressure, i.e., the movement of analog sound waves and record them on a medium such as a phonograph. Another type of analog recording is magnetic tape recording. A magnetic tape is a plastic tape with a magnetic coating on it. In this type of recording the sound waves vibrate the microphone diaphragm and are converted into a varying electric signal, which is then recorded or encrypted on a magnetic tape using an electromagnetic device. Electronically generated sound waves may also be recorded directly from devices such as an electric guitar pickup or a synthesizer, without the use of acoustics in the recording process.

Digital Recording

Digital recording is commonly used for audio recording these days. The digital recording process is simpler and easy to work with, comparing to analog. Digital recording converts the analog sound signal picked up by the microphone to a digital form by the process of digitisation. This lets the audio data be stored and transmitted by a wider variety of media. Digital recordings are considered higher quality than analog recordings. The digital format can prevent much loss of quality comparing to the analog recording, where noise interferences in microphone are common. Digital audio is recorded and saved in digital medium, so mechanical deterioration or damage to the storage medium is less. The common me-dium for saving digitally recorded sound is audio CD. A digital audio signal must be reconverted to analog form during playback.

Sound Reproduction

In analog sound reproduction, the recorded elect romagnetic waves are converted into acoustic waves using an amplifier and a loudspeaker diaphragm. A digital audio signal must be reconverted to analog form during playback before it is applied to a loudspeaker or earphones. Digitally recorded sound can also be played on the internet through digital audio transmission.

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News Paper Layout or Makeup Techniques

Layout or make up is the arrangement of headlines, body type, photos and other elements on a newspaper page. The primary objective of page layout is grading the news.

Different types of make ups are possible for newspaper. Horizontal, vertical, symmetrical, asymmetrical make up, circus make up, occult make up, broken column make up and brace or focus make up. The use of only one make up may give a bad look to the page.

Types of layout

1.       Vertical Layout

Vertical layout gives the simplest page organisation. Headlines are set in the width of basic- single column grid and the text runs single column. This oldest layout style has limited range of news value expression.

2.      Horizontal Layout

This is another simple layout but with more capacity for emphasis. It is modular with text squared up under multi – columns heads to create a horizontal unit. In this layout a long story seems shorter. Complete story can be read with page folded at the natural mid page fold and without the reader having to shuffle the paper up and down, headlines are separated from each other by text and thus each headline retains its emphasis.

3.      Symmetrical Layout

Symmetrical layout attempts to produce an equal balance of eight around an axis, classically the optical centre of the page. Each side of the optical centre should be a mirror of the other.

4.      Asymmetrical Layout

This layout is dynamic and excludes any pre-determined point of balance. Here ‘artistic balance’ or ‘informal’ balance is achieved by a balance of unequal forces at unequal distances from the centre.

5.      Brace or focus make up

Headlines are diagonally arranged from the upper left to the lower right hand corner or vice versa just like a brace supporting a house. Balance is obtained by various devices such as two column heads, boxes and cuts which are used to offset the weight concentrated in the upper right or upper left hand corner.

6.      Broken Column Make up

The page is broken into several units to give space to many stories. Large heads and cuts are placed where they give the page a pleasing pattern.

7.      Occult make up

Type groups are arranged at varying distances from the centre like. It is sometimes called occult or hidden balance because the type group with its headline may be balanced with a picture, an illustration or a bow, instead of another type group.

8.     Circus Make up

It is broken column carried to the extreme. The page is broken up with no attempt at regularity, symmetry, or order.

Many headlines of all size; boxes and cuts are scattered all over the page, there is no focus of interest.

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