Improve your image(s)

Give your property photos more appeal with simple, fast image-editing techniques.

by Marty Kramer   When you took it, the photo looked good on your digital camera’s little screen. Now that you’ve downloaded the image to your computer, though, the picture seems somehow lacking. All is not lost. Just like there are simple steps homeowners can take to boost curb appeal, you can make a few easy changes to improve your photos. No matter what image-editing software you have, familiarizing yourself with some of its basic functions can help you improve a lackluster photo. Even basic software has functions you can put to good use. Here are a few tips and some examples of images that have been improved with just a few tweaks.

Change your frame of reference

Ideally, you would compose your photo the way you want before you press the shutter. Even so, it’s worth looking at the image on your computer screen to see if there are extraneous items near the edges or perhaps too much foreground or sky that you want to crop out. Nearly all image-manipulation software has some type of cropping tool.

Warning: Enlarging a photo decreases the image quality. Therefore, cropping a significant amount of a photo and then "blowing it up," may not be a good idea, especially when you plan to print the photo.

Look sharp

Sometimes, you can’t keep the camera still during a shot. The image is not so blurry that it’s ruined, but neither is it crisp. Many programs can digitally correct a slight blur or put more definition into a photo that appears "soft." Look for a sharpen feature under menu items with names like Filter, Effects, or Tools, depending on which program you use.

The results of sharpening an image are often more evident on screen than in a printed image, so you may need to experiment with photos you plan to turn into hard copies. Also, don’t be fooled if your software has a function called Unsharp Mask. Contrary to what it sounds like, this feature also sharpens images.

Warning: Like many image-editing options, the sharpen tool can be overused. An over-sharpened picture will look harsh and may contain faint geometric patterns.

Lighten up

Just like walking into a property with few windows and inadequate lighting, viewing a dark photo gives prospective buyers a gloomy initial impression. Brightness and contrast controls can come to your rescue. In addition to these functions, some programs also include one-click settings that automatically adjust images to optimum levels determined by the software.

Warning: Don’t just accept the program’s automatic settings as a surefire improvement. Does the picture actually look better to you?

Work with a wizard

Does your image-editing program have a wizard that either automatically adjusts several settings at once or takes you through a series of steps to improve various aspects of your photos? If so, try it out. It’s a quick way to improve an image.

Warning: Again, don’t take your computer’s word for it. Compare the suggested changes to the original photo and make sure the new settings actually look better.

Keep things in perspective

Have you seen photos that look too skinny or too squat–kind of like the images in fun-house mirrors? Often, that’s the result of someone changing the size of a picture but not keeping the dimensions proportional. If your software doesn’t have an option you can click to keep the dimensions proportional (most do), you’ll have to do a little math when you increase or decrease the photo size. This distortion problem can also occur if you replace an existing photo of one size on a Web page with a new photo of a different size. Sometimes, the Web page forces the new image into the dimensions of the old photo.

Pick the right number of pixels

Knowing whether a photo is destined for computer screens only or a hard-copy print can guide you on resolution settings for your camera. Pictures that will be displayed on computer screens look good with a resolution as low as 72 pixels per inch, while print resolution should be at least 200 pixels per inch (preferably 300).

Warning: You can decrease the resolution of an image, but you can’t pump up the resolution once you’ve captured the photo at low quality. You will be stuck either printing a very small photo or a larger one that doesn’t look good. When you think you will want to print a photo, you are better off using a higher-resolution setting on your
camera.

home   current issue    top 10    resources 

discussions   contact us   search

Buyers & sellers, visit www.texasrealestate.com.
REALTORS®, visit www.texasrealtors.com.