How has the change in software impacted on image manipulation and enhancement?

 

As technology has improved and grown, various types software have improved allowing anyone to manipulate and enhance images easily. For graphic designers, programs such as Adobe Photoshop are now essential for their work in enhancing and altering photography for publications such as advertisements, magazines, movie and CD covers. The public also benefit from the increasing technology in software, as it’s as easy as applying different filters and effects to their own imagery. However, the manipulation of images in the social media, modeling and fashion area can create negative impacts within society. Similar problems have arisen in the advertising and marketing of real estate, as it has been a popular occurrence for images being manipulated for the purpose of increased sales, taken by the public as misleading.

 

The graphic design industry has seen many changes in software from updates and upgrades throughout individual programs to entirely new programs. Adobe Photoshop is the most commonly used software that has seen many updates for graphic designers in image manipulation and enhancement since being created 25 years ago by Thomas Knoll. What started out as a simple gray scale image handling program evolved, and grew in popularity; to ‘Photoshop’, which has become a verb, just proving the cultural reach Knoll’s program has today[1]. This program has provided graphic designers with the tools to enhance colours, quality, lighting, tone and contrast of images as well as manipulating photographs by healing, patching, erasing, sponging, sharpening, blurring, re-colouring and removing aspects of images and much more. As Photoshop has grown, so has graphic design in an extremely positive way.

 

Not only do graphic designers befit from the growing technology in software programs, but as does the public. It’s becoming increasing easier for anyone to edit, modify and enhance their own personal photos. Mobile applications for apple and android devices are commonly used by individuals to contemporary use to apply different filters, adjust colours, contrast, brightness etc. Many mobile devices come their own inbuilt editing software such as Apple with their own enhance and edit program attached to the photo gallery. A more recent trend in personal photo enhancing is through social media. The majority of younger and middle aged people are increasingly using some form of social media like Facebook and Instagram. Such applications now enable their users to edit their photos in preparation to post or share with their own friends. These image manipulation and enhancement options are advantages for the public, allowing them to creatively edit their photos and achieve a sense of satisfaction.

 

Although many people think having so much access to software that can manipulate and enhance their photos is great, there are also downfalls to these opportunities. There is much controversy on how manipulating and enhancing photos can affect body image, especially in women. As photo manipulation tools have become more widely available and easier to use, youth have begun turning to them to modify their own photos to meet media-created ideals of thinness and perfection[2]. Putting these idea’s of perfection, into the heads of young women can lead to many different issues such as anorexia, eating disorders, depression and low self-confidence.

 

Another negative impact of image manipulation and enhancement is the issue of false advertising. The majority of advertisements featuring, fashion, cosmetics, food and much more are increasingly using Photoshop and other software to manipulate the images of their product. Photoshopped images are considered false advertising because a Photoshopped ad has the ability to make consumers believe the product being advertised will make them look and feel the same way the ad presents it [3]. As these programs become easier to use and more effective in sales, the more this is happening around the world. This has resulted in Photoshop being used to create misrepresentations and false advertising through image manipulation and enhancement.

 

Overall, image manipulation and enhancement are increasingly popular in the areas of graphic design and individual use, creating both positive and negative impacts. With the growing technology of software programs, graphic designers are able to expand their imagination and create exciting new pieces; while individuals also freely have access to photo enhances and filter software. However standards and false advertising is also a negative result of the change in contemporary software to the manipulation in media.

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[1]  Chris Brandrick and Michael Burns, 2016, Adobe Photoshop turns 26: chart its history from version 1.0 to CC 2015, Digitalartsonline

 

[2] 2016, Body Image – Photo Manipulation, MediaSmarts

 

[3] 2016, Photoshop: Is it Considered False Advertising?, Fashiondocket

 

REFERENCING 

 

- Chris Brandrick, Michael Burns. 2016. Adobe Photoshop turns 26: chart its history from version 1.0 to CC 2015. [ONLINE] Available at: http://mobile.digitalartsonline.co.uk/news/creative-software/adobe-photoshop-celebrates-26th-birthday/?pn=3. [Accessed 23 May 2016].

 

- MediaSmarts. 2016. Body Image – Photo Manipulation. [ONLINE] Available at:http://mediasmarts.ca/body-image/body-image-photo-manipulation. [Accessed 23 May 2016].

 

- Fashiondocket. 2016. Photoshop: Is it Considered False Advertising?. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.fashiondocket.com/#!Photoshop-Is-it-Considered-False-Advertising/cmbz/D8980771-2F13-41FE-AEEE-90A6B5081B10. [Accessed 23 May 2016].

 

BIBLIOGRAPHY 

 

- Chris Brandrick, Michael Burns. 2016. Adobe Photoshop turns 26: chart its history from version 1.0 to CC 2015. [ONLINE] Available at: http://mobile.digitalartsonline.co.uk/news/creative-software/adobe-photoshop-celebrates-26th-birthday/?pn=3. [Accessed 23 May 2016].

 

- MediaSmarts. 2016. Body Image – Photo Manipulation. [ONLINE] Available at:http://mediasmarts.ca/body-image/body-image-photo-manipulation. [Accessed 23 May 2016].

 

- Anna Holmes. 2008. French (Photo Retouchers) Don't Let Famous Women Get Fat. [ONLINE] Available at: http://jezebel.com/386922/french-photo-retouchers-dont-let-famous-women-get-fat. [Accessed 23 May 2016].

 

- Fashiondocket. 2016. Photoshop: Is it Considered False Advertising?. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.fashiondocket.com/#!Photoshop-Is-it-Considered-False-Advertising/cmbz/D8980771-2F13-41FE-AEEE-90A6B5081B10. [Accessed 23 May 2016].