imageediting

Image editing is the process of altering digital images using software to improve quality, correct issues, or create new visuals. It encompasses a wide range of techniques from simple adjustments to complex composites and can be applied to photographs, graphics, and other bitmap images. The practice is often referred to as photo editing, image retouching, or digital editing.

Common tasks include cropping, resizing, rotating, and adjusting exposure, contrast, white balance, and color saturation. Non-destructive editing uses features such as layers, masks, and adjustment layers to modify an image while preserving the original data. Retouching tools, healing brushes, and cloning help remove defects or unwanted elements, while compositing combines elements from multiple images to form a new scene.

Workflows typically begin with importing images, selecting color management settings, and choosing an appropriate color space (for example sRGB for web, Adobe RGB or ProPhoto for editing). RAW workflows are common in photography, providing more latitude for tonal adjustments before export. Output formats include JPEG for web and TIFF or PNG for print, with attention to resolution, compression, and color profiles.

Tools range from raster editors like Photoshop, GIMP, Affinity Photo, and Paint.NET to specialized software for scientific or vector-based work. Techniques include masking and selection, perspective correction, HDR imaging, panorama stitching, and digital painting. Ethics concerns include authenticity and disclosure of edits to avoid misinformation, with metadata, source provenance, and documentation helping to maintain transparency.