Cropping and enlarging images may seem simple at first. While cropping an image is done by finding the right cropping angle or removing an object’s background, enlarging images is not as simple as doing such. As an image is enlarged, significant amounts of quality suffers from the bloating of the image. Here is where the digital artist comes in – by restoring the image’s quality.

Image conversion or the art of manipulating an image in order to look as if it were pencil-sketched, oil painted, etc. While most photo editing software offers built-in tools to create such effects, these are still inadequate and needs an expert to make it more authentic. The built-in tools tend to look at clusters of colors or edges and change them to the desired look. However, there are cases that the output generated is not appealing to the eye. By the use of different techniques, an expert can fix those problems and generate a professional image.

Noise removal is the use of tools in order to remove unwanted blemishes in a given photograph. It requires one to have a keen eye as well as knowing the tools in order to have an excellent output.

Finally, we have watermarking. This is the art of embedding images within images in order to signify copyrighting. (in most cases) Watermarking has several different forms – from placing a simple mark to complex image embedding. While the former is easily done, the latter is not. Examples of complex image watermark are images that do not have any marks in them but when the image is saved, copied, or printed, the watermark will appear. Image manipulation is something that is not learned by looking at the various tools in a given photo editing software. It requires the user to learn their uses and their limits in order to maximize its potential. Most photographers outsource these jobs because of its time consuming nature.