image editing
Although there are many ways and as there are software applications to edit an image, the quickest and simplest is using the Quick Fix option in Adobe Elements, a powerful, cost-effective image editor. The procedure can be summarized in the following steps:
- Choose File > Open
- Select the Crop Tool
- Click and drag out a rectangle
- Choose Image > Crop or press the Return key.
- Choose Enhance > Quick Fix
- Click Brightness > Auto Contrast
- Click Apply
- Click Brightness > Auto Levels
- Click Apply
- Click Color Correction > Auto Color
- Click Apply
- Click OK
- Choose Filter > Unsharp Mask
- Slide the control to Amount: 50%, Radius: 1 pixel, and Threshold: 0.
- Choose File Save As and name the file filename_edit.jpg to differentiate it from your original image.
Quick Fix will normally put right most, if not all, the obvious flaws in an image. Do not, however, expect a pristine image. Advanced image correction and repair will require different and more complex steps. Editing engravings or woodblock images for publication or presentation of the Web, for instance, requires a bit more work and practice. For most researchers, however, Quick Fix will be sufficient and produce usable results.