Digital Photography Classes – Text Effects
Today`s lesson for digital photography classes are image text effects. Typefaces, also known as letter-forms or fonts, can be treated in many uniqu...
Today`s lesson for digital photography classes are image text effects.
Typefaces, also known as letter-forms or fonts, can be treated in many unique ways using image-manipulation software. Letters can be made to flame up, for example, dissolve into clouds, recede and blur into the distance, or appear transparent over another image – the possibilities are truly unlimited. All image-manipulation applications offer at least a basic range of effects, but if they also accept Photoshop-compliant plug-ins, you can greatly extend your repertoire.
Note, however, that text can sit uncomfortably with image pixels. The reason is that type is best digitally encoded as “vector graphics” whereas photographic images are best encoded as “bitmap graphics”. Nearly always, the text would have to be turned from vector into a set of bit¬mapped pixels, resulting in a loss of clarity and sharpness. As a consequence, as you increase the size of an image that incorporates text, the letter-forms quickly start to look ragged, with poorly defined outlines. More than anywhere else in image manipulation, if you work with text always work at the full output size; and avoid altering the image size after applying text to the image.
Online Digital Photography Classes – Hints & Tips Digital Photography School
- If you have taken some digital photography classes you would know that it is always best to check the typeface at full size by printing it out Check again if you change the face: even at the same point size, different typefaces vary consid¬erably in legibility. Consider, too, the following points:
- Again, if you have taken some digital photography classes you would know that you should use typefaces with narrow lines where they contrast well with the background; feces with broad shapes should be used where the contrast is less obvious.
- You can use typefaces with narrow outlines if you create effects that separate the text from the underlying image, such as with drop shadows.
- Use typefaces with broad lines if you want to use them for masking or to allow images to show through.
- Digital photography classes also teach us that we should avoid faces with narrow serifs – the little extensions to the end of a stroke in a letter – as these are easily lost into the underlying image. In addition, avoid letter-forms with hollow strokes or those made up of double strokes for the same reason.
- And in the end, digital photography classes teach us that we should use only small amounts of text when combining it with images – at best a heading and at most a short block of text but avoid using more than 50 words.
These digital photography tips are usually easily available on digital photography tutorials or digital photography guides that can be found with a small search online.