Clipping Path for Business

When photographing most items I always shoot in a way that highlights the best characteristics of the product itself which doesn't necessarily create a true white background. Correct lighting of the object will hence often result in underexposure of the backdrop so that it appears an unpleasant and uneven shade of grey. Take as an example a photograph of a white paper plate. To bring out the surface texture and detail of the plate the photographer would have to somewhat underexpose this area, but by exposing for the brilliant white background the detail on the plate would be lost and consequently appear flat and 2-D.

Obviously, these problems can generally be overcome with extensive and time-consuming photographic lighting solutions such as flagging the object. A 'flag' effectively creates a physical obstacle in between the studio light and the item, therefore shading the object so that it sees less light while subsequently increasing the intensity of the light to the backdrop. This is lovely if the client has the budget for what I call 'bespoke' product photography, but more often than not they have many hundreds of products they basically require cataloging so resources and time scales are understandably tight.

In these instances, the easiest, most affordable and normally most productive solution is in the creation of a post-production clipping path. Produced in professional image manipulation software like Adobe's wonderful Photoshop, clipping paths are hand-drawn vector paths that once utilized isolate and separate the product from the background and effectively allow the product to be dropped onto an infinite number of backgrounds. It may be compared simply to taking a pair of scissors to a printed magazine, cutting the desired object out and dropping it onto a background of your liking!

Clipping Paths in Commercial Photography

In my 14 years of shooting commercial photography, I'm frequently being asked to shoot a customers object in front of a simple white backdrop. In most cases this is because the client needs to place the product on a white printed brochure page or web page and also because products often contrast well against a white background, bringing out their color, intricacy, and punchiness.

For a couple of subjects, the job of keeping a beautifully lit, well exposed and sharp product whilst making a flat true white background from corner to corner is indeed doable. By way of example, I've recently shot a collection of black boots for a client and because of the innate contrast between the black of the boot and the bright whiteness of the backdrop, the sought after effect was easily achieved with fairly straight forward lighting.

Everything You Want to Know About Clipping Path

We all have or let's say most of us have come across the word clipping Path. Those who do not know the meaning there is no need to worry as you will come to know after reading this article. Starting from the basics the very basic question that comes to our mind is what is a Clipping Path? The answer is simple it is a technique that will always ensure that you get the best out of your image. That is the only way through which you can have wonderful images and a serene background as per your wishes.

A Clipping Path is a generated outline that represents a series of smooth straight lines, or the desired shape of the object which needs to be modified or cut out from the current image which is under process. A path is defined or an outline is drawn around the object which has to be included in the image. There are two paths defined in clipping path, the first one is the inclusive path which is the one where what is visual "inside" the path corresponds to what will be preserved. The second path is the exclusive path, which is visually "outside" the path. Anything which is inside the path or the outline will be included after the clipping path is applied to the respective image which has to be clipped. All the things outside the path or the outline which we have created during this technique will be omitted from the final image. Clipping path, Color Mask/Multiple Clipping Path and masking are the most common and the most popular techniques used today by all the leading graphic professionals all over the world. Various tools are used like the Pen tool, Magic wand tool, Lasso tool is used initially to erase the part from the image which we feel like removing from the background of the image. Accuracy and credibility are the features which only the experts in this field can deliver.

How To Create PhotoShop Clipping Path

A clipping path (CP) is a popular Photoshop tool which is generously used in the printing industry. The main attribute of CP is that when it is applied to an image, the area outside the path becomes transparent. It is used for applications like images that need a text-wrap, or a front-page ad whereby the image overlaps a title.

Here I'm going to tell you, how to create a Photoshop clipping path by following few easy steps -

1. At first open an image in PhotoShop

2. Now click on the Paths button

3. You may also go to the menu and select Window > Paths

4. Click the create new path button on the bottom

5. A new path will show up with the default name Path 1

To manipulate the clipping path just click on the right corner of the pen tool, different tool selections will appear which will help you to operate the anchor points.

Now do the following -

1) Click on the 'Add Anchor Point Tool' and add anchor points.

2) Remove the unnecessary anchor points using the 'Delete Anchor Point Tool'

3) Use the 'Convert Point Tool' to convert the straight lines into curves.

4) Now again click on the bottom right corner of the Path Tool.

5) Pick the Path Selection Tool to select the path and use the 'Direct Selection Tool' to move the anchor points

6) Continue to manipulate until you get the desired clipping.

7) After completion, convert the path as the active clipping path.

8) Now click on the arrow that points to the right and selects Clipping Path.

9) In the clipping path window

10) Type the flatness value as 1, and click OK

11) Finally, save the image as an EPS file.

Please note, here flatness refers to how accurately the path is followed by your printer. For normal desktop output, it's safe to enter between 1-3, for printing press output enter around 6-8. Remember The higher the number the more precisely the path is followed.

This is the basic process for doing clipping paths. It takes a lot more skills and expertise to do it professionally. It is always a better idea to sign up with a professional design agency. Currently, many outsourcing agencies are doing very well in this business. They provide online service at a minimum service cost. Don't forget to verify their service quality before making bulk orders.

Hottest Trends in Clipping Path Service

The 2D & 3D pictures are usually used to make a visual impact on websites and sometimes in multimedia presentations. Other extensive uses involve large posters, billboards to attract consumers. Graphic designing has become an advanced way of humanizing digital pictures. Amalgamations of indispensable to multifaceted clipping path techniques are required to compose montage shots. To construct these breathtaking and accurate results makes the digital outsourcing firm a leader in the path.

Already one can see that there are many articles, graphic tutorials, regular blogs to help professionals and new editors to enhance their skills. Each one is searching for the latest and hottest trends to help their clients. Today, clipping path service is no just knocking off background and replacing it with another one. It has evolved with the development of new software. The advertising companies always come with challenging briefs to digital outsourcing firms. Both are interdependent on one another for survival. Naturally, some of the hottest trends are inspired by the necessity arising from daring briefs.

Since clipping path is generally associated with vectorization, it can hide unwanted parts of a picture rather than just deleting it. There are different brands of software that have a separate version of the same technique. For example, the masking in the Illustrator program is just the same as the clipping path in image editing. Some editors can switch work on any kind of program. When one hires a firm, this is an advantage. Editors who work independently may stick to one kind of program only. In an outsourcing firm, there is a chance of trending better ways for clipping path service. Even though many hot trends keep appearing in the market, not all are applicable to clients. A consultant editor's advice should be taken before asking for application on any new technique that has been launched. Editors are best keyed in to perform their creativity within the framework of a brief. And that is how a company can stay in business for a longer time.