Neck Manipulation is a Tricky Editing Job

It is not easy to make the transition from a basic software user to a more sophisticated one without making a few mistakes. When photo or neck manipulation is being done, some higher skills are required. An editor who regularly does photo manipulation, doing neck manipulation is another degree in improving skills. The idea is to create an illusion. The best example of neck manipulation can be seen in clothes being advertised on mannequins. The headless mannequin scaffolding is removed and it looks someone is wearing the clothes. It is a common way for garment manufacturers to showcase different designs. This helps the user to understand how the outfit will look on them without even going through the trail room. For web galleries this is the most preferred way to display the garments. It gives a feel of how different sizes also look. Having explained where this kind of manipulation is useful, let us understand how it is done.

Why do some photos need to be treated this way? How does the visual impact impress the end user? While in cases of e-commerce it is marvelous and helps clothes fly off the shelves, in other cases it may have other effects. It is hard to imagine any photo that appears on print to be left untouched. Photoshopping has become so ubiquitous. It is aiding how we now interpret the visuals around us. Using manipulation is also an important technique for digital editing. It is faster and quick and works on bulk images without wasting time. In fact it controls the bigger picture of photo editing jobs. Manipulation is changing the way photographs are being taken. When it is done for the garment companies, it looks like a ghost mannequin display. The v-line or neckline of the garment is visible and so are the other body contours. These look fuller in comparison to flat garments. It has become an essential part of product photography.

Editors accomplish this effect by using chroma-keying method. The mannequin can be made of some flat material. The garment or the any clothing can be put on it. And a few shots can be taken with a digital camera. A plain layer works best as the background. This is the transparent layer on which the garment will stand out. With the help of the color tones the editor matches it with the mannequin. Sometimes two images may be required. To do a perfect neck manipulation, the digital photography should be good. Unless that is good, the editing may not be any better either. Hence the use of wire mesh or a flat cardboard is needed for this illusion. One can get the perfect front and back mannequin shots. The ‘ghostly figures’ work best on the white background. The clothes come on the forefront and that’s where the customer focus will be. It is easy for a buyer to identify with this look rather than a live model or a mannequin. Sometimes, the image of the live model may not help the garment to sell better. Hence this ghost like illusion allows buyers to make quicker decisions.