Digital Photography and Imaging: Lectures and Exercises
25.8.2020 - 04.10.2020 (Week 1 - Week 6)
Jocelin Agustia (0345436)
Digital Photography and Imaging / Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media
Task 1 Exercises
LECTURES
24.8.2020 (Week 1)
During the first online class, we were introduced to our lecturers Mr. Martin and Mr. Fauzi. In the beginning, Mr. Fauzi guided us through some basics of good composition and the process of how they are made hands-on. We were then introduced to our 2 major assignment, Mr. Fauzi also showed us the process of composition studies and Adobe After Effects Troubleshooting. For the next part, we were brought to dive into our senior's amazing artworks, looking, and appreciating how our seniors did their tasks amazingly.
Next, Mr. Martin briefly showed and explained to us what is Currate and the Assessment plan, we were then guided to one of our senior's website to look at how he managed the website and all of his works. After that, Mr. Martin gave us a fast recap and recommended us a good camera and tripod to use. At last, he gave us an assignment for the first week.
31.8.2020 (Week 2)
No Class for today because it's Malaysia Independence Day!
07.9.2020 (Week 3)
For today's lecture, we talked about the toolbox in Photoshop. Mr. Martin explained to us one by one what tools we should use for our next assignment. He explained by demonstrating it to us. He even told us the shortcuts in Photoshop to make the progress of working easier. Here are what I learned:
Quick Selection Tool:
Paint to select, the brush could be adjusted and we could add or erase the selection easily by clicking on the brush option. When the image is selected it is indicated by the marching lines around the image.
Zoom Tool:
To zoom in or out [Ctrl + (+)/(-)] To go back to the original size we could use Ctrl + 0
Layers:
Lets us edit and move different parts of the image as discrete objects.
Masking:
By using masks we could easily isolate, combine, and remove images. In the layer box, we could see black and white. White means the object that we selected while Black means the object that we could change.
Free Transform:
Allows us to do transformations to the image such as; scale, rotate, skew, and etc. The shortcut key is Ctrl + T. To maintain the aspect ratio press on shift while transforming or we could go to the Options bar and click on the link between Width and Height.
Adjustment:
Could be found in images - Adjustment. There are many parts of Adjustment.
1. Match Color: adjusts the color in the chosen image with colors in the targeted image.
2. Luminance: adjusts the image's brightness.
3. Color Intensity: saturation.
4. Fade: to blend the image.
5. Neutralize: neutralize the color or remove the cast color.
6. Hue/Saturation
Gaussian Blur:
If we go to Filter - Blur - Gaussian Blur, we could blur our image as it reduces the noise and details in our image.
Ripple:
This tool is found in the filter menu, we use this to create a ripple effect in the water.
The next lecture is from Mr. Fauzi, he showed us slides to learn about Double Exposure and Image Blending Mode.
Double Exposure
Merging of multiple images that goal is to make them surreal, emotional, or humorous. There are endless possibilities.
1. Tilt-Shift effect
This feature can be found in Filter > Filter Gallery > Tilt Shift
2. Fake reflection
3. Experiment with simple portraits and details textured
Combining a plain image and detailed images can result in a balanced result.
4. Convert results to Black and White
Black and White are used to expressing works in a vulnerable way, it gives them depth.
5. Work with Silhouette
6. Random Photos
7. To make simple objects look fascinating
8. Use shadow
Out of the 8 possibilities, I like the Tilt-Shift, Random photos, and making simple images look fascinating. The reasons are:
1. Tilt-Shift: This effect is quite interesting when applied in a person, it makes the effect of soul coming out from the body and this effect could be used in fantasies work.
2. Random photos: Putting random images into one frame is always an exciting experience. It can help us sharpen our skills. And we can always look forward to what we can make from them.
3. Making simple objects look interesting: As what is written in the slides, the object in life could be made interesting by combining other images, it can enhance. I like this technique because it can make the object different from the original meaning.
Next, we learned about Photoshop Blend Modes:
Blend mode groups:
Normal: Normal and Dissolve
Darken: Darken, Multiply, Color Burn, Linear Burn, Darker Color
Lighten: Lighten, Screen, Color Dodge, Linear Dodge (Add), Lighter Color
Contrast: Overlay, Soft Light, Hard Light, Vivid Light, Linear Light, Pin Light, Hard Mix
Inversion: Difference and Exclusion
Cancelation: Subract and Divide
Component: Hue, Saturation, Color, Luminosity
The most commonly used ones are Multiply, Screen, Overlay, and Soft Light.
14.9.2020 (Week 4)
Today Sir Martin did a demo to help us understand more for our task. While Sir Fauzi gave us explanations about Match Lighting, Adjustment layers, and Filters. In the slide given, there is also a demonstration to help us understand.
1. To make a new adjustment layer we could go to layers > click the half-shaded circle > create a new adjustment layer
2. We could add multiple adjustment layers
3. The adjustment layers could also use blend modes and opacity
4. Adjustments could be controlled by masking
5. Show adjustments in the masked area
6. Adjustment layers could be used in composite images
21.9.2020 (Week 4)
The topic for today is Exposure: Aperture, Shutter Speed, ISO
Exposure is the light coming to the camera and we can adjust the amount of light to make the photo looks dark or bright.
figure 1.1 Exposure
Shutter Speed is the time of the shutter is open. It is often shown in seconds or fractions of a second 1 s, 1/2 s, 1/4 s … 1/250 s, 1/ 500 s, etc. The shorter the time the image sensor is exposed to light, the darker the resulting photograph while the slower the shutter speed, the longer the time the image sensor is exposed to light, and the brighter the resulting photograph. To photograph a moving object it is better to have a faster shutter speed as it can capture the movement a lot better.
Aperture (f-number such as f/1.4, f/2, f/2.8, /f4, f/5.6, f/8, f/11, f/16, f/22, or f/32) is used to control the brightness of an image. The higher the f-number the darker the image will be and on the other hand, the lower the f-number the brighter the image will be.
figure 1.2 Shutter Speed and Aperture
ISO is the setting that increases or lowers the amount of light. ISO is usually set as 100 or 200. However, if it is dark it is better to use higher ISO but as we increase the ISO the effect will be more grain and noise to the image.
figure 1.3 ISO
INSTRUCTIONS
24.8.2020 (Week 1)
Tasks :
- Present 3 excellent photoshop works
- Play the Bezier Game: https://bezier.method.ac/
- Try the Hearst Mansion Exercise follow the demo video
Photoshop Works
We were told to present our 3 favorite photoshop works, and so we need to search online for it. I came upon a website called behance.net and there are lots of excellent works from many professional artists and designers.
Work 1
figure 1.1 Vienna Mermaid by Vanessa River
This is her collaborated work with Adobe and Photoshop on the Ipad launch for 2020 and then it was made into the new Photoshop splash screen. I love how she created all of this from a photo, the effects of her work is amazing. Especially how she created the underwater effect. You will be shocked in the progress of how she made it, using lots of clone stamping that took many hours. It is truly a beautiful piece and is one of my favorite Photoshop splash screens right now.
Work 2
figure 1.2 Destiny by Hassan Ahmed
This piece by Hassan Ahmed truly expresses us about destiny where our destined person will always find us no matter through where, how, and when. I love how he put the couple inside the bottles and how the destined couple meets each other in the vast ocean when the full moon is shining brightly, it makes this piece looks romantic.
Work 3
figure 1.3 Golden Gate by Anna McNaught
I can feel that I would be taken to a fantasy world by plane. It only requires her 4 photos to produce this amazing work. We can see the Red Bridge on the clouds as if its the gate to the fantasy world and look at how she put mountains on the clouds, really expresses a typical fantasy world where everything could exist on the clouds. I can't forget how she uses stars for the sky too! It makes this whole work complete and magical.
The Bezier Game
The Bezier game is a game to introduce us how to use the pen tool, it guides us into what command we should use in order to make curves and lines. This game actually stressed me out at first since its my first time using this tool, i was really stuck in the curves level because i'm still new but after some time i got the hang of it. Practice makes perfect!
figure 1.4 The Bezier Game (24/08/2020)
07.9.2020 (Week 3)
Today we were given our next assignment.
Task Instructions:
1. Instead of Shazam, photoshop yourself in Hearst Mansion.
2. Full body, take the photo with your phone, at a cleaner background. Avoid black outfit.
3. Zoom in a little to avoid ultra wide-angle distortion.
4. Shoot with low angle/ slightly lower eye level
5. Avoid dark indoor, lighting should be from the left side of the photographer.
2. Full body, take the photo with your phone, at a cleaner background. Avoid black outfit.
3. Zoom in a little to avoid ultra wide-angle distortion.
4. Shoot with low angle/ slightly lower eye level
5. Avoid dark indoor, lighting should be from the left side of the photographer.
This is going to be my first time taking photos of myself and directly edit it.
figure 2.1 Photo of Myself (28/08/2020)
figure 2.4 After Adding Shadows and Adjustments (28/08/2020)
I have done this exercise in Week 1when Mr. Martin first posted it on Google Classroom, So I just added the ripple effect.
This next task is from Mr. Fauzi, we were told to make 3 compositions from the images provided. Here are what I have made.
figure 2.8 3 Compositions (07/09/2020)
14.9.2020 (Week 4)
Mr Martin
Today we were given the task to change the background in the original picture to others. Before that, there are some practices to be done too.
figure 2.9 Practice 1 (14/09/2020)
figure 3.1 Practice 2 (14/09/2020)
figure 3.4 Process of Cutting The Background and The Cowboy (14/09/2020)
figure 3.5 Putting the cut objects together (14/09/2020)
figure 3.7 First Attempt (14/09/2020)
We had a feedback session on the 5th of October and Sir said I need to change the cowboy's feet because it looks like he's sinking.
figure 3.8 Final (05/10/2020)
Mr. Fauzi
The task for today is to make another 3 compositions but with explanations of the compositions made.
figure 3.9 The 3 Compositions (14/09/2020)
21.9.2020 (Week 5)
Mr. Martin
For today, we had a recolouring session where Mr. Martin demonstrated us the steps and we were told to follow him. There are 2 exercises for this and 1 for the real task.
For the exercises and task, we also need to adjust Hue/Saturation if needed and search for the skin and hair colour on our own.
figure 4.1 Recoloring Part 1 (21/09/2020)
figure 4.2 Recoloring part 2 (21/09/2020)
There are many pictures that were given and we only need to choose 1 for the task, so I decided to pick this one and this is how it turns out to be.
4.3 Recoloring Final (21/09/2020)
At the end of the session, Sir Martin gave us a briefing about our 2B project which is turning ourselves into a cyborg, and told us to think of the idea and rationale paragraph.
Mr. Fauzi
The next assignment is project 2A so we were given time to do research of what we would make for our Self-titled project
28.9.2020 (Week 6)
Before moving on to make our own hybrid animal, we need to do lots of exercises that could help us during the process.
figure 4.4 Healing Spot Exercise (02/10/2020)
figure 4.5 Patch Exercise (02/10/2020)
figure 4.6 Displacement Exercise 1 (02/10/2020)
figure 4.7 Displacement Exercise 2 (02/10/2020)
figure 4.8 Displacement Exercise 3 (03/10/2020)
For hybrid animal I choose a horse as my subject and changed the skin into a leopard's and tiger's skin, I also added the background and apply shadows and gradients to the image.
figure 4.9 Hybrid Animal in Tiger's Skin (03/10/2020)
figure 5.1 Hybrid Animal in Leopard's Skin (03/10/2020)
After receiving the feedback on week 12, I decided to find a new picture and applied leopard's skin to the horse
figure 5.2 Hybrid Animal Final (09/11/2020)
FEEDBACK
Week 3
Mr Fauzi said that he liked my 3rd composition the best and told me to keep up the good work.
Week 4
I was told that the 3rd composition is the best and that I have improved a lot. But, all of my compositions focused too much on the background environment and doesn't have a focus object so I need to work on that.
Week 7
I need to change the lighting for the Hearst mansion exercise because it's too dark and the cowboy's feet need to be fixed because it looks like he's sinking.
Week 9
Sir Martin said that I did a great job on the recoloring exercise!
Week 12
Sir Martin said that the leopard's skin needs to be smaller and the background doesn't match, so I need to find a more suitable one.
REFLECTION
Experience:
Week 3
When doing the Hearst Mansion task I had a lot of fun and I don't find any difficulties since I already had experience with Photoshop.
Week 4
When given a lot of practice from Sir Martin, I thought that it would take a lot of time to complete it but actually, the practices given only need some adjustments and so I completed it quite fast. However, for the 3 compositions given by Sir Fauzi, it took a long time because I don't have any idea of what to do with the pictures.
Week 5
As I do the recoloring exercise it made me addicted to it since it is a lot of fun and it is just amazing how black and white images can turn into a colorful one with just a little touch-up.
Week 6
When creating my own hybrid animal, I find this experience very exciting but I never thought that it would be hard to match them together. It took a lot more time than I've imagined.
Observations:
Week 3
I realized that when selecting the image, we need to be extra patient especially when we arrive at the difficult part. We don't want our finishing to be bad!
Week 4
When completing the task from Sir Martin, it only took a short time but of course, they need adjustments. It is hard to adjust the lighting for the cowboy so it could fit the background. Also, I watched the video Sir Fauzi provided us and I find it really helpful for the task.
Week 5
Today I learned a lot about camera settings that could be used for our projects, also I need to have the patience to make good adjustments for the recoloring task. Although it is fun to do, it also needs us to be patient because there is some occurrence that might happen during the process.
Week 6
At first, I wanted to change the fur of a wolf into a deer's fur, but then when I tried to displace them, they look kind of out of place no matter what blending mode/adjustments I gave it so I changed the animal into a horse.
Findings:
Week 3
Shadows are very important when editing, I am not really familiar with shadows so I am still a bit new to this, I tried many times to adjusts the shadows.
Week 4
A little adjustment can change everything, this is what I learned. When doing my tasks, I feel satisfied with the effort I made, looking at how I could change the entire feel to the image makes me happy.
Week 5
I need a good understanding of colors to create a beautiful photo because we need to know what is suitable for the models.
Week 6
Something that I found out during the hybrid animal's displacement exercise is that fur doesn't match well with patterned skin, although I don't know whether it is just me or not. But I find them unmatchable, they look awkward when matched together.
FURTHER READING
Week 1
To understand more about Masking, I visited the link that Mr Martiin gave us in the slides.
figure 2.7 Further Reading of Masking on Website
Source: https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/masking-layers.html
From the website I understand that:
1. We can create 2 kinds of masks; Layer mask and Vector mask.
2. Add a mask that could show and hide the entire layer.
3. Add a mask that hides part of the layer.
4. Apply a layer mask from another layer.
5. Unlink layers and masks
6. Disable or enable a layer mask
7. Apply or delete a layer mask
8. Select and display the layer mask channel
9. Change the layer mask color or opacity
10. Adjust mask opacity and edges
Week 3
There are 27 blend modes that we could choose in Photoshop:
1. Normal: Modes that don't actually blend the layer together, for normal it just shows the layer while dissolve means remove the pixel from the top layer as we reduce the opacity and this effect will be increased.
2. Darken: Use 100% white as a neutral and overall have a darkening effect.
3. Lighten: Opposite from darken, this mode uses Black as 100% neutral and has an overall lightening effect.
4. Overlay: Blending the top and bottom layer to create contrast
5. Difference: To cancel colors of the layers below it or invert them
6. Hue: Be creative with the HSL of the layers
Week 4
Source: https://www.creativebloq.com/advice/14-photoshop-adjustment-tools-to-retouch-your-images/2
To know more about adjustments, I came upon this website and it has information on some tools that could help retouch our images.
- Adjustment layer: The Brightness/Contrast, Levels and Exposure tools give us control over blacks, whites, highlights and shadows in our artwork.
- Brightness and Contrast: To correct the tone of our images.
- Whites and Blacks: To pick up more or less light and shade.
- Colour Tools: Black and White, Photo Filter and Selective Color are all tweaks that offer subtlety in our image, but can be vital for finalising the overall look.
- Hue and Saturation: To adjust the hue, saturation or lightness of any colour we choose.
- Vibrance: To make colour pop out even more without affecting the saturation.
- Threshold Adjustment: To turn colour or greyscale images into high contrast, black and white images, and produces interesting results when used at a low Opacity.
- Posterize: Almost the same as the Threshold tool but gives more levels of colour that when is used could give the low-fi comic book style.
Week 5
Source: https://www.digitalphotomentor.com/10-camera-settings-equipment-tips-portrait-photography/#:~:text=ISO%20%E2%80%93%20low%20like%20100%2D400,%2Df%2F8%20for%20groups.
From the website, I found out the 10 tips of camera settings for potraits.
1. Lens – to flatter your subject use a short telephoto lens.
If we want to flatter the subject, use a short telephoto lens. Something like an 85-100mm is a good choice. If we are using a full frame camera try a 135-150mm lens.
Telephoto lens will help us compress the perspective, throw the background more out of focus if that’s desired, and not distort the subject’s face. Using a wide-angle lens isn’t necessarily bad, but it will distort the subject and make their face look oddly proportioned and misshapen.
2. Tripod – use one when you and the subject aren’t moving.
3. Remote trigger or cable release- use one!
4. Shoot in Manual mode.
Shooting in Manual mode allows us to choose all the settings and they will not change – even if the lighting or other factors change around and it is also a good combination when using tripod.
5. ISO – low like 100-400 if possible, higher if a faster shutter speed is needed.
6. Focus mode – autofocus, set it to a single point and use back button focus.
7. Drive mode – single shot.
8. Aperture – between f/2 and f/4 for a single subject (get the background out of focus) or f/5.6-f/8 for groups.
9. Shutter speed – at least 1/200th handheld, or 1/15th on a tripod (faster if you’re photographing kids).
10. White balance – choose the appropriate preset for the lighting conditions or do a custom balance
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