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DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY AND IMAGING / EXERCISES



Muhammad Azka Farezi Septenal / 0351345 / Bachelor of Design (hons) in Creative Media
Digital Photography
Task 1

LECTURES

Week 1 : Lecture 

         Today we met our lecturer ( Mr Martin ) for the first time and gave us a quick information about Adobe Photoshop that we will learn over the next 7 weeks. Unfortunately, in the next few month, we will not be able to apply the Offline Learning dua to the increasing number of COVID 19, both in Malaysia and Indonesia.


Week 2 : Lecture


Introduction to Basic Composition

  • Focal Point : A key element to any good compsition is a strong Focal Point, as it helps your viewers’ eyes naturally settle on the important pieces of yoyr design first.

Figure 1.1 for Focal Point

  • Scale & Hierarchy : Scal is often used to help communicate hierarchy by drawing attention toward and away from certain elements, thus signifying their importance to the communication.
Figure 1.2 for Scale & Hierarchy

  • Balance the Elements : A good technique for mastering asymmetrical balance is to think of each elements as having a ‘weight’ to it. Smaller objects might ‘weigh’ less than larger objects, and heavily textured elements might ‘weigh’ more than flatly colored elements.

Figure 1.3 Balance the Elements

  • White Space : White space is mostly known as “empty space” to balance up the main focus of a composition. White space when used strategically can help boost your design’s clarity and overall look by balancing out the more complicated and busy parts of your composition with space that helps your design to breathe.


Figure 1.4 White Space



Rule of Thirds

            The rule of thirds is the process of dividing an image into thirds, using two horizontal and two vertical lines. This imaginary grid yieds nine parts with four intersetion points.

            When you position the most important elements of your image at these intersection points, you produce a much more natural image. It is also suggested that any horizon is placed on either the horizontal ine or bottom horizontal line.

            The Rule of Thirds is a way to :
  • Use composition techniques that are in line with what’s naturally pleasing to the eye
  • Creatively use negative space.
  • Create conversation between the subject and background.

Figure 1.5 Rule of Third

Figure 1.6 Rule of Third


  • Golden Ratio :
The golden Ratio is a mathematical ratio. It is commonly foud in nature, and When used in a design, it fosters organic and natural-looking compositions that are aesthetically pleasing to eye.

         In design, the Golden Ratio boils down to aesthetics — creating and appreciating a sense of beauty through harmony and proportion. When applied to design,  the Golden Ratio provides a sense of artistry. The Golden Ratio is a useful guideline for determining dimensions of the layout. One very simple way to apply the Golden Ratio is to set your dimensions to 1:1.618


Figure 1.7 Golden Ratio

Figure 1.8 Golden Ratio


Week 3 : Lecture

Introduction to Photoshop

  • - Marquee Selection Tools to select and mask
  • - Pen Tool – for tracing
  • - Creating paths, more precise
  • - The fewer points, the smoother the result will be

Figure 1.9 Guide on Pen Tool

Variation
  • - Straight line paths
  • - U shaped curves
  • - Simple S curves
  • - Complex S curves

Figure 1.10 Complex S curves

  • Difference between Lasso tool and Pen tool
    • - Pen tool for extremely precise shapes and paths. Not natively made as a selection tool
    • - Lasso is not that sharp. It is quicker than pen tool though

  • Lasso Tool – for specific area
    • - Allow you to draw and pinpoint specific areas of a document
    • - If you like drawing with pencil and cutting out paper and/or plastic objects from a photo, then you will love the lasso tool

  • To use:
    • - Great with drawing tablet
    • - Gives off a sense of drawing with a pencil
    • - Close loops by connecting the point
    • - Magnetic lasso will probably be more precise, helps anchor points
    • - Press Shift to add, Option to remove

Figure 1.11 Lasso tool
Quick Selection Tool – quick select but not too precise (depends on pixel)

  • Layers
    • - Different images stacked on top of each other
    • - Use each layer without affe`cting the other one
    • - Together they form one final image
    • - You can use layers for non-destructive editing by never destroying the original image
    • - File – scripts – loads layers (to load multiple pictures into single layers)

Week 4 : Lecture 4

Adjustment Layer and Filter 

  • Brightness / Contrast : Brightness / Contrast makes adjustments to the tonal range of your image. The brightness slider is for adjusting the highlights in your image and the Contrast slider is for adjusting the shadows in your image.

Figure 1.1 Brightness / Contrast



  • Level : Levels modify the tonal values in an image by adjusting the levels of the shadows, midtones, and highlights. It’s one of the most used tools in the adjustment layer panel, and using just a touch of levels will go a long way in correcting your images.

       
Figure 1.2 Level 

  • Curves : Curves let you adjust as many points as you want throughout the entire tonal range of your image, and is the most powerful and precise tool for editing the tones in an image.
Figure 1.3 Curves

  • Exposure : Exposure lets you adjust exposure levels with three sliders: Exposure, Offset and Gamma. Exposure will adjust only the highlights of the image, Offset adjusts the mid tones and Gamma will adjust the dark tones only.
Figure 1.4 Exposure

  • Selective Color : The Selective Color adjustment layer selectively modifies the amount of a primary color without modifying the other primary colors in your image.

Figure 1.5 Selection Color


Filters :

Using filters to edit photos is an essential element of Adobe’s graphics editor. There are filters to change colour, add blur or create completely new image effects. Photoshop offers a virtually unlimited variety of filters for this purpose.


INSTRUCTIONS 


PRACTICAL

Week 1 : Exercises 1 (Introduction)
  • Play and Practice on the given game ( Bezier )
  • Register Pinterest and Behance
  • Present 3 of my favourite picture from Pinterest 
  • Establish our own website ( Blogspot )

Play and practice on the 

             The given game ( https://bezier.method.ac ) is a great website to practice and how
to train your hand flexibility by following the given shape. This website is also taught me that every combination of keys on the keyboard and mouse, could create a new different types of shape. It is a very suitable and great website to train your editing skill.

Figure 1.9 Bezier (game)
                                              

Register pinterest and behance


Figure 1.10 Pinterest

                                                 


Figure 1.11 Behance
                                       

Create E-Portifolio


Figure 1.12 E-Portofolio


PRESENT 3 OF MY FAVORITE PICTURE FROME PINTEREST

  • The combination of simple colors between yellow, black, and white succeed to attract my interest. although using a simple method, the picture's style pop out with a huge white font covering the liberty statue with a different color. 


Figure 1.13 Example 1 (23/08/21)


  • The use of prominent colors is a good strategy to attract customers' attention. the use of a variety of fonts, languages, and images is a brilliant idea to stand out itself. The color which is dominated by pink and neon is quite interesting knowing that retro style is very popular this season.


Figure 1.14 Example 2 (23/08/21)




  •  The two simple colors highlighted in the image are very efficient and seem up to date, especially with the hologram image accent behind the black font adding a luxurious impression to the image. the addition of a font with a unique shape is also an added value in the image.


Figure 1.15 Example 3 (23/08/21)


Week 2 : Exercise 2 (Physical Collage)

I tried to collect several objects from the internet to be printed and compose it together using a paper (white paper). I found these pictures unique because the concept and the font very stand out and they are very colorful.

Step 1 : Choose and identify your collage's design elements to be cut out and compose it into your own concept & story. 



Figure 1.1 and 1.2 Materials (30/08/21)



Step 2 : Pre compositing your collage's design elements into a composition.


First Attempt :
  • On the first attempt, I tried to combine as much items as possible into one composition so it does not look monotonous. With a very contrast color facing each others and teared caption from my old novel, they're look very well together.

Figure 1.3 Composition 1 (30/08/21)


    Figure 1.4 Composition 2 (30/08/21)


    Figure 1.5 Composition 3 (30/08/21)



    Final Result :

    Here is the final result, Mr Martin chose this composition compared to the others, he said that this composition looked nice with a caption (ripped novel pages) 





    Week 3 : Exercise 2 (Digital Collage and Basic Composition)
    We were assigned and demonstrated by Mr Martin to create 3 different compositions using adobe photoshop, Mr Martin also told us to be experimental and try to use any other tools in order to help us explore this application.

    After followed the given instructions, we were tried to learn and use photoshop before starting our digital project by using basic tools from adobe photoshop (wand tools, lasso tools, pen tools)


    Figure 1.6 First Attempt using Photoshop (30/08/21)



    Figure 1.7 Final Composition using (30/08/21)
    Composition 1 :

    • For the first composition, I felt that it was a great idea using "space travel" as my concept and compose it with limited shapes and objects. Mr Martin told me that the idea was smart, however he said that it could be better if I can add another elements into my design so that my picture won't leave too much negative spaces

    Figure 1.8 Composition 1 (30/08/21)


    Composition 2 :
    • I tried to create a very different design from the previous one by using B&W concept on this composition, I am obsessed with the type writer on the background who gave me different and contrast color with the other objects, but I realized that this composition was lack of elements (too simple) so I decided not to go with this one. Mr Martin also told me that this is a great design and clearly different from the previous design, he said that I can either go with the first composition or the second one. 



    Figure 1.9 Composition 2 (30/08/21)

    Composition 3 :
    • For the last composition, I'm definetely won't go with this composition, Mr Martin said that this was too mainstream and much of his student had done with the same concept as mine, so I decided to choose another compositions. 


    Figure 1.10 Composition 3 (30/08/21)


    Final Result :







    Week 4 : Exercise 4 (Hearst Mansion)
    For this assignment, we were assigned to create reflection by using several given photos from our lecturer. We need to use certain objects from the photoshop in order completing our assignment.

    Instruction :

    - Follow the WEEK 5 tutorial demo (Hearst Mansion) 
      (Link)
    - Follow the step-by-step video to edit in photoshop
    - Download the images 
    - Attach the Digital imaging exercise - PART 1 (SHAZAM)
    - Attach the Digital Imaging exercise - PART 2 (MY REFLECTION)
    - Upload PART 1 & PART 2 to your e-portofolio blog

    PART 1 (SHAZAM)

    For this exercises, we're being given 2 different pictures throughout google drive from Mr Martin. These photos will be the main object for this assignment, we need to manipulate and combine them together using Adobe Photoshop as instructed from our lecturer. We need to adjust several things to make these photo looks real. Here are the images :


    Figure 4.1 The Given Photo (Shazam) (25/09/21)

    Figure 4.2 The Given Photo (Hearst Mansion) (25/09/21)


    By using the quick selection tool, I started cropping the Shazam photo within a few minutes. This tool really helped me cropping the photo in a very quick way. This tool could divide 2 different contrast object and does more powerful and detail than magic tool.


    Figure 4.3 Quick Selection tool (25/09/21)

    Figure 4.4 Application of the quick tool (25/09/21)

    Secondly, I chose to combine the masked/PNG Shazam with the Hearst Mansion image following the given instruction from the video. We need to adjust several things such as its composition. We couldn't just reduce size of the image by stretching the image, we need to use CTRL + T to help us reduce the image size.




    Figure 4.5 Makes/PNG Shazam (25/09/21)

    Figure 4.6 Combing and Reducing the image size (25/09/21)


    Afterwards, I tried to adjust the luminance and the color intensity by clicking the image > adjustment > and match color. We can play around with the tools to manipulate Shazam photo. I played around with the tool so that the image could be manipulated and the two images looks good together.


    Figure 4.7 Adjusting the Match Color (25/09/21)


    Thereafter, by using brush tool, I started to create the shadow as well to make the photo looks even real and unity. You can adjust the size and the hardness of the brush as well as reduce the opacity to make it more believable.


    Figure 4.8 Brush Tool (25/09/21)


    Figure 4.9 Shadow (25/09/21)



    I played around with the gaussian blur adjust or conform the radius of its shadow. This is intended to make the image look more convincing.


    Figure 4.10 Gaussian Blur


    For the last step, I followed Mr Martin to give the image mirror effect to the image by duplicating the Shazam photo. You can also use paths and mask to cut the unused part for this picture, this will help you to create the photo even more believable.


    Figure 4.11 Duplicate the layer (25/09/21)

    Figure 4.12 Try to eliminate the unused part (25/09/21)

    Figure 4.13 The using of Paths and Mask (25/09/21)


    And that's all what I learned from the given video. This exercise will be very important and valuable for all designer especially for the graphic designer to create the unreal picture to be more even believable. We also learned several thing about how various the tools in photoshop.

    Final Result :


    Figure 4.14 Final Result (25/09/21)





    PART 2 (MY REFLECTION)

    To start this assignment, I started to collect several images by requesting my family member to take a picture of me. As instructed, I took a picture with the lighting on my right side to make it similar with the given photo (Hearst Mansion). I used my phone to take the picture an as Mr Martin said, I took it during the day.

    Here are the images :


    Figure 4.15 Myself (25/09/21)

    Figure 4.16 Hearst Mansion (25/09/21)


    I used exactly the same method as I've done with the Shazam photo. I cropped the background using quick selection tool, to make it easier, I decided to wear contrast hoodie with the background so that the quick selection tool would work easily. thereafter, I placed myself into the Hearst Mansion like the instruction.


    Figure 4.17 Quick Selection Tool (25/09/21)

    Figure 4.18 I placed it into the Hearst Mansion (25/09/21)

    I reflected the photo of mine to create the mirroring effect by change the height from 100% to -100%. I also do several changes with the brightness and contrast to make it even real as Mr Martin told us before on the given video.


    Figure 4.19 Brightness and Contrast (25/09/21)

    Figure 4.20 Adjusting the Brightness and Contrast (25/09/21)


    Like what I have done with the Shazam photo, I adjusted the gaussian blur to make the blurry effect in order to make a great believable picture.

    Final Result :


    Figure 4.21 Final Result (My Reflection) (25/09/21)



    FEEDBACK

    Week 1

    General Feedback : 
    Specific Feedback :

    Week 2

    General Feedback : Mr Martin told me to use the first collage instead, rather than using the other composition. He also suggested me to add some more captions into my collage composition.

    Specific Feedback : Mr Martin didn't tell me any specific details but he said that the more captions you add, the more appealing your collages later.

    Week 3

    General Feedback : Mr Martin introduced us to photoshop and we tried to follow what he does.
    Specific Feedback : He told me to explore all the tools so and try to make 3 different compositions and submit it via classroom.

    Week 4

    General Feedback : Mr Martin gave some of the students general feedback related to our first project.
    Specific Feedback : He was quite impressed with my design, he told me all of my designs are different and looked fine, however, he told me to keep explore with the adjustment layer and the filters. Otherwise it's okay and still on the right path.

    Week 5

    General Feedback : Mr Martin told me he quite likes the color difference in each photo and it looks much better using the adjustment tool rather than plain digital collaging.

    Specific Feedback : He would be happy if could also play around with the elements color, it would be even better if I have the encourage to explore a little bit more in the different objects, otherwise he said that it was a great collage, keep it up.
    REFLECTION

    Week 1 : 

    Experience : It was a great experience, Mr. Martin is a great lecturer and very outgoing person, he taught us to create our own website including (pinterest, behance, and blogspot). And he also suggested us to play bezier game to train our hand flexibility.

    Observations : 

    Findings :

    Week 2 :

    Experience : Today we learned about basic composition. The power point is understandable and Mr. Martin did a great job to teach us. We also learned how to create basic collages from old magazine or print it from the internet. The lecture and the given file from google classroom also easy to understand.

    Observation :

    Finding :

    Week 3 :

    Experience : Today I experienced how to use adobe photoshop properly, Mr Martin is a great lecturer and all of his explanations was clear enough to be understandable.
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