Christmas Card

For this Christmas card, I used Photoshop to piece everything together. Through the process of making the card I learned about brusheezy which is a site used to gather new brushes which can enhance a product and make it look better. For my brushes I wanted to create snowflakes, so I searched for snowflakes on the site, picked the ones I liked best and then downloaded them to my network, saving them in a "Brushes" file and then installing them for use on Photoshop. I also had to download and install an appropriate font style for the greeting on my card, so I went onto Dafont.com and selected the Christmas section and then downloaded, saved and installed the font I wanted so I could use it on Photoshop. For the snowman, I used the circle tools and paint brush tools which Photoshop had, and put together the small drawing of the snowman, finishing off my Christmas card.

Heal Brush Tool

BEFORE

AFTER

Using the heal brush tool I was able to clear the girls face and rid her of all her blemishes. For the heal brush tool, I developed the skill of using the different healing tools which Photoshop provides. I basically only used the healing brush tool, which meant I had to select a part of her skin which was clear by using ALT and clicking, and then I clicked over all the places on the skin which needed editing in order to make her face clear. 

Indesign Introduction

When using Indesign I used the different tools of text, the white and black arrow tool, placing and drop cap. For the images I positioned them all and changed their shape with the black arrow tool. I had to have a saved image to my computer and then selected "place" which then allowed my picture to be put onto the document. I then edited the shape and size of the image with the white arrow tool so the image fit the shape of the box properly and so it was in proportion.

For the text I placed a word document in different text boxes and used text flow so the words were all, spread out and were all viewable on the page. I used drop caps on the first paragraph to show where the article started and it also created an effect which instantly captures people attention so they are drawn to reading there first.

When actually setting up the document in the first place I had to set up different columns and guidelines for my photo collage by creating a table of 3 by 5 and positioned my images in different ways to for the different sized images. I also set up three columns for my text so it was all set up professionally and in an organised manner.

Cross Processing

Original Image

Edited Version After Cross Processing

Today we experimented with the effect of cross processing and what effects it can have on a photo. We did this by using one of our composition images in photoshop and adjusted the red curve, blue curve, green curve and RBG curve of the photo. We also adjusted the colour and luminosity of the photo, to enhance the colour change.

First of all we adjusted the red curve. When adjusting the curve I moved it in a soft S shape to darken shadows within the photo and highlight the red channels and aspects. Then I edited the blue curve to minimalise the blue highlights of the photo. For the green curve I adjusted it only slightly in an S shape to increase the contrast by a small amount. I then shifted the RGB line up slightly in order to make my image a little brighter and so the colours would stand out. For the final step, I focused on the colour balance by blending the colour together with the mode colour to make the image combine its colour shifts and the original luminosity. I also did the same with the luminosity mode to blend it in more as the photo was too bright and not colour based, however after using the luminosity blend, everything looked more professional and effective.

Shutter Speed and Light Experiment

For each of these photos we experimented in capturing motion in the form of light. When doing this, we made sure our camera shutter speed was 5" (seconds) to ensure that we captured enough light to create our patterns/words.

For the photo shoot, we used dark lighting conditions for the entire room so our camera would focus on the light moving in its different patterns.

Shutter Speed

When in the classroom, we first experimented with our shutter speed at 1/400th of a second. However, because the shutter isn't open for very long at all, there is no chance that light can pass through which made our photos a solid black.









We then tried 30" (seconds) which ended up being a white photo. This occurred because the shutter was open for way too long, meaning that all it captured was the light in the room.

Next we tried taking a photo of someone spinning around on their chair and capturing it with a shutter speed of 15". We ended up with a blur of the movement which our partner was creating by swivelling around.

We tried it at 15" again, however this time we took the picture whilst spinning around ourselves. This captured the blurred movement of the room as we spun around.

Next we tried 1" which ended up taking a relatively standard photograph of our subject, however you can see Robson in the background as a slight blur because of his movement which the camera happened to have caught.

We also tested out 0.5" which caught the movement of my partner Kieran as he spun around on his chair. The slow camera shutter captured all of his movement.

We then changed scenery by going outside to experiment with our different shutter speed settings. For this image I used the standard 1/60th of a second as it stops camera shake and captured the photo of what was going on in that particular moment, as though the world had stopped in a freeze frame.

For running you need a shutter speed of 1/500th of a second in order to capture a good quality photo. This shutter speed freezes the subject in their place on the photo.

For these two photos, I used the shutter speed of 1/250th of a second which although is meant to be used for freezing a subject as they walk, it can also freeze a subject who is jumping.

 We also experimented with motion blur. For motion blur photos we had to slow down the shutter speed in order to capture all the movement going on within the photo. This is usually how people create action shots.

For the next two photos I used the shutter speed which would be originally used when capturing a subject who is walking. The fact that it is 1/250th of a second meant that it was the perfect speed for the bright lighting conditions we had outside.

For these two photos we experimented with focused and blurred motions by throwing leaves up in the air. The camera's shutter speed was set to a standard of 1/60th of a second. This speed prevents camera shake, yet when the leaves were floating in the air, the movement was captured in a blurred way, whilst the subjects (Robson and Kieran) were in perfect focus.

We also got some normal shots where we used the shutter speed for someone walking. The 1/250th of a second speed captured a freeze frame of the subjects as they walked along.








Yet again, we used the speed of 1/250th of a second to capture Robson as he jumped in the air and Kieran as he walked along beside him. Despite there being a lot of shadows, enough light was captured for this shot to be clear.

For this final photo, I used the standard speed of 1/60th of a second whilst being stood in the T-stance. This meant that there was no camera shake as I took the photo.

Photographic Manipulation - Post Production Work

 This is my original image before I adjusted and tweaked with the different aspects and effects of the photo.

















The first thing I experimented with was the auto-tone, auto-contrast and auto-colour. These changed the photo from the computers judgement and point of view, meaning that it changed the image to what it thought would look best.















The next thing I used to manipulate my image was the tool "unsharp mask" which effected how sharp and focused the image was. It helped to make her stand out more and become more in focus and show all the detail of the image clearly.
















Finally, I used to dodge and burn effect to lighten shadows on the photo, and darken specific parts of the photo, such as her face where there was too much light exposure making her look washed out. Now every aspect of the photograph is clear as the trees in the background are darker, the shadows are a little lighter and blend in more, and her face is darker so you can clearly see the detail there.

Composition Techniques Development

The effect I used for this photo was experimenting with eye-line. The eye-line on this picture was done by using the rule of thirds. In this particular shot her eye-line is on the middle line, meaning that it looks as though she is looking directly out. If her eye-line was above then she would be represented as an authoritative figure and if it was just below then she would be someone of a lower status.












For this photo I used the framed layout. This secludes the subject and draws all the attention to them. It also shows two different settings which can create opposites or just help to create a focus on the subject which is trapped within the frame.

In this photograph my subject is off centre and positioned to the right hand side. This kind of effect helps to show more of the background/setting of a photo, rather than focusing all the viewers attention on the subject.















This next shot is back lit to create the effect of silhouettes. Light is also streaming in from the back in rays, which rake over the subject and the setting, as you can see in the photo I have taken.














This shot is a side lit shot. This effect is used by most people as it it the typical kind of photograph someone can take. The effect also enhances shadows and specific parts of the subject/focus of the image and contrast different colours and shadows.














For this final shot I used the technique of lines. The wall and the cars represent the lines which if you follow, lead straight to the subject/main focus of my photo. The diagonal lines are seen as inviting and people's eyes will automatically start following up to either where it starts or ends.

Induction Evaluation

For my first media project, I designed the front cover of a music magazine. For the cover I had to take my own photo in which I could use as my main image. I had a very limited amount of knowledge when it came to photography, so I learned all about the manual/auto focus settings, the focus rings and the t-stance.

When it came to using the camera I used manual focus, so I had to focus my own image and make sure it was clear. I focused my image by turning the ring at the end of the lens to focus my image and make sure that my partner was clear and the background was blurry so he stood out more. I also learnt about the t-stance which is where the photographer places their feet in a ‘t’ and then leans so they do not have to use the zoom ring and cause a photo to turn blurry so they have to re-focus it. My image was taken portrait since my magazine front cover would be A4 portrait sized. I also learned about lighting and about how natural light is usually better than artificial. For my image I made sure that I had plenty of natural lighting by going outside to take the photo, and also making sure that it was not directly in his face and it was to the side. I however did not use the rule of three, but it looked well composed and the eye line looked to be in the right position for my front cover. I didn’t handle my subject too well either, as I didn’t know what to say to him or tell him how to stand/pose. This sort of effected my front cover because now I just have a simple image, whereas if I had the confidence to tell him what to do, or even know how to word it, then I would have been able to take a picture which could relate and represent everything which my magazine was about.

For Photoshop, I honestly had no idea what to do or how to use it. I had very limited knowledge on how to use it and what certain tools were, so editing my photo was a whole new experience for me. The tools I ended up using were the text tools, the shape tool, gradient fill and effects. I found it slightly confusing to use at first, but quickly got the hang of what to do and how to use everything. Text was the easiest tool to use and it was fun getting to experiment with the different effects I could apply to it to either make it bolder or transform into another shape, and there was a wide variety of different fonts that I could choose from. I added effects to my font by using drop shadow for my magazine title, and also making a stroke (black outline) for some of my sell lines to help them stand out and catch the audience’s attention. I mainly stuck with the colour pallet theme of what my main image was made up of. This meant that I used blues, oranges, black and white. This helped to tie everything in together, and to make my front cover look professional.

AS Media Production: Technical Skills Audit Print Production

Name: Charlotte Copeland                          Tutor group: 1.32               Date: 18/9/13

Photographic Skills

Which of the following photographic features/equipment have you used on a camera before:

Feature	Yes	No	Comments if yes – where have you completed this skills and to what level
Manual Focus features Creative writing classes		x
Shutter Speed		x
Aperture control		x
A tripod		x
External flash		x
Self timer facility	x		I have used it at a basic level on my own camera.
Light meter		x
Composition grids		x

Photoshop Skills

Which of the following features of Photoshop have you used before:

Feature	Yes	No	Comments if yes – where have you completed this skills and to what level
Text control		x
Filters	x		I have used this at a basic level on Instagram and when editing simple photos.
Brushes		x
Layers		x
Opacity control		x
Shape creation		x
Brightness and contrast control	x		I have used this at a basic level when editing my own photos.
Dodge/Burn		x
Clone stamp tool		x
Colour curves adjustment		x
Magnetic lasso, polygon lasso tool		x
Cropping tool	x		I have used this at a basic level when editing my own photos.
Retouch tool		x

In Design Skills

Which of the following features of In Design have you used before:

Feature	Yes	No	Comments if yes – where have you completed this skills and to what level
Margin and column guide creation		x
Inserting text in ID		x
Inserting images in ID		x
Resizing images in ID		x
Text manipulation – resizing, rotation		x
Text manipulation – controlling kerning and leading		x
Text flow creation		x
Text effects – drop shadow		x
Drop cap insert		x
Using transparent imagery in ID		x
Shape creation In design		x
Text wrapping		x
Exporting to PDF from In-design		x