Digital Photography & Imaging / Exercises

Wong Weng Yi / 0343755

Digital Photography & Imaging / Bachelor of Biomedical Science / Taylor's University

Week 1 - Week 12 (04/07/2023 - 23/07/2023)

Week 1 - INTRODUCTION TO PHOTOSHOP AND IMAGING

In the first week, we were briefed with our assignments for Project 1, Project 2 as well as our Final Project by Mr Martin and created a Pinterest account. He introduced us to photoshop and digital imaging. A description of Photoshop was given, along with information on its value to designers. In addition to demonstrating what individuals could accomplish with Photoshop—such as "digital imaging"—photo manipulation was also discussed to demonstrate what people did in the past before Photoshop existed. We also learned some tips on how to become a successful graphic artists.

For the exercises, we started with Bezier game to familiarize with the pen tool in photoshop and chose 3 favorite graphic design works done by Photoshop.

Bezier Game

Figure 1.1 : Process of Bezier Game

After this game, I've learned how to easily use the pen tool to draw curves when using Photoshop later.

3 favorite graphic design works done by Photoshop

Design #1:

Figure 1.2 : Design 1

Description: I like how the design is a man tearing his own face to show that there’s another version of him inside implementing that everyone has an inner self struggling behind their real self.

Design #2:

Figure 1.3 : Design 2

Description: I like how the image of real life is altered into animation.

Design #3:

Figure 1.4 : Design 3

Description: I like the idea of the combination of the boy putting whip cream onto the top of the mountain.

Google docs

Week 2 - Introduction to Photoshop

Lecture

Lasso Tool

- enables us to draw and pinpoint on particular areas of a document.

Lasso
Polygonal Lasso - Draw straight line
Magnetic Lasso - Draw follow the edge (use delete)

Pen Tool

- used to create extremely precise shapes and paths, using manually placed anchor points.

"Variation of Pen Tool"
- Straight line paths
- U shaped curves
- Simple S curves
- Complex S curves

Layering

- Overlaying various photos (stack together) without destroying the original

- non-destructive editing

Tutorial exercise

First, we use lasso tool to draw around the object and then mask the object.

Then, we copy and paste it on the other file which is the background and press “Control + T” to adjust the object.

We also used a brush tool to add some shadows under the table to make it look more natural.

Shadow - New layer + lower opacity

"FINAL OUTCOME"

Figure 1.5 : Tutorial Exercise

Digital collage

For the practical, we are given some images to create a digital collage and we are able to use the quick selection tool as it is more easy to mask out the object.

                       
"FINAL OUTCOME"

Figure 1.6 : Digital collage

For this digital collage, I focus on the focal point which is the three sharks as I add some colors behind them to make it look more attractive. I also used gradient tool for the background.

Week 3

Recoloring exercise

For this exercise, I downloaded pictures from the google drive and learned how to add color to a black-and-white image by shading and masking. The document process will be shown on the Project 1.

"FINAL OUTCOME"

→

Figure 1.7 : Recoloring photo exercise

Research 1:

1a.What is Poster Design?

Poster design is the art of creating visual communication materials that are meant to convey a message or promote a product, event, or idea. Posters are typically large-format graphics, with bold and eye-catching designs, that aim to capture the attention of the viewer and convey information quickly and effectively. Effective poster design involves a careful balance between aesthetic appeal and practicality, with designers carefully choosing colors, typography, imagery, and layout to create an impactful and memorable design. Poster design has a long and rich history, dating back to the early days of printing, and remains an important medium for advertising, marketing, and public communication today.

1b.What is good poster design?

A good poster design is one that effectively communicates the intended message while also being visually engaging and memorable. This requires a careful consideration of several key design elements, including layout, typography, color, and imagery. A well-designed poster should have a clear hierarchy of information, with the most important details prominently displayed and easily readable from a distance. Typography should be legible and appropriate for the message being conveyed, while colors and imagery should be used to create visual interest and reinforce the overall theme. Additionally, a good poster design should be memorable, leaving a lasting impression on the viewer and effectively promoting the message or product being advertised. Ultimately, a good poster design is one that effectively combines both form and function to create a

compelling visual message.

1c.What is a photographic poster? What is an illustrated poster?

A photographic poster features photographic images as the primary design element and is often used to promote events, products, or services while conveying a sense of professionalism and quality. In contrast, an illustrated poster features artwork or illustrations as the primary design element and is often used to promote events, products, or services aimed at a younger or more artistic audience, with the use of illustrations allowing for more creativity and flexibility in the design and adding an element of fun and personality to the overall design.

1d. Share 3 good photographic posters.

Figure 1.8

Figure 1.9

Figure 2.0

Week 4

Lecture 

Introduction to basic composition

Focal Point
Scale & Hierarchy
Balance the elements
White space

Rule of Thirds - By employing 2 horizontal & 2 vertical lines, the Rule of Thirds divides an image into thirds. This grid breaks down into nine segments with four crossing spots.

Golden Ratio - encourage compositions that look organic and natural and are visually appealing. - dimensions of the layout (ratio 1 : 1.618) Composition (Framing & Cropping) - Single - Two shot - Over the shoulder - Point of view - Insert shot

Tutorial Exercise

Blending modes

In the tutorial section, we completed this exercise to help us better understand how various blending modes function, particularly the few that we would be using for our final project. Also, we also learn how to apply gradient to the image.

Soft Light:
(Black=Darker, White=Brighter, 50% Gray=Transparent)

                              Figure 2.1 : Picture 1

Multiply:

(White=Transparent, Black=Opaque)

                                                   Figure 2.2 : Picture 2

Screen:

(Black=Transparent, White=Opaque)

                                                 Figure 2.3 : Picture 3

Week 5 - Double Exposure

Lecture 

Research 2:

2a. What is Double Exposure?

Double exposure is a photographic technique in which two images are superimposed on top of each other to create a single, composite image. This can be done either in-camera by exposing the same film or sensor twice, or by layering two or more images in post-processing using photo editing software. The resulting image can have a surreal and dreamlike quality, with the two images blending together to create a unique and visually striking effect. Double exposure has been used in various forms of photography, from fine art to commercial advertising, and has become a popular technique among photographers and designers alike.

2b. What is Digital Double Exposure?

Digital double exposure is a technique of creating a composite image by combining two or more digital photographs using photo editing software. Unlike traditional double exposure, digital double exposure does not require multiple exposures on the same film or sensor, and the images can be easily combined and edited using various techniques such as layering, masking, and blending modes. Digital double exposure has become a popular technique in digital art, graphic design, and photography, allowing artists and designers to create unique and visually striking images by combining multiple elements and textures.

2c. Share 3 good Double Exposure.

Figure 2.4

Figure 2.5

Figure 2.6

Tutorial Exercise

Double Exposure Exercise

Below are the exercise progress for the double exposure exercise and the image are given by Mr Martin.

1. Open portrait image in Photoshop:

Click W for Object Selection/Quick Selection/Magic Wand tools

Click “Select Subject” at Option bar

Click “Select and Mask” at Option bar

2. Under “Select & Mask”:

a) View Mode: Select Overlay, adjust Opacity

b) Select “Refine Edge Brush Tool” and adjust brush size and Hardness.

c) Brush the hair in one stroke and Brush eyelashes.

d) Select “Brush Tool” or “Lasso Tool” to clean the background. Then output: Select Layer with Layer Mask. Click OK to leave “Select & Mask” mode.

3. Create “New Layer" and add “Solid colour”. Rename it to “bg” and drop it under portrait layer.

4. Increase contrast for portrait layer:

a) Add Curve adjustment layer and Make S curve.

b) Right click on curve layer select clipping mask.

5. Next, add forest image and reposition it:

a) Select clipping mask.

b) Double click bg’ solid colour, select the “grey sky colour” with eye dropper.

c) Add mask layer.

6. Select brush tool, foreground colour black. Adjust brush size, hardness, and flow. Brush until the face is visible. Unmask her face.

7. Duplicate forest layer, flip vertical and reposition, select clipping mask. Adjust the mask, as well as the portrait’s mask. Use eraser tool to erase her black clothes.

8. Next, add the two birds’ images and select Darken/Multiply blending mode to remove white background. Then, add the cloud's images. Duplicate another cloud layer and flip vertical and reposition. Adjust the levels by creating a clipping mask.

9. Lastly, add Gradient map fill layer to select a gradient map that I want. Bring down the opacity.

"FINAL OUTCOME"

Figure 2.7

Week 6 - Digital Photography

Lecture

Exposure Setting - exposure is the amount of light that reaches a camera sensor/film Main parts of a camera - camera body - camera lens - shutter speed (a small plastic sheet that opens & closes to allow light onto the film/prevent light from reaching the film)

- iris (control the flow of light entering the lens) - camera ISO (affects the brightness of photos)

Lens Perspective a) Focal Length - the shorter the focal length, the wider the angle of view & vice versa

b) Depth of Field - the smaller the aperture, the greater the depth of field

Tutorial Exercise

1. WIDE ANGLE: 0.5X

- ideal for fitting a large area into your frame.

Figure 2.8

2. STANDARD ANGLE: 1X

- what the human eye sees, both in terms of visual angle and perspective.

Figure 2.9

3. TELE ANGLE: 2X

- great for isolating a subject that is far away.

Figure 3.0

4. PORTRAIT MODE

Figure 3.1

Displacement map effects Exercise

3 conditions in order to displace image:

Black and white
Blur it with Gaussian blur
Save as Photoshop file (psd)

1. Convert the image into black and white

Image → Adjustments → Black & White

2. Blur the image with Gaussian blur about 7.0 pixels and then save as Photoshop file (psd).

Filter→ Blur→ Gaussian Blur

3. Open a new original (colour) cloth image and paste the jalur gemilang flag image. Convert the flag into a smart object.

4. Go to [Filter→ Distort→ Displace] and then open the recently saved photoshop file of the black and white cloth.

5. Add a new solid colour for the background.

"FINAL OUTCOME"

Figure 3.2

I repeated this exercise with a few more examples image provided by Mr Martin.

Figure 3.3

Figure 3.4

Week 7 - Transform Bora into cyborg

Part 1

1. Open Bora.jpeg. Duplicate a layer and shut off the original background (a good practise).

Ctrl 0 - fit to screen

2. Use Pen Tool (path) to mask out right shank. Press the dot by right click and press make selection.

Mask the layer and press ctrl i to reverse the mask layer.

3. Create new layer (bg patch), use Stamp Tool (size- 150, hardness- 50 to 70%) to patch the white background of the image to the leg.

4. Create new layer, Elliptical Marquee tool to create an oval shape.

Fill in colour, eyedropper to choose colour from shadow.

Edit → Fill → Colour

5. Use free transform mode Ctrl T to adjust size and angle and use warp mode to adjust shape. Then, duplicate a layer to place it on top and again use free transform mode, warp mode to adjust. Place the layer under bora.jpeg layer.

→

6. Adjust Inner/outer glow in Blending Options for both fill in layers

7. Open the metal skeleton image. Crop and mask out the selection. Move the prosthetic limb to project, free transform to adjust it. Use eraser tool for cleaning.

8. Prosthetic limb phrase done.

Part 2

1. Select all layers (Press Shift) in use to merge them. Ctrl e (merge down). Duplicate a layer.

2. Use Brush Tool and adjust to 5 pixel, hardness 100%

3. Create new adjustment layer and use Pen tools to draw according to references.

4. Select all paths, apply stroke path to the new adjustment layer.

5. Load selection ctrl + click to layer 1, apply mask to the main layer. Load Blending Options, adjust Bevel & Emboss: Style: Inner Bevel.

6. Adjust Depth, Size, soften, Highlight mode and Shadow mode.

7. Bora cyborg done.

"FINAL OUTCOME"

Figure 3.5

Week 9 - Flower Face Portrait

Skills/tools used for this practice:

Pen tool (Path & Shape)
Blending Options
Colour grading (Gradient Map)
Blending Modes

1. First I use Pen tool (Path) to draw around the face and close the path. Then I rigth click the dot and press Make Selection.

2. Then, I selected the Marquee tool and right click on selection to click on Layer Via Cut.

3. I renamed the new layer as "Face" and moved it to the left.

4. Next, I created a New Layer and used Pen tool (Shape) to draw a shape around the face. I selected dark skin colour with eye dropper.

5. In the main portrait layer, I right click and selected Blending Options and press Bevel & Emboss and adjust the depth, size and soften. Then I right click to create layers.

6. Clean the edge of two layers with Eraser.

7. Then, I used Blending Options again and selected Bevel & Emboss for Shape layer & Face layer.

8. I then used Lasso tool to make selection and clean the selection with Eraser.

9. Open the ivy bush png and add the ivy bush to the picture. Adjust to desire place and click on ivy bush layer and clean it with Eraser.

10. Add 2nd Ivy layer and adjust to desire place. Add layer mask and clean it with Brush tool.

11. Next, I added the 3rd Ivy layer (with flowers) and added few butterflies.

12. Then, I added a new layer and select Gradient Map. I chose a preset which is "Green 28" and chose a Blending Mode which is "Soft Light".

13. Last, I adjusted the brightness/contrast by selecting Hue/Saturation and use clipping mask for 1st Ivy bush layer.

14. Done!

"FINAL OUTCOME"

Figure 3.6

Week 10 - Digital Surrealism

Lecture

Realism

There is no need to look outside the box because it isn't "real" because realism uses topics from the everyday and common world as its "reality" and almost always uses a non-exotic and non-extraordinary subject matter and theme.

Surrealism

A twist on realism that focuses on dream imagery and frequently seeks to pervert the everyday. It defies logic and is full of bizarre images and absurd juxtapositions. Surrealism is a cultural movement that focuses on specific types of art to represent the ideas of the artists themselves.

Dadaism

An anti-war art movement that produced humorous and absurdist works of art.

Tutorial exercise

For this week's exercise, we had learned how to animate in Photoshop.

1st Exercise

1. First, I duplicate the yowa image and shut off the original background. Then I press select subject and properly select the girl which is our subject.

2. Then I apply mask to the image.

3. Then I load the selection by pressing Select → Load Selection.

4. Next, I pressed Select → Modify → Expand and press 5 pixels.

5. Then, I press Edit → Fill and press content-aware for the background layer.

6. I deselect the subject (Ctrl D) and apply layer mask on yowa. I also use Stamp Tool to clean the background image and later turn both into a smart object.

7. For the animation part, I press Window → Timeline to create a video timeline for both yowa and background.

8. Then I press Transform and press the stopwatch. I pulled the small yellow diamond to the end.

9. I use Free Transform to adjust to desire place for good animation.

Alt - Adjust but center wont move

Shift and Alt - Adjust whole image

10. Lastly, I export the video by pressing Export → Render video

"FINAL OUTCOME"

2nd Exercise

All the steps is the same as in 1st exercise.

"FINAL OUTCOME"

3rd Exercise

For this exercise, we learned how to do a GIF.

1. Repeat the steps from exercise 1 from step 1 to step 7.

2. Change the timeline into a frame timeline for a GIF.

3. Then I change the time to about 0.5 second per frame and duplicate the yoga picture. Then I press Edit → Puppet Warp to play around with the image.

"FINAL OUTCOME"

Week 11 - Intro to After Effects

Lecture

After Effects:

Motion graphics animation uses layers of video and imagery to create and tell stories by manipulating vector and rasterized art. It is a 2.5D animation software used for animation, visual effects, and motion picture compositing. It is also used to create videos for film, television, and the web.
All layers in a Photoshop composition should be organized and given new names so that After Effects can easily animate them.
After Effects does not embed its material; rather, it links to it. Therefore, all layers must be organized and synchronized to the other software platforms (Photoshop & Illustrator).

Tutorial exercise

1. Download the PSD composition below:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/197rXGH_g-lLEt-0K9__mcKrLIYIaXtQp/view?usp=sharing

2. Import the W10_ANIMATE.psd into Adobe After Effects.