WEEK 4

December 02, 2020

WEEK 4

14/09/2020 (Week 4)

Fann Man Ling - 0344623 (BDCM)

Digital Photography & Imaging

Practical_In-class exercises // Mr. Martin

Lecture & Tutorial // Mr. Fauzi

PRACTICAL

This exercise is about putting the object of another photo into another photo, and make it believable by using blending modes, radial gradient, and opacity. Using Polygonal Lasso Tool to mask out straight things.

GHOST HOUSE

For today's class, we were instructed to put the ghost bride and the haunted house into the photo of blue moon (background).

Fig 1: Photo given

STEP 1: Masking out the Haunted House

We were taught to use Polygonal Lasso Tool (Backspace to undo) to mask out the house, then adjust its size.

Fig 2.1: Progress_Masking out the house

STEP 2: Colour Matching the House with Background

Then, we need to copy and paste the house into the 'Blue Moon' photo (background). After resized the house, we need to used 'Match Color' to match the colours of both photos.

Fig 2.2: Progress_Resizing & Using Match Color

STEP 3: Placing in the Ghost Bride

We need to put the ghost bride into the background with house photo. Firstly, I copied and pasted the ghost bride, adjusted its size after I put in the photo. Then, I used Rectangular Marquee Tool (M) to mask out the ghost bride and applied the mask.

Fig 2.3: Progress_Ghost Bride

STEP 4: Blending the Ghost Bride and Making Glowing Effect

Fourthly, we were taught to used radial gradient (choose third one in 'Basic') after we created a new layer for creating glowing effect to the ghost bride. Then, we applied 'Screen' blending mode and reduced the 'Opacity'.

Fig 2.4: Progress_Glowing effect

Final Work:

Fig 2.5: Ghost house_Final work .jpg (14/09/2020)

* Part 2 is on another blog (Project 1)

LECTURE

INTRO TO PHOTOSHOP 3

Match lightning, Adjustment Layers, Filters

Mr. Fauzi explained about the adjustment layers and some techniques that can be used with adjustment layers.

ADJUSTMENT LAYER

We can adjust the adjustments below without fear of permanently changing the original image or committing to a style only.

Brightness / Contrast
Hue / Saturation
Level and etc.

Fig 3.1: Adjustment layer_Brightness/Contrast (Source: Lecture Slides)

Fig 3.2: Lecture_Week 4

FURTHER READING

Working with Adjustment Layers in Adobe Photoshop

Match the colours of objects in Photoshop using the Match Color tool

TUTORIAL

TASK:

We were tasked to make collage design on Photoshop with the images given by Mr. Fauzi. Same goes to this one, we were advised to play around with blending modes and adjustment layers in creating the work.

After feedback given by Mr. Fauzi on those good works by my classmates, I've understood better in doing the collage design work.

COMPOSITION #1

For this composition, I looked at the galaxy in the astronaut photo, thinking perhaps I can create something dreamy that is set in space.

Firstly, I set rulers that were recommended by Mr Fauzi in the previous class for creating margin on the canvas to make the work look neat. I put all the objects that I’ve traced in the order that I want. The background is a galaxy traced from the astronaut photo. Then, only I started to use blending modes to make my composition alive.

I used “Divide” blending mode to make the right tree turn white in order to make a difference on both trees: the left one is black while the right one is white.

For the moon, as it seems dim, so I decided to increase its brightness by using the Brightness Adjustment in Image option.

In order to crop the Earth image to put at the behind of the building, I used the Fill option that was taught by Mr. Martin in previous class to trace out the astronaut from the galaxy photo. Then, I adjusted the hue of the Earth in an attempt to make it more fit to the composition.

Next, I put the ground that cropped from the mountain photo, and then I changed its colour to green by using the Color Balance feature from the Adjustment setting in the Image option. Then, I made use of "Darken" blending mode to make it darker.

After that, I put the cropped city buildings at the left of the building, and used “Difference” blending mode to blend its colour. And I added a line which I cropped from the mountain photo to rectangular shape, as I want to make a clear difference on what is on top and on bottom.

I felt that it's quite empty on the ground, it looks like it's missing something in the composition. So, I decided to place a girl walking towards the building as a decorative purpose. For the girl, I made it into black and white by adjusting the Black and White feature in the Adjustment setting from the Image option.

Fig 4.1: Composition 1 (18/09/2020)

COMPOSITION #2

Looking at all the photos given, I thought of emphasizing a particular object. After a few idea explorations from Pinterest, I decided to make "people" as my focal point.

Hence, I placed the man in the middle and made it bigger. I wanted to make the whole composition look like a filter and stuck with one or two colour palette, so I decided blue, black, and some contrast colours like orange and purple as my main colour options for this composition.

I tried to achieve visual balance on the collage, so I placed the objects by applying asymmetrical balance principle in that. For example, the spaceships, the full moon in the centre, those decorative circles and trees at the corner.

Furthermore, I utilized the galaxy traced from the astronaut photo to do both backgrounds. But I turned the background at the back into white colour by using “Difference” blending mode in order to show contrast, and then I reduced the opacity of it because my intention is to highlight the composition’s elements in the middle..

For the colour of those objects, I mostly adjusted them by using the Color Balance, Hue/ Saturation, and Match colour from the Adjustments setting in the Image option.

Moreover, I also flipped horizontally the image of mountain, spaceship, and tree.

Lastly, I adjusted the brightness of the mountain to become brighter and also added a topography pattern in a small-sized full moon and placed it on top of the right side.

Fig 4.2: Composition 2 (18/09/2020)

COMPOSITION #3

Same goes for this composition, I intended to put a particular object as my focal point to draw the viewer's attention on. For this time, I chose the astronaut as the one I wanted to emphasize on. So, I placed it in the middle of the canvas, and put those other elements behind it.

I also thought of visual balance for this composition when I placed the elements, thus, I put them accordingly with building related objects at the top and bottom corner. Since the buildings are organic shapes, I decided to put some geometric shapes behind them.

Moving on, I started to plan the colour of them, I searched for different colour palettes by browsing the website Color.Adobe.com in a hope of getting some nice colour idea to match in the composition. Then, I came across a set of colours like blue, green, and red as one, because I felt these colours look fantastic. Therefore, I opted for these colours in making my composition.

As usual, I changed the colour of those objects to my expected colour by using Color Balance, Hue/ Saturation, and Match color from the Adjustments setting in the Image option.

The two rectangular shape ideas are what I accidentally came across when I did the copy and paste of the cropped mountain photo before I increased its size that was originally to put at the back of the full moon. I thought maybe I can place two rectangular shapes with patterns inside in the composition as a decorative purpose. Then, I used “Difference” blending mode to make them look more fantasy, to show a contrast as well.

For details, I put the topography pattern inside the astronaut’s helmet, and then blended it by using “Hard Mix” blending mode, as well as lowered down its opacity. Lastly, I used “Darker” blending mode to make some changes on the full moon.