Digital Photography & Imaging/ Project 1

25 Sept 2023 - 3 Nov 2023 (Week 1 - Week 6)

Natalie Chu Jing Xuan, 0354589

Digital Photography and Imaging, Bachelor of Design (Honours) in Creative Media

Project 1

Lectures, Tutorials, and Practicals

Week 1: There was no class held in the first week of semester due to a public holiday, but we joined Teams for information on class updates.

Week 2: Briefing on the module, assignments, and tasks that I have to complete We were instructed to fill out a Google sheet with our information, create a Pinterest account, and choose three Photoshop artworks from Pinterest and explain why I like them.

Design 1

Fig.1 Design#1

Description:

The colours of this image are very harmonious and I love this Met Gala outfit of Kendall Jenner.

Design 2

Fig.2 Design#2

Description:

It is a combination of a famous oil painting, “Girl with a Pearl Earring” by Johannes Vermeer and a famous singer, Billie Eilish. It looks like a new generation behind the painting.

Design 3

Fig.3 Design#3

Description:

It shows collisions and the integration of the real world and the illustration comic.

*Images above can be click and directed to original post on Pinterest.

Week 3: We learned how to use Photoshop's various tools this week. This is going to help us in gaining knowledge and becoming familiar with different tools in Photoshop, allowing us to complete our tasks more efficiently and without wasting time figuring out which tool to use.

Fig.4 Tool Box in Photoshop

Week 4: We learned how to use the Quick Selection Tool, Layer Mask, Filters, and Colour Correction in Photoshop in today's classes by editing Shazam into the Hearst Mansion image.

Fig.5 Shazam in heart mansion

We also learned about Blending Mode, which has 27 different types, but we don't have to remember them all. Throughout the exercise, I realised that Screen blending is used to make black colours disappear(Fig.6), while Multiply is used to make white colours disappear(Fig.7).

Fig.6 Apply Screen blending mode

The figure below shows how I apply multiply on the flock of birds and levels to make the image of the birds to become white, so that Multiply Blending Mode can do it's job to remove white background disappear.

Fig.7 Apply Multiply blending mode

Week 5: Double exposure was taught today.

First, I use the Quick Selection tool to select and mask the woman. Then I created a new layer with a solid colour background and an RGB S curve.

Fig.8.1 Mask and apply background

I placed the forest image on her face, applied a clipping mask, and made the background the same colour as the forest. I unmask her face with the Brush tool, then duplicate the forest layer, flip vertical to become a reflection, and apply a clipping mask.

Fig.8.2 Added forest image and reflection

To remove the white background, I used the Multiply and Darken blending modes on the bird images. Finally, add a gradient map to reduce the opacity.

Fig.8.3 Need to apply Multiply(left) and Darken(right)

Fig.8.4 Added birds and cloud

Week 6: Recolouring black and white photos. We aim to edit black and white images to colour images.

Use Quick Selection tool to select the part that we wish to recolour (hair for eg.), then refine the hair and outline, and mask it. Pick a colour then apply Soft Light blending mode.

Fig.9.1 Recolouring hair and skin

Repeat the steps slowly and precisely, then you will get a colourful image.

Fig.9.2 Recolouring shirt and background

For the image above (Fig.9.1 & 9.2), I followed the tutorial video to complete it, then I try not to refer to the tutorial video to complete the image bellow.

Fig.9.3 Process of recolouring

Project 1:

Digital Collage

I uses the rule of third as a initial guideline of my digital collage. Then I added buildings and mountain in.

Fig.10.1 Rule of Third

I added a fencer coming out behind the left building, a shark underneath ready to attack him and a sun. I uses Elliptical Marquee tool to cut out the orange texture image into circle shape as the sun(Fig.10.3).

Fig.10.2 Progress

Fig.10.3 Sun element from orange texture image

I then used the golden ratio as a guide for the fleeing fish as the fencer was about to attack them and the shark would attack the fencer from the bottom to protect both fish. I also added a black and white liquid texture and used the Difference blending mode to make it a dark background to bring out the contrast between Fencer's dark inner world as he grows up and his innocence as a child on the right running towards him.

Fig.10.4 Golden ratio

FINAL OUTCOME

Fig.10.5 Final outcome of digital collage

Me in Heart Mansion
After practicing on how to place Shazam in the Hearst Mansion, we will now need to place ourself in the Hearst Mansion. First, my friend took a photo of me. Then, I crop myself out using the Quick Selection Tool.

Fig.11.1 Use Quick Selection Tool to select me out

I placed and resize myself in the Hearst Mansion and adjust the colour correction at Image>Adjustments>Match Colour.

Fig.11.2 Match colour with Hearst Mansion

Then match my image quality with Hearst Mansion by adding Noise at Filter>Noise.

Fig.11.3 Add noise

Create a new layer and use the brush tool to create a black shadow behind me, then apply the Gaussian blur effect and reduce the opacity.

Fig.11.4 Shadow

I duplicate my layer and flip vertical to make my reflection. Use lasso tool to crop out the extra part of my leg.

Fig.11.5 My reflection

Then, adjust the colour of the reflection and add ripple effect as Fig.11.5.

Fig.11.6 Adjust colour of reflection and ripple

FINAL OUTCOME

Fig.11.7 Final outcome

Recolouring

In this task, we need to recolour a black and white image. I chose this photo and found a reference photo for it.

Fig.12.1 Black and white image(left), reference photo

I use the Quick Selection tool to select the hair and refine the edges then mask it. Then, add a new layer of solid colour then apply Soft Light blending mode.