Midterm

Project Abstract

            This project consists of a portfolio of six images that have been edited with Adobe Photoshop. Images were given adjustments via methods like color correction, nondestructive work flow, layer mask, filters, cutting out and copying sections, blending, and other techniques that were learned in class.

 Production Log

            The first image in the portfolio is of a large air ship in Air and Space Museum located in Virginia. The air ship was cut out and recopied onto the image with a unique filter. The remainder of the image was given a different filter that was similar enough to that of the air ship in order to have the picture flow nicely. Giving the photo two filters allows for the air ship to really pop in the picture and show that it is the more important piece in the image.

            This image is of column in the garden of the Cloisters in New York City. This was a color correction of an image that was very dull and almost lifeless. In this image the vibrancy was increased to +88 and the saturation was increased to +33. The levels were also slightly adjusted in order to make the image brighter, as well. This made the objects in the image much easier to see and more appealing to the eye.

            The third image is of a frog up against a tank at the National Zoo located in Washington, D.C. Similar to the first image, the main part of the piece, the frog, was recopied onto the image with a unique filter. The remainder of the image was then given a different filter that made the tank look like it was bubbling inside. This method was used in order to make the frog pop out of the image and have it be the first thing you eye is attracted to.

            The fourth image is of a giraffe standing with a cherry blossom tree. The image is made up of two very different images. The giraffe is from an image taken at the Cape May Zoo and the background, including the cherry blossom tree, is an image taken in Washington, D.C. around the monuments. For this image a lot of different methods were used. First, the giraffe was cut out of its original image and place, according to the rule of the thirds, into this image. The giraffe and the background were then given different filters and then the entire picture was given another filter in order to blend the different elements of the image together. Finally, a bit of black shadowing was added to make the giraffe seem like it was actually in the original image all along.

            The fifth image is of an exhibit at a zoo of flamingoes and ducks. This image is actually two pictures that were combined together using a layer mask. The background, a main image, is the grassy surrounding and the flamingoes. The ducks were actually added using the layer mask. Once the background was removed from the image of the ducks, the vibrancy was increased to +3 and the saturation was increased to +16.

            The final image is of cliff in Newport, Rhode Island. The image was enhanced using different color correction techniques. For this image, the vibrancy was increased to +79 and the saturation was increased to +42. No other changes were made in order to create this image. From color correction, we know can see the full beauty of this image and how the setting must have looked when the photograph was originally taken. The enhancements made to this picture make the viewer feel as if they were actually there.

            I do believe I put a lot of effort into these six images and that they came out quite well. I really enjoyed using Photoshop in class and during homework. The possibilities are truly endless when it comes to Photoshop and just playing around and exploring new techniques really added to the experience as well. For my images, a common problem that I see throughout them as a whole is the lifelike connection for the images that are actually made up of two photographs. Many times the lines do not blend and makes the new additions rather harsh. In the future, I hope to look further into that school and hopefully edit these images in order to make the more life like and appealing to the eye.

            My favorite aspects of Photoshop would definitely have to be filters and cutting and pasting images. I really enjoyed creating images that required me to make a specific selection from a picture using my tablet and adding it to a new picture. Filters were also very enjoyable tools to use as well because they gave the pictures a whole new way of looking at things. You could turn an image into almost anything by simply using a filter. There was no end to what you could do with these two methods.

            Overall, the class up to this point has been very enjoyable and exciting. Learning the different Photoshop techniques and becoming successful at them was very fulfilling. I will know be able to use the skills in other Interactive Multimedia classes, clubs on campus and just for fun. Being skilled in Photoshop allows you to enhance everyday photos to create great publicity images. It is truly an extremely valuable skill to have and I cannot wait to apply it to an every day situation and to show my peers what I have learned in class.