The Rule of Thirds

The basic principle behind the rule of thirds is to imagine breaking an image down into thirds (both horizontally and vertically) so that you have 9 parts

These lines prove useful positions for elements in your photo, which make it much more interesting than the average straight shot photograph. Placing certain object of the image will make the photo seem much more balanced.

(website used for information)
http://www.digital-photography-school.com/rule-of-thirds

Foundation Digital Photography – Research Exercise 2

1) What should your PPI be for printed media? Why?
PPI for printed media should be 300, no more or no less, unless you have aimed to get an unclear image.
2) What should your PPI be for the web or emailing? Why?
The PPI for web and emailing should be a maximum of 72, as a TV screen or a computer monitor will only max out at 72 PPI.
3) What do RGB, CMYK and Greyscale refer to?
RGB: Red, Green, Blue
CMYK: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
Greyscale: Greyscale controls the amount of greys that there are in the image.
4) How can you dodge and burn in Photoshop?
Simply using the dodge and burn tools.
5) Name the ways you can make selections in Photoshop?
-Magnetic Lasso+ the other lasso’s
-Crop tool
6) How can you crop images in Photoshop? Write the procedure.
* Select the area in which you wish to crop
* Once selected press enter to complete the crop, and then proceed with editing the photo.
8) How should you sharpen your images in Photoshop?
Using the auto sharpen tool, or you can manually sharpen your own images.
9) What are some of the ways you can make tone, colour and contrast adjustments?
- Auto Colour
- Auto contrast [You can also use all of these options manually.
- Auto tone

10) What does RAW, JPEG and TIFF stand for in file management?
RAW: this is an uncompressed file, so the image will turn out almost exactly as it did as when you took the photograph.
JPEG: The full form of JPEG is Joint Photographic Experts Group. JPEG was invented to make huge image files into small file size. It compresses the files by 90%, and cuts the file size to 1/10th of the original.
TIFF: Tagged Image File Format. Tiff is both graphic file formats. Tiff images are typically smaller because of the high compression rate as opposed to bmp (bit mapped graphics)

List about hobbies/likes <(^.^<)

- Photography
- Ice hockey
- Long walks on the beach
- The cold
- Snowboarding
- Different scenery
- Challenge
- Independence
- Digital SLR's (D600)
- I try to find the perfect scenery for the right photo
- I would describe myself as someone who enjoys a joke, but doesnt take it too far. Also in my opinion i believe i have a very laid back personality.

Steps to analyse an image.

Observation Knowledge Interpretation
Describe exactly what you see in the photo
• What people and objects are shown?
• How are they arranged?
• What is the physical setting?
• What other details can you see? Summarize what you already know about
the situation and time period shown,
and the people and objects that appear. Say what you conclude from what you see.
• What's going on in the picture?
• Who are the people & what are they doing?
• What might be the function of the objects?
• What can we conclude about the time period?
Further Research What questions has the photo raised? What are some sources I can use to find answers?

Slater Bradley Analysis

Slater Bradley

This self portrait shows a very sad, depressing looking young man, wearing a dull grey cardigan with a bright white shirt. His facial expressions give off the effect that he might be sad, or upset, as well as his hair being over his eyes, gives the effect that he doesn't really want to be photographed. In the background there is, what looks like the side of a house, it looks as if it has been blurred, to give the main focus on the main subject, the man. The setting seems to be possibly somewhere around the coastal areas, but with a dark day with not much sunlight.

This image is part of Slater Bradley's Doppelganger trilogy, from 2001-4.

In this image, the man is in a very stationary stance, with his shoulders forward and neck shrugged, this makes the image seem very dull and expressionless, but also gives it a rather dramatic effect. This portrait gives off a late 2000's time period, maybe somewhere around 2007-2009, it just had a very modern style to the photograph, especially with the clothes that the subject is wearing.

Cindy sherman analysis

Cindy Sherman

This photo depicts a young looking lady, wearing, by the looks of it winter clothing, with a long scarf drawn over the top of her head and around her neck. The background of this photo is just a simple building, that doesn't draw too much attention to itself. The figure is placed directly in the middle of the frame, with the scarf leading towards the left end of the portrait. Her shadows on her face are very distinctive, making it seem as if the sun were bright.

This photograph was done by Cindy Sherman; it did not have a name so it stayed as an untitled film still. The photograph was taken in 1980, and was added to the MoMa collection. This photo was included in a set of film stills, which were sold to MoMa for 1 million dollars. Cindy Sherman’s work is very abstract, and some might even say it is very odd, although this photo is classic, and much different to her later work she created.

The figure in the picture seems to be looking off into the distance, while the sun is bright, and the wind is strong, pushing her scarf behind her. This lady looks like she is walking somewhere, and the clothes that she is wearing creates a winter effect, her clothes also give off the effect that the photo was set a while back, which really gives the photo that authentic look.
Trying to conclude this time period is difficult as it is a film still, but that photo was taken in the year 1980.

Photo analysis of 3 artists.

Andy Warhol

This is a self portrait of Andy Warhol, also created by himself. Andy has used a variety of different eye catching colours, to obviously make the picture stand out more, and highlight certain features of the face. Blue giving the face more shadows, and yellow helping his hair stand out, also the red and black background to help make the whole portrait stand out more. The artist hasn’t used the rule of thirds very well, his features are placed on the lines, and the centre line directly down the face of the portrait, although this is still appealing, it could have been made to fit the rule of thirds for a much different effect. He has also blackened one side of the face, which seems to give it more of a dramatic effect.

The portrait was painted in 1967, and the image is the artist himself, Andy Warhol. His deadpan face and that white wig he is wearing made this portrait, as famous as any other portrait he has painted of other celebrities. Andy Warhol enjoyed using the same methods over and over again, as he didn’t like change. This type of style can be seen in many of his images.

In this picture, the man looking very concentrated, or in a very strong thought, he seems to be looking at something, trying to figure out something. The fingers placed on his chin, really give away that he is trying to concentrate on something. The picture suggests a late 20th century portrait, as it seems very pop arty.

Self portrait assignment!

Foundation Digital Photography
Project 1: SELF
40% (T) 50% (A)
Due Wednesday Week 8


Slater Bradley (b. 1975) Gold Kurt maybe I’m to Blame 2007, Digital Photograph

“So what does the ‘self’ in self-portrait actually mean? Historically the self portrait (specifically the painted self portrait) has been understood as a representation of emotions, an outward expression of inner feelings penetrating self-analysis and self-contemplation that might bestow an immortality of sorts on the artist.”
Susan Bright, Uncanny Likeness: Photographers Photographing Themselves, 2010

In this project you are to explore the concept of self portraiture in digital art. Use the image capture and manipulation skills you have gained throughout the session to create a single self portrait that tells the viewer something about you.

You may use images from a number of sources: old photographs both digital and printed, drawings/artwork that you have created, stock photographs etc. You may use your own cameras to capture new images also if you wish.

Process:
1. Find out a little more about self portraiture in the digital realm. Find a minimum of three artists who have created digital self portraits. Analyse at least one image from each using the guide given to you earlier in the session.

2. Think about your work. What would you want a viewer to think when they see your self portrait? What do you want them to find out about you? Write a list of things about yourself if it helps- your interests, hobbies, words that you would use to describe yourself etc.

3. Begin capturing, processing, manipulating and laying out your work. Be creative! Make use of all the skills and techniques you have learned throughout the session to create your work. Your final piece should be 8x10 inches in size and 300ppi- set this up first in Photoshop before you begin.

4. Complete an artist’s statement of one typed 12pt A4 page documenting your ideas, references, inspirations and the techniques you used.

5. Print your image on A4 paper using the laser printer.

6. Submit a full resolution digital copy of your piece, 8x10 inches at 300ppi, the printed piece and your artists’ statement by 4pm, Wednesday week 8.

For submission:
You must submit the following for assessment by Wednesday week 8.
• A digital Photoshop file of your self portrait, 8x10 inches in size and 300ppi.
• A hard copy of your self portrait, printed on A4 paper on the laser printer.
• An artist’s statement of approximately one A4 page detailing your ideas and intent of your self portrait, printed.
• Research questions, further investigation and evaluations in your research workbook.



ASSESSMENT POLICY
ATTENDANCE
Students are expected to attend all scheduled classes. Any student whose attendance falls below 90% of the scheduled classes in this unit will be deemed to have voided the unit (v grade) unless satisfactory documentation is provided. It is a student’s responsibility to catch up on missed work, when absent from a class

COMPLETION OF ASSESSMENT
Students are required to complete and submit all assessment items unless due cause and adequate documentary evidence is provided (eg medical certificate). Any student who fails to submit assessment tasks worth in total 70% or more in this unit will be deemed to have voided the unit.

Photo Restoration =]

Photo montage

What i did for this task:
Cropped different planets out of different images, then placed them in an order relating to the look of mickey mouse. I then cropped an image of a lions mouth, giving him a nose and mouth to complete the look.

First photo's (un edited)

Task reflection:
For photo no. 1, i removed all colour from the image to make it black and white, then made the darker colours (the shadows) darker giving it a stronger look.

For photo no.2
For this image i only removed the colour from the photo, giving it a black and white look. That is all for this image, i didn't believe that it needed to be edited.

Foundation Digital Photography – Research Exercise 1.

 

Photoshop management

Answer the following questions-go to the readings located in the ‘readings’ folder.

1)     What is a megapixel?

Digital cameras use electronic light sensing devices, also called CCD array. A CCD array shows a small segment of a photograph, called a picture element, or a pixel. The more pixels the more detail in the image.

2)     How can you compose better images?

To compose better images, try leaning towards a camera based around what you want to do with it. This involvles the level of mega pixels. If you were just to email images of view them on a monitor, you would be better off buying a camera with a lower level mega pixel rating, which also means the price is lower. But for a more large print art photography, buying a camera with 8-12+ mega pixels would be best bet.

3)     How do you avoid camera shake?

·         Put the camera on a tripod

·         Higher shutter speed

·         Rest the camera on a surface or an object

4)     How do memory cards work?

A memory card is a storage device, used to upload images onto a computer, for further use. (I.E. editing the photo).

Carrying a few memory cards with you, will ensure that more photo’s can be taken if one if to be filled.

5)     Why do you need to be prepared when going on location?

Being prepared when going on location could insure that you get the photo that you were looking for. This uncludes carrying extra memory cards, as well as extra batteries for the camera, incase it is to run out.

6)     How are images recorded?

Instead of being recorded onto light sensitive paper, digital photos are captured through a CCD array. (an electronic light sensing device). Each part of the CCD array represents a small segment of the photo, called the pixel.

7)     What is Resolution and how is it recorded? What are the differences in recording for print and for web?

When recording for print, using a camera with a higher level of pixels, will give it more of a realistic look, the reason why this isn’t the same with recording for web, is that TV screens and computer monitors will only allow72 pixels per square inch, so no matter how high the resolution of the photo, it will always turn out as 72 pixels per square inch.

8)     What are some of the myths about cameras and resolution?

“The rule of thirds”, where the picture was divided into thirds, horizontally and vertically, and that the centre of interest is placed at the intersections of the lines.

FirstBlog