Amy-Lee Borland

Photography Student - NC1C | 21

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Research Task 1 - Portfolio

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21st Century Digital Manipulation Techniques - Skin Retouching

STEP 1;

After opening your selected image, select the patch tool and circle the area you want to change.

STEP 2;

Then move the selected area to a non affected area that you want to replace it with.

BEFORE

AFTER

EVALUATION

While carrying out some research into this task, I thought it would be more difficult than it actually was. I really found this to be quite a simple method and for that reason I feel it is a really good feature to be able to use within Adobe Photoshop. This method is handy for speedily replacing uneven patches of skin tones or blemishes, which is what I have done in the above images. The changes I have made to the image are subtle but I have evened out the skin tone and I have taken away a few blemishes on the chin and the cheek area.

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PHOTO MERGING

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21st Century Digital Manipulation Techniques - Photo merging

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Digitally recreating the daguerreotype

STEP 1;

I opened up the image I wished to use to recreate the daguerreotype.

STEP 2;

I used this youtube video by Blue Lightening TV Photoshop as a guide to help me through the process. Within this video, the creator provided a link to some daguerreotype templates for Photoshop.

STEP 3;

After opening the link, I proceeded to download the daguerreotype template.

STEP 4;

I then rotated the image clockwise so that it was portrait orientation, due to my chosen image being portrait orientation.

STEP 5;

I then dragged my portrait onto the same screen as the daguerreotype template.

STEP 6;

I then added a black and white adjustment layer

STEP 7;

The preset used for my black and white adjustment layer was high contrast blue filter

STEP 8;

I then merged my layers together

STEP 9;

I changed the blending mode for the basic daguerreotype layer to soft light.

STEP 10;

The opacity for this layer was set to 29%

STEP 11;

The opacity for the scratched layer was set to 45%

STEP 12;

FINISHED IMAGE

EVALUATION

I enjoyed doing this process as during my time spent researching the daguerreotype process, I became really interested in daguerreotypes. I found them to be extremely intriguing as it was among the first type of photographs to be recorded. As well as the technicality of the original process, I enjoyed the visual affect of them, so I enjoyed digitally recreating this process using techniques that others have discovered through their research. 

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Portfolio

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PORTFOLIO RESEARCH AND PLANNING

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MY PORTFOLIO IMAGES (7-12)

IMAGE 7

I included this image in my portfolio as I felt it was a successful macro shot. There is good sharp focus on the centre of the flower. Macro photography is an area which I haven’t always been confident with as I don’t have much experience in it. I found my experience shooting macro images to be a bit of a challenge but overall, I am happy enough with the outcome and thus resulting in me including this image in my portfolio.

IMAGE 8

This image has been included in my portfolio as it represents home for me, being shot down the beach where I am from. This image was taken as part of a brief for my creative image making class - Home - where we were to photograph things that represented home for us. I am happy with this image as there is a beautiful reflection in the little pool in the sand and the colours in the sky are so soft and beautiful. I like how the moon in the corner of the image is a subtle little detail but makes a difference to the image.

IMAGE 9

This image is one of my favourites. It was shot on the ferry from Ardrossan to Brodick. I love the way the waves create an atmosphere and show an accurate representation of the weather that day. This image is only made up of blue and white tones so gives a cold feel to it, but the texture in the image is enticing to me. Sometimes nature is one of the most beautiful and wonderful things to photograph because the things that happen are out of our control.

IMAGE 10

Again with this image, it was shot in Brodick on the Isle of Arran. I was over here shooting for my reportage project so got a lot of good and interesting images. This house was one I found on my journey around the island. It is made from wood and was built in 1938. I loved the rustic appearance of this house and felt it would make for a lovely image. The second image is of a little wooden carving that was on the handrail of the outer staircase. I thought it looked really interesting how over time it had aged. Throughout the house, there was carvings on all of the staircase handrails. 

IMAGE 11

I really love this image as the people within it have no idea it is being taken. This was taken whilst I was having a picnic with my partner and it began to rain. When I was walking to put some rubbish in the bin, I noticed this couple having their lunch under an umbrella and they had a dog under the table with them. I just thought it was a nice moment to capture. My favourite type of images to capture are the ones that people are unaware of. It captures a true moment and I felt this was worthy of my portfolio as it gives an insight to the day of strangers.

IMAGE 12

This is another one of my favourite images from my portfolio. I love how each flower in this image has a unique appearance. I feel that all of the flowers are well lit and have a good depth of field. The shallow depth of field allows the flowers to stand out more, drawing your attention in to them. The flowers from this image are all also in the above image, if you draw your eye to the flower pot area just next to the couple.

POST PRODUCTION AND PREPARATION 

Each of these images are carefully placed on an A3 white canvas, ready for print. I have ensured that each image is lined up identically at the edges of the canvas so that my images have a smoother flow when looking through them. Images 9, 10, and 12 have more than one image on their canvas. 9 and 10 are in the form of diptychs, which just means two images together on a page, while 12 is a triptych, meaning three images together on a page. Each image is also outlined with a 3px stroke line, done in photoshop. This just separates the more from the canvas, allowing it to stand out more and make the background more of a background and less a part of the image. 

For my optimisation stage before placing them on their canvases, I done basic optimisation consisting of; cropping, correcting my curves etc. I also done output sharpening on each image as when they are printed, they lose a bit of their sharpness so this way I could ensure that they would still be sharp after I printed them. I also added the previously mentioned 3px stroke line during this stage.

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20th Century - Film Types and Formats

For this task, I was to use my Adobe Spark that I previously created on Ilford XP2 35mm to digitally recreate the look of this film type. I will insert below a step by step on how I done this using screenshots and descriptions. 

STEP 1

To start with, I chose a frontal lighting portrait, due to the even amount of lighting in the image, I felt it was a good one to work with.

STEP 2

I then added a black and white filter to the image, adjusting the red, green, and blue channels accordingly so to achieve the same affect as Ilford XP2 film. Red - 21 Green - 32 Blue - 47. I found these channel mixer recipes when researching, which can be found on my previous Adobe Spark.

STEP 3

After applying the channel mixers to my black and white filter, this is what the image looked like.

STEP 4

I then proceeded to add noise onto my image, giving it an authentic film appearance. 

STEP 5

These were the settings I used when adding noise, so to only add a subtle amount, without overdoing it.

STEP 6

This is how the image looks with the added noise.

STEP 7

I then saved my image as a PSD, Saving with all the layers.

STEP 8

This is the settings I used to save my image for print.

STEP 9

These are the settings I used to save my image for web.

EVALUATION

I feel that for using this technique, I got on pretty well as I had done good research beforehand. I feel that by doing my step by step guide here, I will be able to successfully complete this process again with no issues due to it being well explained and pictured. I liked the final outcome of this process as it looked like an authentic film print. I enjoyed learning about this process as it’s always fun to learn how to do new things to make your images different.

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Ilford XP2 - 35mm

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Before & After Optimisation

For my final images of block one, I have below the original and optimised files.

PANNING (1)

BEFORE

AFTER

I decided to optimise this image in the way that I did because I felt it could do with some increased contrast, as the image seemed a little faded. I feel that by making the changes that I made, the cyclist stands out more in the image, which is good as he is the key focus of my image. 

PANNING (2)

BEFORE

AFTER

In this panning image, I decided to go for a tighter crop during my optimisation process, as there was too much excess space in the image - in my opinion. I also created a little more contrast in this one - however, not as much as I did with my first panning image. 

PORTRAIT (1)

BEFORE

AFTER

In this image, there is a slight subtle difference in the exposure. It has been brought down a little touch in the after image, giving some more detail and depth to the skin, as the original image was slightly overexposed, and this took away from some of the detail of the sitters face. I have also used the dropper in my levels to set my black and white points, giving more contrast between the tones in my image.

PORTRAIT (2)

BEFORE

AFTER

In this portrait, I have done the opposite of my previous portrait, and I have slightly increased the exposure in this one, so to show more of a contrast between the dark and light side of his face, caused by the side lighting.

STILL LIFE (1)

BEFORE

AFTER

For optimising this image, I have chosen to increase the contrast of the image, allowing the vibrant green of the apple to stand out more against the black background as I feel you didn't get the same affect when it was less vibrant. I also increased the exposure a little as without doing so, the contrast increase looked a little fake, so increasing the exposure a little worked hand in hand. 

STILL LIFE (2)

BEFORE

AFTER

I have slightly increased exposures in this image, bringing out more detail in the leaves and the pumpkin. I have also changed the levels slightly and corrected the white balance, so there wasn't as much of an orange colour cast in the image.

DEPTH OF FIELD

BEFORE

AFTER

In this image, the contrast and exposure have been corrected, and I feel that by doing this, it brings the image more to life. It makes the flower pop from the background, rather than looking flat and blending in more with the background. 

FOCAL LENGTH (1)

BEFORE

AFTER

To give this image a little more colour, the levels have been changed and the saturation was put up by a small fraction. This just brought more of a vibrant appearance to the image. This allowed the image to have a bit of a ‘pop’, making the grass stand out, along with the tree trunk.

FOCAL LENGTH (2)

BEFORE

AFTER

This image didn't require much optimising, so I only made slight adjustments such as; correcting the exposure to brighten up darker areas of the image. 

PINHOLE

BEFORE

AFTER

For this pinhole image, I increased contrast, to bring more attention to the colourful light in the image.

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Monochrome Project

For our look into a monochrome project, we looked at factors such as line, shape, pattern, and texture. I will insert below some examples of each.

LINE

https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/license/83314262

https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/license/688943559

https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/license/617505510

SHAPE

https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/license/843012236

https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/license/743697863

https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/license/699087472

PATTERN

https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/license/854218614

https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/license/576714695

https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/license/492642407

TEXTURE

https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/license/683813803

https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/license/691133505

https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/license/643208648

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Portfolio Building - Part 2

Today in class, we brought in our printed portfolio options, and laid them out ready for review. 

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Contact Sheet - Portfolio Building 

As a follow on from collating our chosen portfolio images in a folder, we printed them on contact sheets with six images per page; we then went round other people’s contact sheets, marking up which ones we felt we liked best. This allowed us to gather other people’s opinions on our work.

[amyleeborland]

Portfolio Building - Part 1

As a start to us building our portfolios, we collated images into a folder, these would then later be printed in the form of contact sheets, allowing others to review our images and assist us in deciding which ones were worthy of our portfolio.

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Dodging and Burning

Today in our imaging class, we learned how to use dodging and burning in photoshop. Dodging and burning technique originated in the darkroom and how now we can digitally recreate this technique using tools in photoshop. 

BEFORE BURNING AND DODGING

AFTER BURNING AND DODGING

You can see from the subtle differences in the above images, that I have created deeper shadows in certain places of the face such as the nose, cheekbones, and sides of the forehead and lightened the areas such as under the eyes, the bridge of the nose, and the whites of the eyes. This creates more depth to the image and gives the face more structure.

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Portfolio Building Part 2

Printing our 6x4s

Today in our research class, we began to narrow down our portfolio images. We had contact sheets created where we had six images to a page and after they had been reviewed and rated by other people to help us get new opinions, rather than having to rate our own work. From this, including new things we have shot, we will collect our best 40 odd original files and print them as 6x4s and bring them into class next Monday.

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Tradeston: A Touching Display

Last week, we visited The Lighthouse as they were doing a display by Alastair Jackson, named Tradeson: A Touching Display. 

The images in this exhibition were shot using a DSLR camera, and then some were edited into black and white, then printed and mounted onto a foamboard backing. In the image I have chosen as my favourite [first image], you can see the state of poverty and mess within Tradeston. Everything in the image is a bit of a mess, which is a good reflection of the area in which the images were shot. There is a lot of rubbish and stuff within the image, however there is no sign of life within the image; showing the abandonment of the area. The photographers viewpoint is equal to the image, allowing you to feel that you are experiencing the scene exactly how other people do, without you appearing inferior or superior. The photo is shot in natural lighting due to it being outside. The image has been converted into black and white, giving the feel of the lack of colour and life within the area; which makes it seem dark and eerie. If the work was in colour, I think it would give a slightly more light hearted feel due to the colourful graffiti within the scene. I feel that with this exhibition, the photographer is trying to display the terrible way in which some of our community are living, despite our country being such a rich country. It’s rather disgraceful how some of our own community are being forced to live, in such poor conditions; which makes the viewer of the exhibition feel a bit saddened. A lot of people are ignorant to the situation our community is in, but this opens your eyes to it. 

I wasn’t a fan of how the exhibition was laid out. The images were very small and because it was on a window, with the bright sunlight shining in from behind, it was difficult to actually see the images. I understand that the photographer has likely done this because it makes it more intimate due to how close you must get to the images, forcing you to intake more detail. 

Overall, I do like this exhibition and think that the images are effective and hit a subject that is often brushed off by people.