Digital photography and imaging - Task 1

28/3/2022 - 29/4/2022 - week 1 - week 5

Lee Yan Xu 0347696

Digital Photography and Imaging / Bachelor of Design in Creative Media

Topic 1: Introduction of digital photography and imaging

Topic 2: Introduction of composition

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Lectures

Topic 1 - Introduction of digital photography and imaging

Why you need to learn photoshop

• Express your creativity
• Create graphic design
• Restoration of the old images
• Integrate graphics with text artistically
• Making use of brushes
• Change the colour of images
• Rectify the mistakes in the photograph

Photograph manipulated with negative

• Photographers combined multiple images on one negative, captivating the curiosity and creativity of photographers dating back to the1850s.

• Photograph manipulation involves the transformation or alteration of a photograph using various methods and techniques to achieve desired results.
• Australian photographer Frank Hurley formed this composite photograph from three original negatives of World War I Belgium.
• Goebbels family portrait photo in which the visage of the uniformed Harald, who was actually away on military duties, was inserted and retouched.

What is digital imaging?

Fig 1, What is digital imaging

The 10 tips for successful graphic design

• Follow the tutorials
• Experiment
• Memorize all keyboard shortcuts
• Try to replicate others' work
• To participate in design competitions
• Subscribe to online galleries
• Smart objects fr smart designers
• Scaling artworks and proportions
• Use actions to personalize
• Organize the files properly

Summary

Photoshop has become a center of creativity for all domains whether it is graphic designing, web designing, animation, photography, or digital magazine designing. It’s being considered one of the most widely used photo editing software. Adobe Photoshop is an incredible tool to use for graphic design but there is a lot to learn for beginners and always more for those who are experienced. Besides all of the information and free tutorials on the Internet, in order to make a better future one needs better guidance and support.

Topic 2 - Introduction of composition

Introduction to basic composition

1. Focal Point

A key element to any good composition is a strong focal point, as it helps your viewers’ eyes naturally settle on the important pieces of your design first.

Fig 2, focal point

2. Scale & hierarchy

Scale is often used to help communicate hierarchy by drawing attention toward and away from certain elements, thus signifying their importance to the communication.

Fig 3, Scale & hierarchy

3. Balance the elements

A good technique for mastering asymmetrical balance is to think of each element as having a ‘weight’ to it. Smaller objects might ‘weigh’ less than larger objects, and heavily textured elements might ‘weigh’ more than flatly colored elements.

Fig 4, Balance the elements

4. White space

White space is mostly known as “empty space” to balance up the main focus of a composition. White space when used strategically can help boost your design's clarity and overall look by balancing out the more complicated and busy parts of your composition with space that helps your design to breathe.

Fig 3 & 4, White space 1 & 2

Rules of Third 

The Rule of Thirds is the process of dividing an image into thirds, using two horizontal and two vertical lines. This imaginary grid yields nine parts with four intersection points. 

Fig 5, Rules of Third 2

When you position the most important elements of your image at these intersection points, you produce a much more natural image. It is also suggested that any horizon is placed on either the top horizontal line or the bottom horizontal line.

Fig 6, Rules of Third 3 

Fig 7, Rules of Third 4 

Fig 8, Rules of Third 5

Fig 9, Rules of Third 6

Fig 10, Rules of Third 7

The Rule of Thirds is a way to: 

• Use composition techniques that are in line with what’s naturally
• pleasing to the eye.
• Creatively use negative space.
• Create a conversation between the subject and background.

Fig 11, Rules of Third 8

Fig 12 & 13, Rules of Third 9 & 10

Golden Ratio

The Golden Ratio is a mathematical ratio. It is commonly found in nature, and when used in a design, it fosters organic and natural-looking compositions that are aesthetically pleasing to the eye.

Fig 14, Golden Ratio 1

In design, the Golden Ratio boils down to aesthetics — creating and appreciating a sense of beauty through harmony and proportion. When applied to design, the Golden Ratio provides a sense of artistry.

Fig 15, Golden Ratio 2

The Golden Ratio is a useful guideline for determining the dimensions of the layout. One very simple way to apply the Golden Ratio is to set your dimensions to 1:1.618

Fig 16, Golden Ratio 3

Fig 17, Golden Ratio 4

Fig 18, Golden Ratio 5

Fig 19, Golden Ratio 6

Fig 20, Golden Ratio 7

Fig 21 & 22, Golden Ratio 8 & 9

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Instruction

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Exercise - Collage

In this exercise, we are able to use any materials from any books. We can cut off any picture from any book and combine all of them together to become a new image. Here are some of my ideas.

Fig 23, Idea 1

Fig 24, Idea 2

Fig 25, Idea 3

Fig 26, Final decision for collage

Exercise - Digital Collage

For digital collage, Mr. Fauzi has given us a file we have to use the picture in the file to make a collage in photoshop.

Fig 27, Idea 1

Fig 28, Idea 2

Fig 29, Idea 3

Fig 30, Final decision for digital collage

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Reflection

I am really happy with this exercise and it is really interesting. I am still learning to fully control photoshop so I think I need to spend more time training how to use it. Other than that, photoshop also taught me how to be patient coz I have to be very careful while using it. I am also very grateful to my friends and my tutor to teach me so patiently.