Photoshop: Blur Tool and Sharpen Tool

We began using the Blur tool and Sharpen tool . Here are some examples of what I produced.

Both tools together can alter the depth of field. This is what there are primarily used for.



Before

After



Before




After



 

 

 

Blur Tool: (Size - 215px/Strength  - 85%)   used to blur the selected are of an image.

 

This was very easy to use and could be quite useful to those who need it.

Sharpen Tool: (Size - 46px/Strength - 50%) Used to give a selected image more focus.

This was difficult to use as we where told to use it sparingly, this meant I could not see much  progress for a while. This  requires  a bit more effort than the blur tool but I believe it can still be useful.

Here Is another image a chose myself.

Before

After



Photoshop: Spot Healing Tool, Healing Brush & Patch Tool (unfinished)

For this lesson we used the following tools

Spot Healing Brush Tool (J)

Healing Brush Tool (J hold down left mouse button)

Patch Tool (J hold down left mouse button)

The Spot Healing tool works like an eraser. Once an area has been highlighted the tool finds another point of the photograph nearby and it  to covers up the part you want erased with this nearby part. 

The Patch tool is more manual. first you circle the part you want erased (like the lasso tool) the you find the part you want it covered up once selected the system do the rest. 

The healing brush tool is a little more complicated to deal with. First you hold ALT then click on a part you want to cover up the parts you doesn’t want then you paste that part up where ever you want it. 

My feelings on these tools are below. 

Bird: 

On this photograph I used the Spot healing tool and the Patch tool. 

Here is the before and after 

Before

After

Comments: 

The spot healing tool is not perfect but it is useful if you want something quickly erased. I suggest using it on portraits like it was designed for.

The patch tool works better with this photo because it has a lot of backgrounds further comments on the patch tool are on my next photo.

Brick Wall:  

On this photograph I used the patch tool and the healing brush tool. 

Here is the before and after 

Before

After

Comments: 

The Patch tool is a little harder to work with on more detailed pictures like this. It takes a little more work but with patience you can still use this tool effectively.   

The Healing Brush tool is quite frustrating. To get it to work effectively it needs to be reset with a different patch every time you use it and it also needs work after to eliminate the shadows you might   encounter. More work goes into setting it up and fixing its damages to the photo then it does fixing the photo so I do not like this tool. 

Photoshop: Basics (unfinished)

We are now learning about Photoshop.

Here is my First Assignment and the pictures I used for it.

Picture 1 - Bag of Sugar

Final Picture - "Sugar Flavored Sugar" 

Picture 2 -  Alan Sugar

Here are the tools I  used for this assignment.

Lasso = L key
Quickmask = Q key
Modify the edge of selection  = Select/Modify/Expand
Turn the selection into a layer= cmd/ctrl J
Move the Layer to another Photo= Move tool =V key drag to another photo
Scale the layer= cmd/ctrl T
Copy the Layer= cmd/ctrl J




Here is a detailed analysis of each tool.


 * Lasso - the lasso tool is used to circle a section of the photograph. Its good for highlighting specific parts but uses the mouse which can allow for some easy mistakes if not careful.
* Quickmask - allows you to look at the photograph a little differently

Fashion Photography (unfinished)

 In this post I answer the following questions about fashion photography, enjoy!

1. When is an image a portrait?

It is a portrait when the camera is aimed from the shoulders up and all other variables (lighting, etc.) all focused on the head and neck. 

2. When is it a fashion photograph?

It is a fashion photograph when the clothes are the main point of interest. The photos are taken at a wider perspective and a lot of detail is taken in. some work goes towards the face of the model. But the clothes come first.

3. How much did the film manipulate the photos they took? 

In the film, almost every single variation of manipulation is taken into consideration. It’s understandable because they have a lot of weight when it comes to selling magazines.

4. To what degree should an image be manipulated to go into a fashion magazine? 

The line is drawn once the models features are compromised (mainly in Photoshop)

The clothes should be the centre of attention. I once went so far to state that models should be the last things the magazine should be worried about. But it was pointed out to be that the models give the magazine more life then if it was just clothes on a manikin for example The models should be completely gone, but lowered in priority. All other variations of manipulation that don't feature the model should remain unchanged.

Question 4 -  Example 

5. Is there a clash between the creative and commercial side of fashion photography? 

a) What clashes occur in the film between the creative and commercial? 

The "editing room" is where most of the clashes take place. The min purpose of the argument is what does the audience want to see and what world make the company money.

b) Who wins? 

At the end of the day the money makes the world go round so commercial wins most of the arguments (for the moment) 

c) Do you agree? Why? 

No. Creative ideas is what I believe made the fashion industry famous in the first place the modern fashion industry should nor try to bite the hand that feeds them. 

Portraiture:- Introduction + Diane Arbus & Tony Vaccaro (unfinished)

What is Portraiture
Portraiture is simply portraits with photography, while that sounds simple enough there are several different rules to portraits and portraiture then most people think. Like when the photo can be taken? who can have there photo taken? how-where-why, finally who was in charge of the final product and how was it supposed to be viewed?

Before Photography the rules of portraiture was very bare-bones. Portraits  where always painted of important people and most still are (with cameras instead). Whether its the queen a well-known celebrity or just a wealthy person, they had portraits done by artist for a price. The Artist would have no control and it would have been of them at there best in a location of there choice plus the model would then choose what would have happened to it.

Taking Control - Diane Arbus

Diane Arbus was one of the few famous photographers that challenged these rules and revolutionised our interest in them. She took pictures of what she wanted to see. This seemed a good idea and some of most famous pictures was because of this (Matthaei Family) this is a good example because of its history and what  she noticed about the clients behind it.  however her view of the world was quite dark and it never changed.


Decisive Moment - Tony Vacarro
Tony Vaccaro was another photographer who revolutionised portraiture but in a different way. After the war (see war photography) Tony took photographs of celebrities who where quite vague and appeared so, this was changed however and Tony's appointment with Picasso is a good example. On the day that he was going to take his picture Picasso showed a various style of poses. Tony saw an opportunity with this and lied to Picasso saying that the camera had broke. Once Picasso dropped his guard and revealed a different side of him Tony Vacarro used the decisive moment and took his picture.

Diane vs Tony
Diane's and Tony's style of portraiture was quite similar, they both wanted to change the way portraiture was treated. but Diane was a more interested in her own vision more then Tony. he was more interested in revealing what the model was hiding.  Even then it sound quite similar, I guess there main difference was there purpose for taking them. Diane's reason was to reveal hidden mysteries, and tony did it for his career.

Final verdict

Portraiture has been revolutionised by photography, It still has meant similarities but the important questions (who controls the final product?) have been changed forever Now you know why.



 
Photo Examples










 

Comparing War Photo to War Video with Eddie Adams (unfinished)

In this post I will be comparing a war photo by Eddie Adams and a war video about the very photo here is the example

The Execution - Eddie Adams (1968)

 The Photo
 The war photo was revolutionary in the eyes of Americans, this photo showed them that this was not the way they wanted the world to be run. Eddie Adams  realised  just as America and even I realised that without this photo we would've never of known that this was happening  Compared to the video that during that time could only be seen a few times. a photo could be seen forever.

The Video 
This  video wasn't well shot and you couldn't mostly see the situation.  but if it was i believe i would've been more shocking than the photo. the video would've shown the whole situation and therefore bring more of an impact then a common photo even one with this level of fame. since it wasn't  I was lucky to find out that this video also includes interviews with Eddie Adams  and other telling me about there reactions with the photo and the video and this brought the video back into argument.

Final Verdict

My final opinion of the event was indeed a common one.  i was indeed shocked, i was appalled by the events during that time but as for the way  i and other people found out. every one saw the photos and quite a lot saw the videos but not as much. Now-a-days videos would be more popular because they would be more  shocking because most would show a lot more depth of the situation. much better than a photo could.   for back then though with photos being more popular and the poor quality of the video i would say that photos would outweigh video.  but for a final opinion to end i would say.


Videos are good for finding out about the situation first hand photos are good for reminding you of the event  in the future.

War Photography (unfinished)

Introduction
Robert Capa and Tony Vaccaro where photographers during World war II. For very similar jobs there work was very different. This post will explain there differences and how this separated there work form each other. Finally i will tell you if there photos where accurate to the times of war.

Who did they work for? 

Robert Capa Worked Life Magazine, and Tony was a Private GI.  (Robert took a Leica into battle whereas Tony was asked to take a generic camera  however they have severe delay in taking the picture he took his own personal camera. the Argos C3

How did this affect there work?

Robart Capa had complete freedom to enter and exit battles. although he was most likely told what photos he was allowed to take, He was still able to get well-timed shots. Tony however being a GI he had to follow the soldiers wherever they went and he had to fight first take photos later. This really affected there photographs.  Even though Robert had a lot of freedom during he time of war he still had difficulty when it came to development.  with the deadline at hand he had to develop his photos quickly. So someone decided to take them to a heating room witch is unprofessional due to the possibility of the photos melting. unfortunately this is what happens and he lost a significant number of the photos. Tony also had a hard time developing his photos even though he still had them all. the process involved him creating the chemicals himself therefore he had to act the whole development process and all during warfare. and to put the cherry on top of all this bad news related to tony Vaccaro, most of his photos where confiscated due to the disturbing images that he took.


Where there photos accurate/true to the times of war?

I have no doubt that Tony Vaccaro had accurate photographs but Robert Capa in particular i have doubts for.  With his fame for war photography, his view of war as "romantic" and even one of his own photos. rumors went around that some of his photos being forgery's. However there no prof of this. going back to their perspectives of war Tony  had a very dark and practically true perspective of war with this and no direct guidelines of what to take this is why i think his photos are the most true. I'm not doubting Robert's work it just with his specific guidlines and his Romantic Perspective plus his freedom to take what he wants thoughts do appear.


Photos:

Robert Capa Example A

Tony Vaccaro Example A

Leica

Augus C3

My Final Thoughts:


Tony Vaccaro had a much tougher time during the war then Robert Capa, even though his perspective of war is a little bit more human. Robart Capa did have a following behind him whitch might not make him a great person, but this power came at hand when it came to his job.

Photo Journalism (unfinished)

Henri Cartier-Bresson
Himself 

• Photojournalism -  I shall explain what it is by answering these questions about this photographer. 

  
Henri Cartier-Bresson -

• 1. Why is he famous?
• 2. Why is his work significant in Photojournalism? 
• 3. Find and upload to your blog some work of theirs
• 4. What Camera/Technique did he use?
• 5. What is the decisive moment? 
• 6. How does the camera make it happen? 

1. Henri Cartier-Bresson is famous for requisitioning photography with his decisive moment technique. 

2. Because  he was one of the first people to use this type of camera and techniques for photojournalism

3.  Examples in Blog 

4.Henri Cartier-Bresson used  Leica M3 Camera  with a 50mm collapsible Summicron lens.  The Decisive Moment was the technique he used. 

5.  The Decisive Moment is a technique in photography that is used by a taking a picture where 95% of the photo is created by the photographer and the remaining 5% is decided by fate. To create this shot 

the photographer place his camera where he is happy with most of the photo this location has to be almost a photo within it self, great  angle and location. and then selects where he will allow something to enter the photo and wait for the right moment. 

6. The Camera makes it possible for three reasons

 a) The shutter speed is accurate enough to take fast shots 

 b) The Camera is mall enough for him to take it anywhere with him. thus he is always ready. 

 c) The view finder is to the far left side of  the camera, giving him the ability to see the world through the camera and with his own eye at the same time. therefore granting him the freedom to time his shot far more accurately then modern day photography. 

Photo Examples 

Question 6.C Example 

Question 4 example 

Question 3 - Example 3

Question 3 - Example 2 

Question 3 -  Example 1 

Welcome to My Blog! (unfinished)

Hello new readers, Welcome to my Photography Blog for my Level 3 Creative Media Course. over the next year i will be posting any Photography work and Assignments  right here. to just say a little about myself  My preferred style of Photography is basic Portraits and taking photos at events. I usually take a photo with my Windows Phone if not a  professional camera. I believe at the end of this year this will be fantastic blog to read enjoy.

My Windows Phone