DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY AND IMAGING: Week 3

DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY AND IMAGING: Week 3

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Irdhina binti Mazli Sham (0366894)

Digital Photography and Imaging - Bachelor of Design in Creative Media - Taylors University

Lecture | Tutorial | Practical [WEEK 3]

LECTURE

INTRODUCTION TO PHOTOSHOP

• Selection, Layering
• Tool Box
• Marquee Selection Tools - Select and Mask
• Lasso Tool (L) - draw and pinpoint specific areas
• Lasso
• Polygonal Lasso
• Magnetic Lasso - detect edges (pixels) to get specific parts
• Pen Tool (P)
• fewer points, smoother path
• Variation:
• straight
• U shaped
• simple S curve
• complex S curve
• practice using Bézier Game
• Layering
• for non-destructive editing
• different blending modes (multiply, add, linear light etc)
• FOLLOW PHOTOSHOP TUTORIALS (IG) - <45 sec videos

EXERCISES [TUTORIAL/PRACTICAL]

FINAL PHYSICAL COLLAGE COMPOSITION

Following last week's exercise of composing three physical collage, Mr. Hafiz helped to choose and improve one for the final composition. In my case, the third composition was initially chosen but with added components to give an air of playfulness. 

FEEDBACK: I should avoid darker elements, in a literal and figurative sense. Add more playfulness in my work.

Fig. 1.1. Initial to improved composition (12.10.2024)

INTERPRETATION: 

• Modern retellings of ancient stories with creative liberties taken.
• Sanitisation (or sugarcoating) of an otherwise darker story/tale/character. (ex. Zeus, Hades, Poseidon etc)

FINAL COMPOSITION:

I ended up changing the composition entirely using a similar base to the second composition, which featured three monkeys set up to look bigger than they actually are through the use of smaller cutouts of caves and people. Additional elements were added, particularly the three 'suns' as well as the three stacked rocks to point towards common use of the number three in folklore such as:

• Three gifts from East of the Sun, West of the Moon.
• Three nights spent in the enchanted castle from The Story of the Youth Who Went Forth to Learn What Fear Was.
• Three temptations/hunts/blows from Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.

Fig. 1.2. Final composition of physical collage (12.10.2024)

DIGITAL COLLAGE COMPOSITIONS [PHOTOSHOP]

Similar to the physical collages, Mr. Fauzi had us compose three collages on Photoshop that would later have one chosen as the final. I decided to use some of the images as essentially cookie cutters on several textures provided. This managed to create some interesting effects that I desired on my collages.

Fig. 1.3. first composition of digital collage (21.10.2024)

Fig. 1.4. second composition of digital collage (21.10.2024)

Fig. 1.5. third composition of digital collage (21.10.2024)

REFLECTION

We started learning how to use the basics for Photoshop. So far, it feels quite similar to other drawing applications with its terminology and keyboard shortcuts that I am familiar with.