I believe the detail and theme of identity that are within my photographs have come out better than expected.
I am happy with the difference between the edited and unedited photographs, as in most situations the overall connotations change between the two images.
I am happy with how my photographs fit the theme of identity as this is once of the major aspects of the brief, and hence living up to this makes the photographs better for this unit.
Even better if?
My photographs can undergo different editing techniques which could yield better outcomes. For example if some of the images underwent minor edits rather than full scale edits, the image could have possibly come out better.
Some of my photographs could have been taken better at the beginning which would have made it better to edit later on. For example the panorama photograph i took was in less lighting, which meant that more work had to be done in editing later. This wouldn't have been the case should something else have happened.
https://www.limexb360.co.uk/media//backgroundimages/g/a/galaxy-wallpapers-10.jpg - this is where the galaxy background from the 'Abstract' image came from.
https://pixabay.com/static/uploads/photo/2015/03/30/14/17/art-gallery-699429_960_720.jpg - this is the image for the background of my gallery images.
http://www.adamburtonphotography.com - the website for my research on Adam Burton [ LO1 ]
http://duncanphilpott.com - the website for my research on Duncan Philpott [ LO1 ]
http://www.martinparr.com - the website for my research on Martin Parr [ LO1 ] http://www.museums-sheffield.org.uk/museums/millennium-gallery/planning-a-visit/ [ LO1 ]
https://www.smashingmagazine.com/2009/04/the-ultimate-photography-round-up/ - Research on photographic techniques [ LO3 ]
Above is an image I made in Photoshop of how my photographs might look if they were put into a gallery. The descriptions for the images are available in the LO5 Images W/ Descriptions post. The options I might have for showing my photographs are:
putting them into a real-life gallery
putting them online
putting them into a film/slideshow
The best option for me is having the photographs online, as i already have them as PNG and JPEG's and they are also on my Unit 31 blog. It would also be beneficial as i have created a video for my images which is already also on my blog. The video goes through all my photographs and gives descriptions and editing techniques about them. The most difficult option for presenting my photographs would be putting them into a real life gallery, as it would be difficult for a gallery to not only accept my images but it would most likely incur a cost as well to put them there. A gallery could be formed in the UTC Creative exchange however this would be dependant on people coming and viewing your media, which in most cases would be more difficult as it is not widely known about the event happening. I chose my photographs to be online as it is more convenient for me and my viewers, with internet being more widely avaialble to everybody. My photographs tend to use Cropping and Scaling to crop from their default rectangle shape (1920x1080) 16:9 to the 4:3 1000x1000 squares you see above. Cropping is also used on some photographs to allow the centre of interest to be perfectly in the middle. If i was to take my photographs again, I could experiment with chroma key (green screen) or possibly images with text which would allow for some interesting shots.
This video showcases all eight of my final edited photographs, complete with descriptions of the photographs and the techniques I used. It is a more condensed version of all the information below.
Abstract
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Description to go with the Photo
The abstract image shown here is located on Matilda Street heading towards the moor - showing amazing street art. Taken on the 16th October 2015, the image proves identity of a city showing what some people believe is graffiti, to be a work of abstract art. The numerous colours and shapes make the image complete, especially for unlimited potential with editing later on. The image uses the texture technique, but in a different to expected way. For editing the image went through a small stage of editing, with a levels decrease to drop the brightness, and a galaxy texture edition to really bring out the image.
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Description to go with the Photo
The 'Bench of Thought' image seen here was taken in Sheffield and shows what i believe to be an emotional photograph. Taken on 20th February 2016, the image proves identity by showing the emotions / different population of a city. The bench symbolises the richer whilst the cardboard underneath symbolises the poorer. The low angle shot compliments the images meaning by showing the bench towering over the cardboard - how the rich appears to the poor. For editing, the image underwent a saturation increase to make the colours become more visible, and everything except the bench and cardboard were greyed out to draw the viewers attention from the background to the foreground.
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Description to go with the Photo
The 'City Scape' photograph was taken facing away from the amphitheater taken towards Sheffield City Centre - showing the grand size of some of the buildings and the city in general. The photograph was taken on 16th October 2015 and shows identity of a city by literally showing the city. The building in the middle was taken as a centre of interest showing how some buildings tower over others. The editing in this image created an alternative focus point for the image, making it dynamic to where the viewer looks. I started off with a yellow to transparent gradient and then added a lens flare to simulate an artificial sun.
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Description to go with the Photo
The 'Colour Splash' image was taken at the Moor in Sheffield, and photographs Moor bargains although the main focus is on the colour seemingly flowing from the greenery to the manmade structures. Taken on 16th October 2015, the image uses the idea of Sheffield's huge greenery to simulate many different connotations in the one shot. The image uses rule of thirds to position the flowers in the left side of the shot, whilst it flows to the middle. For editing the photograph underwent a Saturation increase on the flowers, and a decrease on the outside area. All excluding the flowers underwent a texture filter as well which creates the unique ripple effect shown on the floor.
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Description to go with the Photo
The curved world panoramic image was taken at the amphitheater above the railway station in Sheffield - and shows the greenery in the foreground and the city in the Background, suggesting greenery before industrialisation (literally). Taken on 16th October 2015, the image uses the panoramic styling to provide a unique approach on what is seemingly a normal image. Hence the name Curved World. The image also uses a centre of interest being either the Sun or huge building, which once again makes the image dynamic as there is more than one focus point. For editing the image only really underwent a brightness increase and a saturation increase, which brings out the colours and makes the image more viewable. The image links to the identity of a city by showing how city life occurs, at all times of the day.
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Description to go with the Photo
The 'Hope' photograph taken here is naturally beautiful and is definitely something that can be seen being in a gallery or framed. It was taken on 8th January 2016 whilst on the train to Sheffield and links to identity by showing the peaceful and tranquil life of the city whilst 'it' is sleeping. The image uses contrast to separate the land and Sky, and even when unedited provides a feeling of new hope, hence the name hope. For editing i increased the saturation of the sky which make the contrast even more apparent, then applied a lens flare to the sun, which finishes the image off.
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Description to go with the Photo
The 'Out of Reach' image was taken in Sheffield, near Bramall Lane - showing the city life 'behind bars' or 'out of reach' hence the name. Taken on 20th February 2016 the photo links to identity by suggesting how some people see a city as being a trapped area, and prefer to live in the country or how somebody wants to be in the City, but can't make it either due to financial or other problems they may be having. The image uses framing as a technique but also depth of field which making the city slightly out of focus. The editing in this image really does change the photograph however. A saturation increase and change in levels to bothe RGB and Blue allowed the image to appear taken at night, which simulates city life all around the night, making the meaning even more apparent for the image.
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Description to go with the Photo
The final photograph i chose was 'Water Splash' and it was taken just outside the station in Sheffield. The frothy white water on the fountains compliments the transparent water beneath it, creating a really spectacular image. The photograph was taken on 20th February 2016 and links to the identity of a city by showing Sheffield to have hidden natural beauty everywhere you look. The image uses centre of interest of the fountain which brings out the whiteness in the fountain even more. For editing the image underwent only a few minor edits, which brought out the true meaning in the photograph. A very small saturation increase differentiated the water and frothy fountain water whilst people and some items where removed to create a cleaner image. Finally a lens flare was added to finish off the cleanliness of the image.
Before taking my unedited photographs, I used LO1 to take inspiration for my shoot. Duncan Philpott, Adam Burton and Martin Parr. Adam Burton in particular takes photographs of landscapes which i tried to pastiche when planning my photographs.
I feel that Adam burton tries to capture the landscapes and settings that i also tried to capture, however my photo shoot was in the city of Sheffield, and Adam focuses mainly on landscape photographs of the countryside, nevertheless the connotations Adam tries to create in his images acted as inspiration for me to try and follow when i planned my shoot. Another aspect of Adams photography i tried to pastiche was the colours he obtained through his photographs. As colour can completely change an image, it was one of the biggest elements i tried to go for in my final shoot.
After viewing these photographers, it really did inspire me to go above and beyond with my final photographs, and hence got me to the level of quality i hope many will enjoy.
The Brief My photographs fit of the identity of Sheffield fit the theme of identity by presenting stories hidden within the photographs. I tried to capture different times and places of the city to really add to the overall view, that can be seen if my images are all viewed together. Superimposing night time allows all times of the day to be portrayed in the city, hence giving the appearance of identity all around the clock. The Millennium Gallery's ethos focuses on the 'greenness' of a city, and hence i have tried to give all views of the city in my final shoot, including lots of photographs consisting of the greenery around Sheffield.
Some key terms about photoshop skills and editing terminology is listed below:
Layers: Layers are part of the photoshop suit and allow separate elements of an object to be 'layered' over one another hence the name layers. These layers work in descending order, with the topmost layer being visible over every other layer. In an example of cutting out a person then changing the background black and white, the selected person would be applied to a higher layer and then black and white would be applied to the background layer. This way elements are kept apart.
Text and image: Text and image is when i photograph contains text within the final edit. This is normally used to give meaning to an image, or to tell the viewer something that they might not get from the photograph e.g the photographer. A watermark would also be an example of this which prevents the image from being copied.
Cropping and scaling: Cropping an image is where you change the original dimensions to some other dimensions. For example a 1920x1080px HD image might need to be square, so could be cropped to 1000x1000px. Scaling is when you change the PPi (pixels per inch) of a certain object or photograph, this tells a printer what size to print out at providing more quality the higher the PPI.
Green screen: A green screen is a plain, high brightness, green background that is normally almost neon green in colour. It is used to allow editors to remove the green sections from the image (as the green for the most part will contrast with the model or prop), once selected the editor can then delete the green to leave a model (or prop) against a transparent background.
I haven't used a green screen or text and image for my photographs as i don't believe they would fit my theme of identity of a city. Green screens are more commonly used to cut out a model, and as i won't be using a model there is no need for one. Text and image won't be used also as i want to leave the meaning of the image to be chosen by the viewer, creating a more dynamic image.
Planning my Editing
My unedited shots are good, but they can be made better with editing in photoshop. For my images i will edit them to fit the theme of identity more and make them different to normal. This allows the viewer to get more inspiration from the same image.
Abstract
This image has been edited a fair bit. I feel the photo benefits from the darkened colours and galaxy like appearance shining through the different shapes of the photograph.
To select the area for the background to go, i used the quick selection tool. On that i pasted the galaxy layer with a purple overlay using the colour overlay tool. Then i used levels on the background to make the background of the image darker.
I edited the photograph this way to preserve the abstract nature to the image, whilst also providing a new twist the the same photograph. This sums up identity by showing that art is universal, even in cities.
I think the image has been enhanced by the edit, creating a photograph that people would look at over and over.
Bench Of Thought
This image has been edited to highlight the main parts of the image, the bench and cardboard underneath. For this is preserved the colour to the bench and turned the background black and white to draw the viewer away from the background.
To select the area, i went around the bench and cardboard using the pen tool, then clicked make selection from the pen selected area. After than i used the refine edge tool to select more of the parts that were cut off by the pen tool and then copied the bench onto the new layer. To make the background black and white i selected the colour overlay tool with a colour of black and a blend mode of overlay.
I edited the photograph this way to enhance the image really making it appear like a thought. The background being black and white also draws the viewer to the bench more, which further promotes the editing technique i chose.
I think the image has been enhanced by the image, especially the bench, which also had a hue/saturation increase to it, making it stand out that bit more.
City Scape
The 'City Scape' image has been edited to make it look more like it was taken in the morning. This really promotes the identity of the city all around the clock (as you will see later). The morning sky enhances the image even more than it did originally, and draws the attention of the viewer to both the artificial sun created and also the centre of interest building in the middle.
To apply this edit, i put a hue/saturation layer over the whole base image to make it look lighter. I then applied a yellow gradient layer on the right side of the image; this made the sun look like it was coming from the right side. Finally i added a large lens flare which artificially acts as the sun.
I edited the photograph this way as i wanted different images all around the clock in sheffield. The other morning photo i took could also be classed as evening so to present the identity of a city all around the clock has more meaning to the image.
I think the image has been enhanced by the edit as it adds more `happiness` to the photograph. This way emotions are perceived better and the city looks a lot nicer.
Colour Splash
The colour splash photograph has a lot of edits done to it. I am extremely happy with how the photo turned out, acting like time has been frozen as the colour flows from the flowers into the seeming colour flushed background.
I began editing this image by selecting the blows and bush using the pen tool, this allowed me to select intricate detail in the image. After selecting this i copied the flowers onto a new layer, then applied a increase in saturation to the image. Finally i toned down the colours in the background using a colour overlay of black with a blend mode of colour, and turned the opacity down to add a bit of colour back, i then applied a { NAME } filter to give the waves appearance of the image.
I edited the photograph this way as i really wanted the main feature of the image to be the flowers, i then thought of the colour splashing into the rest of the image, so decided to go with lowering of the background colour.
I think the image appears better due to the edit as it really does bring the colours out in the image. It enhances the connotations available for the image and overall provides a much more positive vibe towards the image.
Hope
The Hope image really does portray a beautiful sunrise / sunset and the edits just enhance the image. The lens flare looks part of the image and the increased saturation just adds to the natural beauty of the photograph.
I began editing this image by adding a quite large saturation increase to the overall image. Once done i found the sun and added a lens flare on it. I didn't do much editing to this image due to the natural beauty the image had to begin with.
I edited the photo this way to enhance the natural beauty of the original photograph. the lens flare complements the enchanted morning sky; making the image that bit more lovely.
I think the image appears better because of the edit. The lens flare added enhances an already beautiful looking image. and the more colourful sky makes the contrast even more noticeable between the sky and land.
Water Splash
The water splash image has had a lot of behind the scenes edits done to it. The natural beauty of the image has been maintained, whilst different aspects of the image have been moderately changed to produce more of an outcome.
I began editing this photograph by applying the normal hue-saturation overlay as i did with most other photographs. Following this i then proceeded to remove people who were in the background using the spot healing brush / content aware filter. I then modified the colour of the water to be more clear, i did this using a colour overlay tool with a white colour mode and lowered the opacity on this layer. Finally i added a small lens flare to the top right which acts as an artificial sun.
I edited the photo this way to enhance the natural beauty of the original photograph. The removal of people prevents copyright issues, but also makes the image look a lot cleaner, and more natural.
I think the image appears better because of the edit. The lens flare added enhances an already beautiful looking image and the water colour makes the photo look super realistic.
Example of editing my photograph in photoshop.
Firstly i take the base (default) image and then select the Hue/Saturation editing tool using the pop up menu below the layers panel.
Once the menu has popped up i use the second slider to control the saturation of an image. Saturation is the colour in the image and so by increasing it i am making the colours more vibrant and hence more contrasting.
Finally i use the brightness slider to increase the brightness to the default image. This removes the only problem with the unedited image. Finalising the photograph.
Curved World
The curved world photograph has been edited quite a bit. I believe that the edits done to it correct the biggest problem compared to the original image.
I began editing this image by applying a hue/saturation layer to the image, and increasing the brightness of the photo using the brightness slider. After this i applied a levels adjustment to turn the tones of the blues up a bit, creating a more blue sky.
I edited the photo like this as it corrected the only problem with the original photograph (that it was too dark). The blueness of the image really does add another level to the photograph which provides a beautify overlay to the original.
I think the image looks better because of the edit, the brightness of the sky really does finish off the image overall and the lightness adds a new perspective to the previously dark photograph.
Out of reach
The Out Of Reach image has been edited the most out of all my other images. Turning the image from day to night, the edit really does add a different perspective to the previous photograph.
I began editing the photograph using a curves adjustment layer to increase the blues by a lot in the original photograph. Following this i used the RGB curves to lower the overall lightness, until it became how it is above. The photograph then followed a hue/saturation increase which made the building a little bit more bright.
I edited the photo like this as it is the final image of my around the clock theme. This is the night time image and i chose this image to become night as the 'behind bars' style which provides more of a negative positive contrast similar to how night is connoted.
I think the image looks better because of the edit, the night time theme finishes off a rather contrasting photograph.
General Evaluation
I selected these eight images for editing because I feel that they carry the most meaning for a viewer. I also feel that they promote the theme of identity and consist of different photographic techniques. Due to containing the photographic techniques it shows that my photos consist of variety which would attract the viewer. Editing conducted on the images creates a new meaning to previous images which creates a dynamic change.
My photographs before editing do fit the theme of identity, however i believe with the edits finalised it creates a new meaning to the same images. One of my favourite examples is the day to night change on my 'out of reach' photograph which came out better that i would have expected.
If i had more time, i would ensure my photographs were 100% perfect through more in-depth clarity and contrast techniques that would just finalise the image. However i am happy with the turn out of my photo's edited and non-edited, hence would be happy to promote this photography to viewers in a gallery (LO5).
Below are eight images i have taken with the theme of identity. The words in italics are names of the photographs.
Abstract - 16/10/15
This photograph is taken of some of the street art on Matilda street in Sheffield.
I like the colours and the abstractness of the image, which makes it work well.
The photograph would be better if the images were more in depth, with higher saturation etc. Therefore if i was going to take the shot again i would try to get the sun to shine on the area which would provide more colour
The photograph fits the theme of identity of a city by showing different shapes and colours, showing the diversity of the city. The sharp lines also look like roads which interlink at different points.
For this photograph, i used a medium frame with a moderate aperture, this meant the light wouldn't flood the image too much
Bench of Thought - 20/02/16
This photograph is taken of a bench in sheffield.
I like this image as for some reason, it creates the emotion of wealth diversity that occurs in a city. The low angle shot complements this quite a lot.
The photograph could be better if the cardboard had been in a better position, or if i could have got a model sitting on the bench.
The photograph fits the theme of identity by showing the different people who live in a city. The cardboard connotes a poorer persons lifestyle whilst the bench towers above it and shows what wealth can provide.
For the photograph here, i used a low angle shot with a high aperture to let light flood into the lens.
City Scape - 16/10/15
This photograph is taken of the city of Sheffield from a high point above the tram station.
I like this image as it demonstrates the size of Sheffield, and uses the building in the centre as a centre of interest.
The photograph could be better if the sky had been completely blue rather than having harsh grey clouds in.
The photograph fits the theme of identity by showing city life from far away, the centre of interest shows the power of different buildings.
For the photograph, i used the camera on automatic settings with a medium aperture to allow light to flood in.
Colour Splash - 16/10/15
This photograph is taken on the moore at Sheffield.
I like this image as it shows colour escaping from the flowers and into the human created structures around it.
The photograph could be better if the 'moor baragins' shop sign wasn't in the image.
The photo fits the theme of identity by showing Sheffield as a green city with transitions from nature to human created objects everywhere
For the photograph, i used the camera with the automatic focus mode set, and a slightly larger than average aperture to let more light into the lens.
Curved World - 16/10/15
This photograph is taken at the amphitheatre above the Railway Station in Sheffield.
I like this image as it is unique, having it's panoramic lens to create a wide image of Sheffield, showing off the different colours.
The image could have been a bit better if the railings weren't in the image, or it it would have been a bit brighter.
The image fits the theme of identity by once again, showing Sheffield to be a green city. But to also show the scale of Sheffield and trying to pronounce an interpretation to the huge size.
For the photograph, i used the panoramic lens setting on my iPad Air 2 (with has a 12mp iSight lens) on automatic settings.
Hope - 08/01/16
This photograph is taken at the on the train on the way to Sheffield, the area in which it was taken is unknown, but it is of Sheffield.
I like this image due to it being of the morning sunrise, and the yellow colour standing out from the image.
The image could have been a bit better if the ground would have been completely black, which would provide contrast between the sky and ground.
The image fits the theme of identity by showing peace and tranquility, giving a whole new perspective on a normally bustling city connotation.
For this photograph, i used the camera with a low aperture and manual focus. This gave me the ability to precisely control how the shot came out.
Out of reach - 20/02/16
This photograph is taken in the centre of Sheffield
I like this image as it can have two separate meanings, even though both are linked.
The image could have been a bit better if the camera was positioned directly between the bars.
The image fits the theme of identity by showing the City in a totally different perspective. Being 'behind bars' shows the life of how some people feel, with their dreams being out of reach, even though they can see them.
For the photograph i used normal settings but with a low depth of field, to blur out the buildings in the background marginally.
Water Splash - 20/02/16
This photograph is taken of the water fountain just outside of Sheffield Station.
I really like this image as the water seems frothy, which is different to the normal water beneath it.
The image could have been a bit better if the fountain was perfectly in the centre rather than being marginally to the left.
The image fits the theme of identity by showing the natural water 'escaping' into the world, connoting freshness and positivity.
For the photograph, i used the camera on automatic settings but with a manual focus.
This screenshot taken here shows the folders that I have created for LO3. Photos will be placed in their corresponding folders. This is important as it helps keep my photographs organised. It also allows quick access for editing images later on.
To help me organise my photographs even more, i can use Adobe Bridge. A tool which helps identify image properties as well as camera settings. It also allows you to see a clear preview of the image and will also select the most appropriate above program to edit said file in. For me this would be photoshop.
The preview panel displays a preview of the image as well as the file name and extension.
The metadata panel and properties help me identify the camera settings used and the properties of the file should i need to use them later on.
