The last assignment

For our last assignment we are going to put up our best photos, these are going to be the ones that decide what grade we get, allthough the entire blog also something that will be evaluated. We get to choose at least 3 topics we want to upload photos of, in all 8 photos, and then explain what settings I've used and editing and so on.

I have chosen to upload 2 photos each of these topics:
1. Water
2. Architecture
3. Light
4. Optional

All of the photos have been taken using Canon EOS 1100D & Canon EOS 450D

WATER

The idea of both of these photos is to show how the swans feathers interacts with water. The main object is here placed in the middle of the photo and lights up while the rest is darkened, so its definately the focus in the photo. To get all the movements without blurring it out I have used short shutterspeed. I have also edited this photo quite a bit, changing the lighting and putting on a filter called Cinemascope, as you can see. But only to enhance the waves of the water. 

This photo has also been edited, just not as much. The lighing has been altered a bit but I was actually quite lucky with the lighting here. Again with the focus in the middle of the photo and taken using short shutterspeed. This is my favourite. ISO set to auto in both pictures.

ARCHITECTURE 

I think this one is my favourite of the architecture pictures. I like how its so clean, abstract, the balance and the lighting is perfect. This is actually a lamp, but I turned the camera to a dark setting to make sure the picture didn't turn out as bright as it would otherwise. Believe it or not - this picture is not edited! This experience really taught me the meaning of the brightness and darkness setting.

I really like this idea of the stickfigures in one building walking on top of another. It looks like it has some kind of deeper meaning but really it was just a lucky shot, I think. The meaning came afterwards while watching all the photos I had taken that day. If i had to name this photo I would name it something like ''Ignorance'' or something like that because the stickfigures symbolize the black and white bubble we live in while everything is going on around us. I have learned that a simple idea can become something greater. 

LIGHTING

As I've written in earlier posts, this is my favourite light photo. It's so balanced and sterile. The original idea was just to get a longer photo because I have seen how many people have long photos after each other to complete a full photograph. This is only one photo, but again with the simple idea becoming something unexpectedly good. I have edited this slightly to make the light lighter and the dark darker. ISO is set up quite high so that it wouldn't get blurry while holding the camera. 

This one is very interesting. The idea behind this picture was to drastically see the difference of light and darkness. The lighting has been edited and I had to cut out some of the upper right corner and replace is with black to make it completely dark. The photo is equally dark as it is white because of the ''thickness'' of the paper, i think, allthough it may look like its more black. ISO on 1000.

OPTIONAL TOPIC

For the optional topic I have chosen swans because I loved taking pictures of them. 

Portrait of a majestic swan. The white feathers and the beak is in focus. This picture has not been edited, I was lucky with the sun making a warmer appearance. I have my camera set on short shutterspeed to capture the swan in the right moment. In the picture the swan looks calm and mysterious, when in reality it tried to bite me. 

The balance is nice in this photo, the shimmering water on the right and the white coat of fur makes up for the dark colours on the water to the left and the stone wall. The swan is in its typical posture with the neck bent and forming a circular hole for the light to shite through. Again with the short shutterspeed, and no editing on this one either. 

I couldn't decide between the 3 photos, so I threw this in too. Light and darkness has been edited to bring out the feathers more. I do wish I caught the whole reflection of the swan in the water, and that the picture was a bit longer on the top, but again - Lucky shot. Shutterspeed set to short.

Miniature people

We used photoshop again today, and todays topic was miniature people which means we took photos of each other and a ''background'' and eventually scaled down the pictures of us to become tiny people.

To get the first photo out of its background we use a tool called Quick Selection Tool. This will go after the colours and help you to separate the front from the back. If the tool makes any mistakes you can just press ALT and it will move the dotted line thats around your object to the place you want it to be.

To remove your current background just copy your layer and paste it to make two layers. Now you should see a small picture to show what you have left. If you only got a copy of the background you don’t want, you just go back and press Select à Inverse.  

Now that you have your main object cut out you can create another layer and place a new background photo in it.

Remember to put the layer you cut out on the top and the background you want underneath it. If the main objects isn’t the size you want it to be you go to Edit à Transform à Scale

Anything missing? Maybe the hair of a person has become partly lost during the job? Go to Select à Refine Edge. Here you can feather out any harsh edges and bring back lost details. 

Here is my result!