Digital Photography and Imaging | Project 2: Photoshop Exercises

6/11/2023 - 3/12/2023 (Week 7 - Week 10)
Yong Zhen Xing - 0359473
Digital Photography and Imaging - Bachelor of Design (Honours) in Creative Media / Taylor's University
Project 2 / Photoshop Exercises

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Contents :

1. Project 2A
        1.1 Photo Manipulation 1
                Outcome

        1.2 Photo Manipulation 2
                Outcome

2. Project 2B
        2.1 Initial Planning/References
                Idea 1
                Idea 2
                Idea 3
                Idea 4

        2.2 Process
                Outcome

3. Final Outcome

4. Reflection

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Project 2A :
This exercise was split into 2 parts which is photo manipulation 1 where I need to follow the video to create double exposure and photo manipulation 2 where I needed to do a double exposure about myself.

Photo Manipulation 1 :
First, I started by selecting the rough shape of the subject then masking it out using the refined edge brush tool and brush tool.

 
fig 1.1, Masking using Refining Edge Tool (10/11/2023)

Then I changed the background to a solid colour.

fig 1.2, Solid Background Colour (10/11/2023)

Next was adjusting the curves to a 'S' shape so the lighting looks more natural.

fig 1.3, Adding Curves for Lighting (10/11/2023)

After finishing the subject, this is where the photo manipulation comes in. I first position the forest around the head and then masked it on the head.

fig 1.4, Overlaying Forest Image (10/11/2023)

fig 1.5, Creating Clipping Mask (10/11/2023)

I used the eye dropper to make the background the same colour as the head silhouette and then unmasked a part of the face.

fig 1.6, Making the Background colour the same (10/11/2023)

fig 1.7, Unmasking the Face (10/11/2023)

Then I duplicated the forest image, flipped it vertically and put it on the bottom part of the subject.

fig 1.8, Duplicating the Image (10/11/2023)

For the final details, I added some bird with a darken blending mode so that its background would not be shown.

fig 1.9, Adding Birds (10/11/2023)

fig 1.10, Blending mode to Darken (10/11/2023)

I also added clouds. In this part, the cloud contrast was a bit too much, so I grouped the cloud and lowered the levels of the image.

fig 1.11, Adding Clouds (10/11/2023)

fig 1.12, Adding Levels (10/11/2023)

Lastly, I added a gradient map to give the image more emotion and meaning. I tried many different variations before finding the most suitable one.

fig 1.13, Adding Gradient Map (10/11/2023)

Here, I also refined the masking of the head to make the transition to the forest seem more natural.

fig 1.14, Refining Details (10/11/2023)

Outcome 1 :
The image below shows the final image after doing photo manipulation!

fig 1.15, Double Exposure 1 Outcome (10/11/2023)

 

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Photo Manipulation 2 :

In this second part of the exercise, we needed to now do a photo manipulation of ourselves. I spent quite some time thinking of what sort of ideas I wanted to make. After multiple experimenting and exploration, I have finally decided to go for a starry environment.

Images used/chosen :

 

fig 2.1 My Chosen Portrait (12/11/2023)

 fig 2.2, 2.3 Body & Background Image (12/11/2023)

 

fig 2.4, 2.5 Additional Details (12/11/2023)

Note : Most images used here was converted to black & white before only importing to Adobe Photoshop.

 

 

Firstly, I masked out the subject ensuring the the edges are smooth.

fig 2.6, Masking the Subject (12/11/2023)

 

 

Next was filling the background with a solid colour.

 

fig 2.7, Adding a Solid Colour Background (12/11/2023)

 

 

I then play around with the curves to get a slightly exaggerated contrast on the image. 

fig 2.8, Adjusting the Curves (12/11/2023)

 

Then it was time to position an image over the subject and mask it.

fig 2.9, Overlaying Body Image (12/11/2023)

fig 2.10, Creating Clipping Mask (12/11/2023)

 

Then I slowly unmask the face with a low opacity brush while creating a smooth transition to the overlay image.

 

fig 2.11, Unmasking the Face (12/11/2023)

 

 

After that, I started adding additional details to the image such as comets, shooting stars and stars to give it a calm and starry environment. This helps to also a create a sense of the subject stargazing.

fig 2.12, Adding Comet (12/11/2023)

When I added this background part, I also changed the blending mode to lighten which then only the brightest colour would show which was stars in this case.

fig 2.13, Adding Background (12/11/2023)

 

 

I also erased the overlaying background stars on the subject.

 

fig 2.14, Erasing Unnecessary Parts (12/11/2023)

 

 

When I added the shooting star, I erased most of the part except for the shooting start so it would be easier to blend it with the background. I then simply positioned the shooting start to where I want it to be.

 

fig 2.15, Masking the Shooting Star (12/11/2023)

 

 

fig 2.16, Adding the Shooting Stars (12/11/2023)

Finally, I experimented with several different gradients of purple as it fits the star theme really well.

 

fig 2.17, Adding Gradient Map (12/11/2023)

Last were some touch-ups and refinement I did such as stars I missed on the subject.

 

 

fig 2.18, Refining Details (12/11/2023)

 

 

Outcome 2 :
The image below shows the final image after doing photo manipulation!

 

fig 2.19, Double Exposure 2 Outcome (12/11/2023)

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Project 2B :
For our next task, I needed to create a Conceptual Product through a combination of objects and then using skills I learned in Photoshop to make it into a conceptual artwork.

Planning
Reference : 
First I needed to plan what I needed to make. Below are reference I found. Basically household objects with a interesting twist. These references would help me in finding and creating ideas for my own conceptual product.

fig 3.1, Reference 1

 

fig 3.2, Reference 2

fig 3.3, Reference 3

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Idea 1 :

Combining a phone and a chocolate bar will solve 2 problems, your hunger and also your boredom!

fig 4.1, Idea 1 : Phone & Chocolate (23/11/2023)

fig 4.2, Idea 1 Sketch (23/11/2023)

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Idea 2 :

When sketching a drawing, you could use the body of the pencil to measure specific measurements that you want.

fig 4.3, Idea 2 : Ruler & Pencil (23/11/2023)

fig 4.4, Idea 2 Sketch (23/11/2023)

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Idea 3 : 

You would have to solve the rubik’s cube before you could only access your sauce. This would also give the body of the sauce a uniquely weird square design.

fig 4.5, Idea 3 : Sauce Bottle & Rubik’s Cube (23/11/2023)

 

fig 4.6, Idea 3 Sketch (23/11/2023)

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Idea 4 :

Two similarly shaped objects for a bizarre end product. In case of an emergency, you would still be able to keep your skin smooth while being able to see in the dark.

fig 4.7, Idea 4 : Sauce Bottle and Rubik’s Cube (23/11/2023)

fig 4.8, Idea 4 Sketch (23/11/2023)

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Making the Artwork :
After planning, I then select an idea that I think would work best and make the artwork by combining it through Photoshop.

From my ideas, I decided to go for idea 1 as I found it the most interesting out of my other 3. So, I then took a photo of a phone and a chocolate bar.

 

fig 5.1, 5.2,  Phone and Chocolate Bar Photograph (3/12/2023)

Then I cropped both of the images ensuring I get a very clean cropping.

 fig 5.3, Phone Cropping (3/12/2023)

fig 5.4, Chocolate Bar Cropping (3/12/2023)

 

 

My chocolate bar was a bit melted so I decided to chose the best part of the bar which was around the center.

fig 5.5, Chocolate Bar Selection (3/12/2023)

 

 

Both images were then put into an A4 canvas. I also took this time to readjust the contrast levels of the chocolate.

fig 5.6, Combining the images (3/12/2023)

 

 

Here, I create a clipping mask for the chocolate bar and smooth any rough edges I missed with the brush tool.

fig 5.7, Creating Clipping Mask for the Chocolate Bar (3/12/2023)

 

I decided to follow my initial sketch idea where the chocolate bar was fading slowly to the phone so after deleting a part of the chocolate bar, I used a lower hardness eraser to follow up. I played around with the hardness of the eraser and flow to have a good fading effect.

fig 5.8, Erasing a part of the Chocolate Bar (3/12/2023)

fig 5.9, Creating Fading Effect (3/12/2023)

Utilizing my knowledge from the Hearst Mansion exercise, I created a shadow for the product. Using a brush for the shadows, then adjusting the gaussian blur and layer opacity to my liking.

fig 5.10, Creating Shadow (3/12/2023)

fig 5.11, Adding Blur and Lowering Opacity (3/12/2023)

I also added a background colour to go with the image.

fig 5.12, Adding Colour Fill (3/12/2023)

 

 

Since the phone still looked oversaturated, I also readjusted that alongside with increasing the contrast of the chocolate bar.

fig 5.13, Adjusting Phone Brightness (3/12/2023)

fig 5.14, Readjusting Chocolate Bar Brightness (3/12/2023)

 

 

Finally, I adjusted the brightness for the entire image so it looks more like a product.

fig 5.15, Adjusting full colour Brightness (3/12/2023)

Outcome :

The image below shows my final Conceptual Product Photoshoot!

fig 5.16, Conceptual Product Photoshoot Outcome (3/12/2023)

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Final Outcome :

Project 2A :

Fig 6.1, Final Double Exposure 1 (10/11/2023)

 

Fig 6.2, Final Double Exposure 2 (12/11/2023)

Project 2B :

Fig 6.3, Final Conceptual Product Photoshoot (3/12/2023)

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Reflection :
I had as much fun with this project as I had with my last! However fun doesn't mean it was easy! For the first part of the project which was double exposure, while the first part was fine since it was just following a video, I struggled with making my own double exposure. Mainly my struggle was just not knowing what theme I should go for and whether if the theme I selected would even look good. Even with references, I couldn't ideate what I wanted. That is when I decided to just go for something I like which was space. And that turns out to be a good choice. Going for something that I enjoyed ended with me expressing my love for space elements such as comets and stars. This taught me that, I should always do things that makes me happy because then I would end up being really passionate about what I want. In the second exercise, which was the conceptual photoshoot I learned how to take a good picture with simple elements we have in our household. Without using a plain background for the photo, I would definitely have spend a long time masking out the subjects. I also learned on creating a simple yet convincing product that looks real which was good to know! Overall, I had a blast on this project too!

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My Other Digital Photography and Imaging Task :

Project 1: Digital & Physical Collages

Project 2: Photoshop Exercises [Current]

Project 4: Cinemagraphs - Self-Titled


Progresses
Project 1 :
Week 1 (Graphic Design Composition)

Week 2 (Collage Design Elements)

Week 3 (Compositing Collage)

Week 4 (Digital Collage)

Week 5 (Hearst Mansion)

Week 6 (Recolouring Black & White)


Project 2 :
Week 7/8 (Double Exposure)

Week 9 (Conceptual Product Photoshoot)

Week 10 (After Effects Exercise)


Project 4 :
Week 11 (Self-Titled)

Week 12 (Self-Titled Part 2)

Week 13 (Self-Titled Part 3)

Week 14 (Self-Titled Part 4)