Photoshop session

In class we were shown how to use photoshop to enhance any images that needed improving. This was the first time I had used the photoshop software and I found it really interesting and useful and surprisingly easy to use.

I selected some of my images of my first theme (nature) and had a play around with photoshop to see how the images can be changed, cropped and enhanced using the different options on the software.

Image 1

This was the first image chosen from my first theme which was taken at Branston water park and I think that the overall image looks ok as it is but I thought that I would experiment with photoshop to see how it could be changed and whether this would make it look any better.

This shows that I set the image at A4 so I no matter what I did to the image or how it was cropped it would always print out as an A4 size. It shows on this screen print that A4 would be 210 mm wide and 297 mm in height. 

This screen print shows me cropping and selecting the chosen area of the image. I didn't end up taking a lot off the image as I liked the whole composition.

I then went on to layer the image with changing the brightness and contrast. I adjusted the brightness to 38 and contrast to 4.

This screen print shows me changing the exposure. This layer by itself seems like the image is overexposed.

The next layer was hue and saturation. This layer added on top of the exposure and brightness/contrast worked quite well and looks a lot brighter and vibrant. This would be a good technique to use if you want to have a really bright and colourful image that really pops.

This last screen shot is to show the adjustment of colour balance which was the last layer I used to get to the final outcome. Because I wanted to keep the image natural I didn't want the colours to look manipulated or artificial. I really just wanted to enhance the colour of the leaves around the bark.

Comparing the before and after images

Image before photoshop

Image after photoshop

Evaluation on image 1

Looking at the before and after images above I actually think I prefer the before image. I think the only thing I would change on my original image is maybe the brightness/contrast to give more light. I like the composition so I wouldn't take anything out of the image as I shot it this way on purpose so that the bark leans inwards and I like the wildness of the twigs coming off the bark.

Image 2

I photographed this leaf because I loved the shape of the leaf and the colours and because of this I thought it was really beautiful. I also liked the way that the smaller leaves surrounded the main subject of the larger leaf. I think this image works well as it is but I wanted to crop this slightly and make it more vibrant because the photo is light but dull. I want to make the leaf really stand out.

Firstly I wanted to crop the image and select the area that I wanted to concentrate on and work with to enhance it. I ended up making the image more square and took away some of the edges from the side. 

The first layer was the brightness and contrast. With this one I increased the brightness to 37 and decreased the contrast to -12.

Here I have increased the exposure which has given the image more light. Even though I felt the image didn't really need more exposure I played around with the exposure settings to see what it would do and how it would effect the image.

The next layer was vibrance and saturation. The vibrancy was set to +56 and the saturation +16 and this gives the image purity and makes the colours more defined.

The final layer was the colour balance and I tried to concentrate more on the yellow tones to really make the leaf pop out of the image.

Comparing the before and after images

Image before photoshop

Image after photoshop

Evaluation on image 2

I like both the before and after images of image 2 and I think that they both give a different effect and feel. I like the before image but I do feel that it has a better composition once cropped. I love the vibrancy of the after image but it maybe slightly too bright but I think it definitely pops and gets your attention.

Image 3

I liked the shape and the detail of these plants and that is what I wanted to capture in this image. I wanted to make the texture and the detail really sharp and defined. Because it was a dull day the image came out quite dull so that is the main thing I wanted to improve on.

I decided to keep the image the same here and didn't actually crop anything out. I like the composition and the shapes and I thought it worked well enough without anything being removed.

The first layer I experimented with was the brightness and contrast. I increased the brightness to +97 and the contrast to +37 which I think helped the image as far as the dullness is concerned. It really helps to pick out the light and makes the details appear sharper. I like that you can see the cobwebs on the plants and the little water droplets.

The next layer was hue and saturation which I only changed slightly.

Finally I altered the colour balance of the image concentrating on the blue, green and red tones as these were the main tonal ranges in the image.

Comparing the before and after images

Image before photoshop

Image after photoshop

Evaluation on image 3

I think that using photoshop with this image has improved it. I like the brightness and the detail that is shown in the after image and everything has just been lifted. I think that this may be one I will use in my final images.

Image 4

I like the composition and angle of the tree in the original image above. I also like how you can see the background but because it is blurred it doesn't defer away from the tree and the detail of the bark. 

Because of the points raised above I didn't crop anything off the original image.

My first layer was the brightness and contrast, the brightness has been increased to +37 and the contrast to +40. This just gave a subtle change to the image and gave more light at the front.

Next I changed the hue and saturation. The hue was taken down to -2 and the saturation was increased slightly to +4.

The last layer was the colour balance which I tweeked slightly. I didn't feel it needed much as I like how 'raw' the image was originally. I just wanted to pick out the green of the moss and hints of colour on the bark.

Comparing the before and after images

Image before photoshop

Image after photoshop

Evaluation on image 4

I think that both images work but I like the sharpness and colours of the after image. The hints of colour on the bark have been drawn out and the moss also stands out alot better. Even though I like the after image I would still use my original as this has a more raw look and I like the neutral tones.

Image 5

This image was one of my favourites taken at Branston water park. I like how the composition is simple and that the swan is the main subject and this is where your focus lies. The only thing I wanted to change to this image is the space around the swan.

This snapshot taken from photoshop shows that I have cropped the image and changed it to portrait instead of landscape. The only other thing I did here was to change the contrast and brightness of the image to bring out the colours of the swan's feathers. I mainly concentrated on the contrast and cropping.

Comparing the before and after images

Image before photoshop

Image after photoshop

Evaluation on image 5

I prefer the photoshop image to the original image mainly because of the fact I was able to crop out a lot of the empty spaces in the photograph. I also like the position of the swan and altering the contrast has really made the feathers of the swan stand out and make an impact. I specifically left the swans foot in the frame as this shows the swan is in movement and the line of sight from the swan directs your eyes over the image.

Theme 2 - Branston Water park

Preparation and planning

This shoot was the same day that I had planned to come to the water park to take photographs for theme 1. Because my partner was coming with me to help carry my equipment it seemed logical to try and take some shots for theme 2 as well and encorporate the two with my partner being the model.

It was a cold day so I made sure that the clothes he was modelling was also practical for the weather conditions as well as the shoot itself. I wanted to keep the images quite simple and natural so the clothes my partner was modelling reflected this.

Equipment used

For this shoot I borrowed a camera and tripod from the college. It was a standard tripod and a Canon EOS 400D Digital camera which I have used previously.

Health & Safety

Before heading out to the location I had to take into account any health and safety implications. Like I mentioned above it was very cold so I had to make sure I was wrapped up warm as well as my model. I also checked out the park map to make sure that access was possible to all areas and that it was safe. Because I had used the same equipment before there was no issues where that was concerned so knew how to operate and look after the equipment.

Log of images

Below are some images that I took on the day at Branston water park for my fashion on location theme. I have advised the settings used on each image and also a short description on what was successful in the image overall and what wasn't as successful. I will also compare some of the images I have taken to the research I have done on photographers.

ISO - 500, f/5, Shutter Speed - 1/400

Because it was a dull dark day I had to increase the ISO settings accordingly. With this first image I wanted my model to be quite natural in his pose and at the same time I wanted to show off the background - the greenery and the colours of the fallen leaves. I like the overall composition of this image and how the path is central.

ISO - 800, f/5, Shutter Speed - 1/500

I wanted this next image to be off centre and to still be very natural. Having my model look into the distance makes you wonder what he is looking at and adds the mystery to the image.

ISO - 800, f/5, Shutter Speed - 1/500

This is a similar composition to the previous image but this time I captured it in portrait mode instead of landscape. This time the model is looking behind the camera into the distance and your eyes follow down the path into the back of the image as well as on the model. It also clearly shows what the model is wearing which is what this theme is about.

ISO - 800, f/5, Shutter Speed - 1/500

I like the composition of this image and how the path sweeps around to the back. I think the light works well here and the way it reflects off the surface of the leaves and on the models clothing.

ISO - 800, f/5, Shutter Speed - 1/500

I like this composition and the natural pose of the model and I wanted the bench to be deliberately slanted and not straight to add more of an edgy feel. However, I felt that the bench needed to be more central to the whole image.

ISO - 800, f/5, Shutter Speed - 1/500

This is similar to the image before but the bench is more central and it makes the composition and image look better overall. This is probably one of my favourite images of this shoot because I like it as a whole. I like the fashion element of it because the clothes work well with the location and weather and it still has the natural beauty from the fallen leaves and the trees in the background.

ISO - 800, f/5, Shutter Speed - 1/200

Although I think the light may be too direct and bright in this image it has helped to pick out the texture of the clothes the model is wearing. I like the straight lines in this image, the horizontal lines of the wooden bridge against the vertical lines of the trees in the background which also contrasts against the winding pathway into the distance.

ISO - 800, f/5, Shutter Speed - 1/500

This image is the same as the previous photograph but slightly darker and the expression of the model is different which adds a different mood to the image. I prefer the lighter image for the fact that there is more texture and the colour of the leaves and greenery stands out more.

ISO - 800, f/5, Shutter Speed - 1/400

The composition works well here with the path winding down into the distance which is one of the main focal points. I like the fact that the model is looking into the distance and the angle of his body.

ISO - 800, f/5, Shutter Speed - 1/320

The shutter speed is set lower than before which has lifted the light in the image slightly but the models expression doesn't really work.

ISO - 800, f/5, Shutter Speed - 1/320

This is another favourite image of this shoot due to the composition and rule of thirds and it was taken from eye level perspective. I like the angle of the models body and it is very relaxed and natural. This image has also picked up on the texture of the clothes and I like the movement in the fabric.

ISO - 800, f/5, Shutter Speed - 1/320

This is similar to the shot before but the image is tighter and more focused on the model. The angle of the model is more upright here but it still has a slight slant which mirrors the tree slanting in the other direction in the background which adds symmetry.

Comparing my images to my research

For this shoot I wanted to use David Burton's work as inspiration and to capture the same feel that he does in his photography. My images have a similar backdrop and natural energy but because of the time of year I haven't been able to use the same light techniques that he has with the use of sunlight to create the shadows.

I still feel that the shoot went well and that I have shown the inspiration gained from my research. Not only this but the clothes worn by the model fits the location and backdrop well and overall I am happy with the outcome.

Theme 1 - Branston Water Park

Preperation and planning

I have been to Branston Water Park before and it is close to where I live so location itself wasn't a problem to get to or find. It was quite cloudy on the day I visited the area so I knew that I would have to adjust the settings on the camera accordingly and with it being midday I knew the sun would be high up. It was also very cold so I knew I had to wrap up warm to allow myself enough time at the location to get the best shots possible. My partner came along with me on the day to help me carry the equipment which I found really helpful.

Equipment used

For this shoot I used a camera and tripod from college which I have used previously. I used a Canon EOS 400D Digital and a standard tripod. Because I had experience with this equipment before it made it easier once I was on location but I did play around with the settings of the camera on the way to the water park to save time once I arrived.

Health & Safety

Before heading out to the location I had to take into account any health and safety implications. Like I mentioned above it was very cold so I had to make sure I was wrapped up warm. I also checked out the park map to make sure that access was possible to all areas and that it was safe. Because I had used the same equipment before there was no issues where that was concerned so knew how to operate and look after the equipment.

Log of images

Below are the main images taken on this shoot at Branston Water Park. I have advised the settings used for each image and have written short descriptions on all the photographs.

ISO - 800, f/5, Shutter Speed - 1/640

Because it was a cloudy day I had to set the camera's settings accordingly selecting the cloudy option to enable me to get the right amount of balance in the shot and enough vibrancy. I like the simple composition used here and the rule of thirds. I also like the symmetry and the mirroring of the top of the image to the bottom from the reflections in the water.

ISO - 800, f/5, Shutter Speed - 1/640

I like the depth of field in this image and how you get the cloudy/misty effects towards the back. I wanted to show the curve of the watersedge to the left of the image but there was other visiters to the park so I had to cut some of the curve out so that they were not in the photo.

ISO - 800, f/5, Shutter Speed - 1/640

Here I wanted to capture the water in motion but it didn't work out how I wanted it too. Because the water was very still it doesn't have much life in the image. However, I do like the details captured of the moss on the rock and pebbles.

ISO - 800, f/5.6, Shutter Speed - 1/640

This is similiar to the previous image but just at a closer composition.

ISO - 800, f/5.6, Shutter Speed - 1/640

When I originally chose my first theme of Nature I chose not to take images of animals but as soon as I saw these swans I wanted to take photographs of them. They were so graceful in the water and I liked the ripples created in the water around them.

ISO - 800, f/5, Shutter Speed - 1/640

I like the positioning of this shot. I was stood on a slight platform so the photograph has some height to it. I like that even though the swan was in motion I managed to capture the swan almost centre and the composition works well.

ISO - 800, f/5.6, Shutter Speed - 1/640

I like the composition of this image and the angle of the swan. I like that you can also see the swan's feet in the water. This image could be cropped and made into a potrait shot.

ISO - 800, f/5.6, Shutter Speed - 1/640

This image is probably my favourite of the swan photographs taken on this day. I am glad that I chose to shoot this image portrait and that I managed to get the swan's face and neck central to the image. I think the composition works and I like that you can still see the reflections in the water of the trees in the background and the ripples add life to the shot.

ISO - 800, f/5, Shutter Speed - 1/640

I wanted the trees and branches to the left to be more of a silhouette than to be captured in detail. This makes the image more eery and mysterious.

ISO - 800, f/5, Shutter Speed - 1/640

This image is the same as before but slightly closer. I like the depth of field and how the branches feel out towards the centre of the shot.

ISO - 800, f/5, Shutter Speed - 1/640

This is the same tree as before but from a different angle. I like how the tree is a silhouette against the background but how you can still see the leaves on the tree at the same time.

ISO - 800, f/5, Shutter Speed - 1/320

This image was taken at an angle and on a slight hill giving the image some height. It is of a wooden path, bridge and pathway that winds towards the back of the image towards the lake. I decided to take this shot because it had some beautiful lines and the colours of the leaves around the bridge were interesting.

ISO - 800, f/5, Shutter Speed - 1/200

This image is the same as before but as the first shot came out much darker than expected I altered the shutter speed slightly to let more light into the lens. This image came out really well and I love the colours and angle of the shot. The winding path towards the back adds alot of depth to the photo.

ISO - 800, f/5.6, Shutter Speed - 1/200

I saw this tree and loved the detail and patterns of the bark so I took some close up shots of it. I like these shots but I do feel that they look slightly flat.

ISO - 800, f/5.6, Shutter Speed - 1/200

ISO - 800, f/5.6, Shutter Speed - 1/160

When walking through the park I saw these small purple flowers by themselves amongst bark and leaves. I wanted to capture these flowers to show their vulnerability against the harsh background. This is why I chose to shoot them from a slight distance rather than close up.

ISO - 800, f/5.6, Shutter Speed - 1/125

The first image of the purple flowers came out too dark so I changed the shutter speed slightly for the shot above.

ISO - 1600, f/5, Shutter Speed - 1/125

I love the way the leaf here fans across the image and I like how the green colour really stands out against the darker background of the dried dead leaves on the ground. It is a really simple composition.

ISO - 1600, f/5.6, Shutter Speed - 1/125

I found this tree stump really interesting as it had small branches growing from the top of the stump and also leaves groing from it and the bottom. I liked how the branches growing at the top spread out to look like a hand and hadn't even seen anything like this before. Because of these elements I kept the composition simple and on the main subject. It like the lines and patterns captured on the bark.

ISO - 1600, f/5, Shutter Speed - 1/125

This image was all about texture. I wanted to show off the texture of the moss on the bark and also the sharp textures of the branches and twigs to the left.

ISO - 1600, f/5, Shutter Speed - 1/160

The first image taken was too light so I increased the shutter speed to create a darker image here.

ISO - 1600, f/5, Shutter Speed - 1/160

I like this composition and how the pathway winds around into the background. I also like how the light is shining through the trees at the back and also the nautral tones of the leaves.

ISO - 1600, f/5, Shutter Speed - 1/160

Here I wanted to capture the light coming through the top of the trees so needed to position my camera pointing towards the sky. This was quite hard for getting the correct lighting in the image because the light at this point was more direct.

ISO - 1600, f/5, Shutter Speed - 1/500

This is similar to the previous image but because of the direct sunlight the image was coming out to bright so I altered the shutter speed accordingly.

ISO - 1600, f/5, Shutter Speed - 1/800

I increased the shutter speed even more here and I think it has worked quite well. I like the angle of the shot and the lines of the trees look nice.

ISO - 800, f/5.6, Shutter Speed - 1/250

I wanted to take a close up of the ground meeting the bottom of a tree because I liked the contrast of textures and patterns. Although, the image came out too dark.

ISO - 800, f/5.6, Shutter Speed - 1/160

I altered the shutter speed here to allow more light into the image. I like the rough textures of the bark against the softness of the leaves edges on the ground.

ISO - 800, f/5, Shutter Speed - 1/160

This is one of my favourite shots of the day because I like the blurred effect created and the depth of field. It feels like the image goes on forever and it draws you in. The only thing I would change is the tree to the left, I would crop out the gap to the left of the tree as I feel this distracts your eyes slightly.

ISO - 800, f/5, Shutter Speed - 1/160

Here I wanted to show the different lines of the branches and also capture the water droplets on leaves/branches close up. I like that the background is blurred as this makes the main subjects stand out more.

ISO - 800, f/5.6, Shutter Speed - 1/160

This is a close up of a waterdroplet on one of the branches from the previous image. I think it would look even better closer up but due to the angle and position I had to stand in it made it very difficult to get any closer.

ISO - 800, f/5, Shutter Speed - 1/400

I like the shadowing in this image and the tunnel created by the leaning, curving trees and branches both sides of the winding pathway.

ISO - 800, f/5, Shutter Speed - 1/320

I changed the shutter speed here to create a brighter image. I like the composition as a whole and the colours of the leaves.

ISO - 800, f/5, Shutter Speed - 1/320

ISO - 800, f/5, Shutter Speed - 1/250

ISO - 800, f/5, Shutter Speed - 1/200

The images above are of a leaf I came across that was by itself on the ground of the park. I liked the shape and colours of the leaf so wanted to take a close up shot of it to show these elements off. I kept altering the shutter speed for these shots to see which came out best and I feel that the lighter image is the best as this gives the leaf more vibrancy in colour.

ISO - 800, f/5.6, Shutter Speed - 1/320

ISO - 800, f/5.6, Shutter Speed - 1/250

ISO - 800, f/5.6, Shutter Speed - 1/250

The last three images were taken as I was leaving the park. I noticed this plant and loved the textures and shape so took shots close up but of different compositions and experimented with portrait and landscape. I think both portrait and landscape work well with these plants and I like the depth of field and how the background is blurry and how you can see the mositure on the plants.

This plant and image is very similar to that of Andy Small's work of whom I have researched throughout this course and this was my inspiration:

I wanted to use similar techniques to that of Andy's image above and I do feel that I have done that. It is the same plant and you can clearly see the textures in my work and Andy's work and the positioning is also very similar.