Digital Photography and Imaging: Final Project

18/10/2021 - 22/11/2021 (Week 9 - Week 14)

Metta Angelica (0349095)

Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media

Digital Photography and Imaging

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• Lecture
• Instruction
• Feedback
• Reflection
• Further Reading

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LECTURE

Week 9: Digital Surrealism

Realism Versus Surrealism

Realism

Takes subject matters of the ordinary and common world which we call "reality." It almost always takes a non-exotic and non-extraordinary subject matter and theme. There is no need to think outside of the box, as that is not "real."

Surrealism

A twist on Realism. It explores the subconscious mind, with subject matters concentrating on dream images and often aims to distort the ordinary and what we call reality.

Surrealism defies logic. Dreams and the workings of the subconscious mind inspire surrealistic art (French for "super-realism") filled with strange images and bizarre juxtapositions.

Fueled by the teachings of Freud and the rebellious work of Dada artists, surrealists like Salvador Dalí promoted free association and dream imagery. 

Fig. 1 Dadaism

Dadaism

An anti-war art movement with artworks that is satirical and nonsensical in nature.

Fig. 2 The Persistence of Memory

Salvador Dalí was a Spanish Surrealist painter and printmaker known for exploring subconscious imagery.

Digital Surrealism

Surrealism is a cultural movement focused on types of art to express the artist’s ideas themselves.

How to start creating Surrealism artworks?

• Dream-like scenes and symbolic images
• Unexpected, illogical juxtapositions
• Bizarre assemblages of ordinary objects
• Primitive or child-like designs

Capturing your Dream

1. Sketch It Out  
• Take a piece of paper and pen/pencil or a tablet and start to sketch. Draw your vision out roughly. Don't finesse any details yet, but just lay out key points of your vision.
2. Find Reference Images
• Gathering reference images will help you greatly in realizing your new idea. Gather images that directly relate to what you have in mind. 

Mindset During Creation

1. "Does this look real?"
• Surrealism is at its best when it's convincing enough that it could be real, however, we obviously know that the subject matter you are creating is nonexistent, thus is not real.
2. Make it happen to the best of your ability.
• When you try to approach something challenging, you will learn the skills you may need for next time to make it work. The worst thing you can do is be afraid and back off from your idea because you would never learn that way. 

Week 10: Intro to After Effects

What is After Effects?

Adobe After Effects is a 2.5D animation software used for animation, visual effects, and motion picture compositing. 

After Effects is used in film, TV, and web video creation.

This software is used in the post-production phase and has hundreds of effects that can be used to manipulate imagery. This allows you to combine layers of video and images into the same scene.

Adobe After Effects takes a different approach for creating movement.

Motion graphics animation works by manipulating vector and rasterized art to create and tell a story. 

You can integrate physical-based media as well through photographs and videography.

PRE-COMPOSITING IN ADOBE PHOTOSHOP

Transforming still images (graphic elements and photography) Into moving images. 

Compositing Layers in Photoshop

Basically, Photoshop is a platform to compositing the layers.

All the layers need to be arranged and rename accordingly so that it will be organized and easy to be animated in After Effects.

Fig. 3 (Lecture)

Animating layers sequence from various elements and platform

Compositing Layers in After Effects

Adobe After Effects is a digital visual effect, motion graphics, and compositing application.

Basically, we can import elements such as images, video, vector, and more into After Effects. 

All the layer elements need to be organized and synchronized to the external software platforms such as Photoshop & Illustrator. 

After Effects files does not embed its media, it links to it.

Fig. 4 (Lecture)

Week 11: Digital Photography

Exposure Setting

EXPOSURE: In photography, exposure is the amount of light that reaches your camera sensor or film.

Fig. 5 (Lecture)

The main parts of the camera: 

Camera body:

• Shutter
• Image sensor
• LCD screen
• Camera lens:
• Aperture/ Iris

 

The camera body is a light-proof box.

Fig. 6 (Lecture)

1. IRIS
2. SHUTTER SPEED
3. ISO

There are only two camera settings that affect the actual “luminous exposure” of an image: shutter speed and aperture. The third setting, camera ISO, also affects the brightness of your photos.

Fig. 7 (Lecture)

IRIS: Iris/Aperture is control the flow of light entering the lens.

Fig. 8.1 (Lecture)

Iris/Aperture is measured by f-stop, indicated by sequence of f-number: f/1, f/1.4, f/2 , f/ 2.8, f/ 4, f/ 5.6, f/ 8, f/ 11, f/ 16, f/22 , f/32..

The lower the f-number, the larger the lens opening.

Fig. 8.2 (Lecture)

SHUTTER: The shutter is a small plastic sheet that opens and closes to allow light onto the film or prevent light from reaching the film. 

Fig. 9 (Lecture)

SHUTTER SPEED: Shutter speed is measured in seconds: 1/1000 s,1/500 s,1/250 s,1/125 s,1/60 s,1/30 s,1/15 s,1/8 s,1/4 s,1/2 s,1 s, 2 s, 3 s…

Fig. 10 (Lecture)

ISO: Originally referred to the sensitivity of film—it's "light gathering" ability. For digital photography, ISO refers to the sensitivity—the signal gain—of the camera's sensor.

Fig. 11 (Lecture)

The common ISO camera settings are: 100, 200, 400, 640, 800, 1600, 3200, 6400….

The lower the number of ISO the less sensitive your camera is to light and the finer the grain.

LENS PERSPECTIVE

The are wide angle lens, standard lens and tele lens.

Fig. 12 (Lecture)

Appropriate lens provided desire framing, lens choice affects angle of view.

Different lenses are designed for different for different purposes. Lenses can be categorized by FOCAL LENGTH.

FOCAL LENGTH:  The shorter the focal length, the wider the angle of view and vice-versa. Focal length is the measurement (in millimeters) from the optical center of a camera lens to the camera’s sensor.

Fig. 13.1 (Lecture)

DEPTH OF FIELD:  The proportion of the image that is reasonably sharp and in focus.

Fig. 13.2 (Lecture)

The smaller the aperture you use, the greater the depth of field.

Fig. 13.3 (Lecture)

Wide angle lenses are ideal for fitting a large area into your frame.

Fig. 13.3 (Lecture)

Wide angle lens is especially useful for landscape photography or street photography. With wide angle lenses, almost everything is in focus, unless your subject is very close to the lens.

Standard lens offer a fairly accurate representation of what the human eye sees, both in terms of visual angle and perspective.

Images created by standard lens are perceived as more natural than those taken with other types of camera lenses.

Tele lenses are great for isolating a subject that is far away.

Fig. 13.4 (Lecture)

Tele lenses allow you to photograph subjects from a distance thanks to their magnification.

DSLR V.S SMARTPHONE

Pro

• Familiar with device
• Good quality
• Easy to learn

Con

• Still limited
• Good but not great
• Non-ergonomic shape

Smartphones vs Cameras = Convenience vs Quality

DSLR cameras are designed to capture images. Phones are designed to carry out a multitude of functions.

Phone cameras are very limited by size. The size of the lens and the size of the sensor that captures the photos. Entry-level DSLR have much larger lenses and sensors than mobile phones do.

Week 12: Double Exposure

What Is Double Exposure Photography?

Double exposure photography refers to merging multiple images. The goal is to make them surreal, emotional, or humorous. They usually feature silhouettes.

Double exposure effect may look complicated at first. But it’s easy to make in-camera and in Adobe Photoshop. You don’t need a double exposure camera, as there are a few other ways you can create them.

In the editing world, you have endless possibilities. You can transform ordinary photographs into powerful masterpieces.

1. Using the Tilt-Shift Effect

Photoshop has a great tilt-shift tool that will transform your photos into soft works of art.

If you want to be extra creative, blur one of your photos instead of the entire image. Or blur everything except for one important detail.

To add this feature, go to Filter > Blur Gallery > Tilt-Shift.

2. Create fake reflection

There are many ways you can create reflections. One of them is creating a double-exposure with the help of a separate window photo.

This is an example of main subject surface with raindrops and bokeh. This help to add interesting textures to a multiple exposure photography.

There are many ways you can create reflections. One of them is creating a double-exposure with the help of a separate window photo.

This is an example of main subject surface with raindrops and bokeh. This help to add interesting textures to a multiple exposure photography.

3. Experiment with simple portraits and details textured

Combining something plain with something complicated will give you a balanced result. It will also save a lot of simple photos that you might discard.

4. Convert your results to Black & White

A lack of colour will strengthen the emotions in your double-exposure images. If you want to express your work in a vulnerable way, experiment with this.

It gives them a unique depth and allows you to experiment with something interesting just like film photography.

5. Work with silhouette

Many double exposure photographers choose to work with silhouettes. But what if you worked with silhouettes only?

It would give you a fun and doable challenge. And an opportunity to show very creative sides of yourself.

Try silhouettes of yourself, other people, or random objects. Anything else that catches your eye can create unique composite images.

6. Pick two random photo

A random process doesn’t mean it’s not meaningful. Your results might create a story of their own, one that others will find encouraging.

A lot of  double exposures photography were happy accidents. But they led to great feedback and even greater creative growth. Try and forget about any other double-exposure ideas. Shoot interesting textures, shapes and forms instead.

7. Make simple objects look fascinating

Take photos of everyday objects you usually take for granted. Try to make them look like something else.

A silhouette of a dull-looking building could become the outline of a starry sky like the photo below.

This technique will enhance your imagination.

8. Use Shadow

Outlines of any kind are fantastic to work with for double-exposure photography. Shadows are as effective as silhouettes in this genre. They’re fascinating to work with.

Take a photo of someone’s shadow and transform it into a story.

You can do anything your heart desires with outlines of this sort. All you have to do is go out, take photos of a few shadows, and turn them into something beautiful.

PHOTOSHOP : Blend Modes

Working with blend modes is almost always an experimental process. Because it’s nearly impossible to predict the results, you always seem to end up experimenting with different modes and Fill Opacities until you get the results you’re looking for.

Fig. 14.1 (lecture)

Fig. 14.2 (lecture)

A particular blending mode works really well on more difficult subjects like glass, smoke, fire, and lightning. Take these images for example. 

How to combine the smoke on top of the image of the musicians? A real mess could be made of this and it could become very difficult and time-consuming.

Fig. 15 (lecture)

Here’s a quick guide given in lecture:

1. Select the Layer 1 (Fire) to be on top of the Background (Musicians)
2. Go to the Blending Modes option 
3. Select “Screen”
4. As a result, all of the pixels on the fire will be selected as Screen blending mode.

Fig. 16 (lecture)

Week 13: Consultation: Execution and Post Production

For this week, we will have a consultation class. We are going to give our current project progress for the teacher to see and wait for any given feedback that may be useful for our further progress.

Week 14: Consultation: Final Review and Submission

This week, we also have a consultation class for checking the current progress of our project.

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INSTRUCTION

After Effect Exercise

Fist, I made the size of the composiotion.

Fig. 1.1

Then I imported the files but when continuing my after effects doesn't work, even when I tried right click.

Fig. 1.2

Fig.1.3

So, I had to reinstall it and it work again. After doing the keyframes, I export it as seen at the video. Unfortunately I don't have H.264 so I have to make do with other.

Fig. 1.4

Fig. 1.5

Fig. 1.6

Fig. 1.7

Fig. 1.8

Because the video isn't working, I had to look on youtube on how to fix this.

With youtube I finally found how to save it as H.264 using a media encoder and below is the result.

Fig. 1.9

Link: https://youtu.be/cwtJT68bzgo

Final Project: Self-Titled

For the final project, below is my idea development.

 

Fig. 2 Idea Development Slides

For my first picture I photoshop it, it was a fail because not only is my self-portrait picture resolution is back, but the picture I download also looks bad. So after Mr. Martin gave me advice on how to take pictures. I redid everything.

Following the 2nd sketch in the slide, I did a change and decided to make it show half of my face, and the top half will be the idea I have in mind popping out. 

Below is my progress.

Fig. 3.1

Fig.3.2

Fig. 3.3

This is the result.

Fig. 4 Photoshop final

Animation

For animation, it is a bit complicated because there's a sudden problem with my After Effects again. Instead of uninstalling it again, I look for another method because if I really had to re-install, it will take a long time to download. Luckily I found a simple way to do it.

Fig. 5.1

After I finish editing, I tried to turn it into an MP4 using render queue but still can't find H.624. So I use the previous method of using the Media encoder. 

Fig. 5.2

This is the result.

Fig. 6

Link: https://youtu.be/88Zozms3fDs

I still thinking of animating some of the parts, and next, I need to add audio to the animation.

Fig. 7 Audio (Source: You tube)

Link: https://youtu.be/V-ZVhAlxkgg

After choosing the audio, nest I download it and convert it to MP3.

Then I add it to after-effects.

Fig. 8

This is the result.

Fig.9 Final Animation

Link: https://youtu.be/k7xn9plA6Lo

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FEEDBACK

Week 9/...

Week 10/...

Week11/...

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REFLECTION

From this week's lesson and project, I have learned more about camera function and the difference between a camera or DSLR and a smartphone. When I took my photos, I thought that it was okay and didn't think about angles, light, and resolution, but after this project and feedback from Mr. Martin I took it a bit more serious and start to look for a place with good light, but my smartphone camera was a bit broken and its resolution has deteriorated because it has been broken before, so I did my best t take a good photo.

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FURTHER READING

Video Links

How To Save After Effects as mp4 Video | Easy Tutorial

Reset After Effects || Reset After Effects To Default Settings || 100% Working