Final Project

Proposal:

For this project I will take photographs around TCNJ’s campus and digitally render them on Photoshop. I will research different photographers and editing techniques to inspire my work.

 Research:

I first began to search nature photography because that became the main theme of the collection. After getting bored with gorgeous nature photos I saw some black and white photography. I experimented with it a little in the past but it was never something I dove into. Photographers such as Ansel Adams really used light to their advantage. His pictures were more than just still images; they allowed the viewer's eyes to look beyond the image alone. Adams began experimenting with filters in the 1920s to render different parts of the scene more closely to how he visualized them. For instance, he pioneered the use of a red filter to darken blue skies in his photos, giving contrast between the sky and the clouds. He also adopted the technique for exposure, development, and printing known as the "Zone System" which is a way of carefully controlling tonal values to achieve the widest range of light and dark in his prints. He knew the science behind where light falls and how it affects the overall mood of the photo, and this was an aspect I wanted to explore with this project. The light and shadow created amazing contrast that defined his photos.

Production Log:

I did not want to just take random pictures of flowers because we’ve all done that before. Even though most of my photos follow the theme of nature I wanted to do something different. I began going through my photos and decided which ones displayed interesting shapes and designs within the compositions. There is a range of macro and non-macro photos. When I edited them I still felt like there was not enough contrast and they did not pop. This is when I took inspiration from my research. Some photographers I looked into had photos that displayed interesting patterns that could only be appreciated with a high contrast of light and shadow. I then played around with the saturation of my photos and decided that the color was no the defining feature of this collection. I converted all my photos to black and white and began to see more patterns. But that was not enough. Playing around with the levels was my next move, which increased the contrast of light and shadow to great lengths. With some photos I stopped there but with others I decided to add a filter to emphasize the shapes and patterns created by light. I ended up with ten photographs that each display the common theme of contrast in light and shadow to create interesting patterns.

Original

Saturation/Contrast

 

Filter

Self Evaluation:

In the beginning I was not sure what I wanted to do but after the process of walking around, choosing certain times of day, and mapping out my objects, and editing I feel that I succeeded with this project.

I have always loved photography but I never know where I am going to start when it comes to a project with a wide range of possibilities. At first I thought it might have been cliché to run around taking pictures of nature but I decided to take it in a different direction than I normally do. I usually keep the color in my photos and try not to distort them too much but this time I tried filters and different processes.

I enjoyed taking my photography in a different direction and I plan to experiment like this in the future. Photography has always been a love of mine so after learning more from my research and exploring new paths I will use the knowledge I have gained in the future for both assignments and fun.

Illustrator Assignment

Rotoscope Assignment

Midterm Portfolio

This drawing was first created in colored pencil and then scanned into the computer. I wanted the vibrant colors and the movement of the hair to be the emphasis of the piece. To enhance this drawing I fist increased the saturation so that the colors would pop more. Then I increased the brightness and contrast so that the highlights and shadows would become more intense. After that I put a filter on it that enhanced the movement of the lines. 

This image is a compilation of four photos I have taken. I wanted this piece to have more of an eerie feel to it. I edited the background image (the eye) so that the colors are unrealistic but still vibrant and intense. I also liked the emotion the eye gives out as it just stares through the fingers. The dirty hand makes the piece feel not so clean or beautiful and the view of it creates more scared feeling rather than the soft, clean, comfortable emotion coming from the flowers. I cut each image out and placed them in layers over the eye.

I took this photo on a bridge over a lake on TCNJ’s campus. When I first took it I absolutely loved the lines created from the shadows and I knew I wanted to emphasize the contrast between the light and shadow to make the picture more dynamic and lead your eye into the two-third zone. To do this I decreased the saturation so the bright colors would not distract the eye from the shadows. Then I decreased the brightness so that the shadows would stand out more. Next I increased the contrast of the image so that the highlights were enhanced and the shadows would become the main framework of the piece.

This photo was taken outside in my neighborhood. I liked the way the rows and layers of leaves lead the eye around the image. I also like how the photo makes me feel like I could be engulfed by the surroundings and it could go on forever. It was also cloudy that day so there was not much light but it helped the photo because it has more of a darker world that a bright happy photo of a random plant. To edit the photo I increased the saturation a bit so that the colors would stand out. I also increased the contrast and brightness to enhance the highlights and shadows.

This is an edited photo of a hermit crab shell. I wanted to focus on the lines created by the interesting organic form and the vibrant blue color contrasting against the dull background. I was attracted to the circular composition of the shell and all of the shadows the form creates. I also liked the hard edge feel against the soft background. To edit the photo I increased the saturation to enhance the bright blue color   and increased the contrast to intensify the highlights and shadows. The last thing I did was add a filter on it that emphasizes the lines in the photo. This helps the image because the lines that the shell creates is what makes the composition work and it further separates the shell from the background that does not have clear sharp lines.

This is a macro photo of a ring. I liked the texture of the bow and wanted to emphasize the form and detail in the chain-like feel. In the beginning of editing I thought I would just have to focus on the highlights and shadows because it is just metal but as I was playing around with the saturation I saw interesting colors pop out more. First I increased the contrast which intensified the darks and lights but also made the background feel deeper which gave the piece more space. After that I increased the saturation which caused the reddish rusty colors to bring out the bow against the olive-green ground. After the editing process the bow became much more dramatic because it's detailed texture contrasted against the spacial black background and the intense rusty colors contrast against the calm green underneath it.

1st assignment

3 Digital Drawings:

Portrait

Nature

Idea/Concept

9 Digital Photos:

Portraits:

Nature

Idea/Concept

Color Correction

For this photo I edited the contrast, levels, and saturation.

For this photo I edited the brightness, contrast, curves, and saturation.

For this photo i edited the brightness contrast, levels, and saturation.

Portfolio

 This image is a traditional drawing made with colored pencils and transformed with filters on photoshop.

This image is a composite of photos of an eye, my hand, a rose, and blossoms. 

This image is a photo I've taken of a bridge with changed levels on photoshop.