Photo Manipulation

A Portfolio

To produce a series of images which have been manipulated using Image

Editing computer software.

The following is the list of techniques required to be demonstrated:

I. Vignette

II. Crop and Resize

III. Polaroid

IV. Black and White

V. Before and

VI. After sequence

VII. Multiplicity

VIII. Blending Modes (2 or more images into 1)

Software used:

Two system have been utilized during the course:

1. Prestons College standard setup is the Apple iMac based Adobe PhotoShop CS6

2. My personal PC based Corel Paint Shop Pro x2

My personal choice has been the PC based Corel PSP software as I am familiar with that series of packages

having used its basic functionality for many years. The iMac I have had no exposure to prior to joining the

course.

Although very similar the Adobe software, and industry standard, is far more comprehensive than the Corel

version. However, having discussed other variants, it would appear that Adobe Lightroom provides a high

degree of functionality without it being overly complicated.

Presentation of Work

Each technique is presented along the same format:

Title

Brief opening Comment

o Description of the image

o Message that is being conveyed.

o Notes

o Image referenced: Detail, File names, Date, Owner.

A Screenshot of each stage with a brief annotated note.

Final Image of the resulting work.

Image File Formats:

All Digital Images are initially stored electronically on a solid state memory built into the card or on board

memory with the camera.

The data that is carried for each image is a Raster based file, which contains the colour and brightness for each

pixel within the image.

There are a number of file (formats) which can be used.

In the main good quality Single Lens Reflex camera will have the ability to store each image in two formats:

1. The Camera manufacturers own type of RAW image, or

2. The commonly used and highly standard JPG format.

The RAW image ( for Canon designated as a CR2 file type) is a very Low Loss, but extremely large size primary

file.

A RAW file can be manipulated in anyway desired, but can always be reset (assuming no cropping has been

used and the original file overwritten).

The JPG file is much smaller in size having been compressed. The compression of the data leading to some

degradation of image quality.

Fig 1 below demonstrates the significance in size between the two formats for a given image.

In this instance, if printed from a JPG file, this could easily go to A3+ without showing much in the worse way of

loss of image quality. However, if printing from the CR2 file, it would be possible to go far larger, and with post

processing, to Bill Board size.

JPG file format are regularly used for images shown on the Web.

Fig 1: Tebay at Night

RAW (CR2) File: Size 20.4MB.

JPG: Size 4.18MB.

Other format file are available, and are normally created during post processing in editing software.

The list of file types is extensive, a short list of the more common one is:

BMP Windows BIT MAP. Large File type similar to RAW with low loss.

PNG Portable Network Graphics). Useful for certain graphics that require some form of

transparency. See Fig 2

TIFF Tag Image File Format. This is Low Loss file type and widely used in professional photo

printing.

GIF Graphics Interchange Format. Widely used on the Web for showing short and rapidly

repeating videos or animations. It can also be used for still images.

Additional to these file formats, are those specific the Software one is using:

Adobe PhotoShop uses the PSD file format

Corel Paint Shop uses PSP.

It is necessary to save any Work In Progress within the relevant file formats to ensure the ability to edit ones works

through the process. Only saving the desired work to the chosen file format when it is complete with no further

editing required.

Fig 2:

This image is of the bottom right hand corner of a

much larger photograph.

Here a PNG file with a transparent back ground has

been placed on top the original.

What can also be noticed in this image is a loss of

resolution of the additional writing.

Here are the results from the individually detailed subjects

I. Vignette

II. Crop and Resize

III. Polaroid

IV. Black and White

V. Before and

VI. After sequence

VII. Multiplicity

VIII. Blending Modes (2 or more images into 1)

About Ian Shelmerdine I have been interested in photography since I was given a Minolta XG-1 SLR when I was about thirteen in the very

early 1980’s. As a member of the school Photography Club, I learned not only the technical skills of taking

photographs with the camera I also learned how to develop and print images in the dark room.

Since those early days I have focused on landscape, nightscape, transport and industrial photography, together

with event photography at formal dinners and other social events.