Instagram effect using photoshop.

I created this enhancement by using Adobe Photoshop and following a tutorial on Youtube.

It was easy to follow but there are loads of individual steps that can mean it gets a little confusing.

I started by uploading the image into Photoshop. I then duplicated the layer so that there was two of them. I changed the colour to 247-217-173. This left me with a beige colour. On a new layer, using the paint bucket I filled the page in with that colour. I then 'multiplied' that layer using the drop down menu above the layers.

I selected my duplicated layer and selected 'curves'. I selected the colour green from the drop down menu and changed the output to 37. I then changed blue to 133.

Again on the duplicated layer I seleceted levels and changed the middle number to 1.36  and the right i changed it 2.36.

Also on the duplicated layer I selected 'Brightness and Contrast'. I changed the brightness to 6 and the contrast to 51.

I then created another 'curve' on the duplicate layer. I adjusted the green input to 13 and the blue input to 88.

I then created another 'Brightness and Contrast' layer as adjusted the brightness to -6 and the contrast to 33.

finally I created a curve and this time adjusted the red from the drop down menu to 4 and blue to 14.

This was my final outcome. This has a great effect and is very simple to do but can get confusing if you don't follow the steps correctly.

Solarisation in the darkroom

I did another experiment in the dark room called Solarisation. 

This is done by exposing the negative onto photographic paper as usual and then placing the paper into the developer solution until you start to see some of the image.

Quickly, you then expose the paper to light but without the negative (as it is hard to line up quickly) for a second or two and then place the paper back into the developer for a minute or two and then the stop and the fix after.

This is a hard experiment to get good result first time so you will have to try and try again but eventually with patients you will get an outcome similar if not better then mine.

This is a good enhancement to use in your work if you are very patient when done correctly the outcome is great. I however could not get the hang of it very well but this was my best atempt.

Highlighting areas of interest.

To start this enhancement I took a range of photographs that matched my theme of Landscapes.

I had to check that these image worked well when highlighting areas of interest so I started by experimenting. I did this by printing out these images and with coloured tissue paper I cut out the right shape that covered areas on the images that I wanted to stand out.
This was the outcome...

I then took the negatives into the dark room and using coins I did the same thing. However the process is very different. I started by making sure the time and Fstop were correct to get the best possible outcome. I then halved the time and started by placing the coins the right areas. I exposed the paper and then left the paper in the same place (do not move it as you will not get the same line up) but removed the coins and exposed for the same amount of time. I then developed the paper like you would originally.

This took a few attempts. As you can see from my photographs sometime you will need to add more time to make the highlighted areas darker and more visible but over all I think this has a great effect.
The top is my first attempt as you can see the image is lighter. The second image is of worse quality as i chose to place a layer of glass over the photograph paper when exposing it so that it would not move when I removed the coins.

Pinterest.

To continue research into my favourite artist that inspired me to do these experiments and enhancements to my photographs.

I have used a website called Pinterest to record this information so that i can always look back at it for further information.

The link below will lead you to my pin board and maybe these artist will give you inspiration for your work. 

http://pinterest.com/jessbland94/pins/

Printing onto different textured paper.

I started by creating my final outcomes on computer software, Photoshop. This was great to create and in my opinion has a great outcome.

I experimented with using different textured paper to print onto.

I started by using cartridge paper which is thicker then normal printer paper and also has a textured feel to it. This is what it looked like when printed.

I then used taking paper to print onto. This is thiner and also opaque so gives a great effect to print onto as not all the colour prints onto the surface as it smoother then normal printer paper as has very little surface to grip onto.  

You can't always tell what paper they are printed on as they have been scanned in, to form a digital image but the tracing paper prints are stronger in colour.

I prefer these and will go on to use this method of printing for my final piece.

Contact sheet of Digital images.

Here I have produced a contact sheet of digital images I have taken to use in my work. It consists of photographs taken in different locations. Some were taken in London and others were taken in the Isle of Wight.

The 12 images on the first sheet are the image I chose to use in my final outcome the second sheet consists of other images I took as back ups.

They all match my theme of Landscapes.

Mood board of initial ideas.

Here is a mood board I created to help me gain a little more inspiration as well as to have a few options to pick from when creating my final piece.

 

Mind map of final ideas.

I have produced a mind map of ideas of routes and methods I could use to produce my final ideas for this project.

Below is the mind map.

Indepth analysis of Vasilisa Forbes.

I have looked at a photographer and artist called Vasilisa Forbes. 

Vasilisa created a project called 'You were there, we were all there' and was based around the three E's. These are Erasing. Eroding. Entropy.
This is made up of a selection of photographs based around different themes but most images are of landscapes. By looking at Vasilisa work it seems as though they are enhanced using Adobe Photoshop. These are then enhanced by drawings rectangular shapes onto some areas of the images, hiding some of the most significant features such as people or buildings. 
 I am unsure as to why she has chosen these coloured shapes to cover parts of the image but by hiding the features it has a great effect on how they are read.

By covering these areas it almost take away part of the narrative to the images. Peoples faces and body language forms emotion to the image and the buildings show where these were taken.

As an audience to her work you are then left not knowing which areas are hidden as you don't get to view the original images. However sometimes she has some areas of the image left to view like the legs of people standing/posing or some of the structure of the buildings.

Photoshop enhancement inspired by Vasilisa Forbes.

I have previously looked at the work of Vasilisa Forbes and thought as an enhancement I would experiment with a similar technique to hers.

I started by taking several different photographs on a digital camera. I took photographs of landscapes and some images had people or other objects in the images.

I then placed the digital prints into Adobe Photoshop and with the shape tool I selected square and drew onto the image with shapes. I selected specific areas of the image that i wanted to cover like the people of a main object like buildings to take away some of the character of the images.

Doing this contributes to the viewers 'need' to know what is behind the coloured squares.

I chose these colours for the squares as it allows me to express things through them. By this I mean some colours are known to have meanings for example Red is for lust.

I have chosen to block some of the image with the colour pink as pink represents the feelings of Calm and relaxation. This is good as if you imagine yourself here you can almost know that these are feelings you could possibly feel.
The blue colour has a similar meaning. Blue also means Calm and relaxation but also means the flow of communication. Two of the images below are the enhanced images i edited using Photoshop.

On this one I have covered two main features being a person posing in the image and a boat that you would originally see on the Thames but by doing this it almost tricks people into imagining something else might be behind the image.

Here I have covered things that also grab your attention from your first glimpse at the image. These are the people. I left their feet in view and also the other people walking as i believe it leaves people wanting to know how might be behind the coloured patches and why I have decided to cover them up.

I also did handmade versions of this using photographs and cut coloured paper instead of using Photoshop to draw the squares on.
These are my final outcomes.

Overall I prefer the Photoshop edits as they look more professional and tidy. It's also really quick and easy to do. This is something I might consider using for my final idea as it can be very effective and may also be great if used alongside other enhanced images.

In-depth review of experimental work.

From the start of the As/A2 project I used a range of different methods on how I could enhance my photographs. My favourite ways of enhancing my own photographs were cutting layered photographs, pin wholes with light shining through, origami, and painting, toning and bleaching.

A great experiment of mine that had one of my favourite outcomes was the Origami. I did this by shooting coloured photographs on a digital camera. I then found a tutorial on the Internet that showed me the step-by-step instructions on how to create my own origami Butterfly. This enhancement was inspired by Rebecca Chew. I found this was fairly easy but you have to have a lot of patients. The final outcome for this in my opinion looked very effective however if you only have one a4 photograph and the other side is blank you can get plan areas on your final piece.

My second enhancement that I found had a great outcome was the bleaching of coloured photographs. This was inspired by a photographer called Curtis Mann. By using nail vanish I was able to leave some areas of the original colour but the areas that was not coated it took the colour away. This gives an amazing effect but works better when the images are of portraits.

Another method I used was toning the image. You can do this two different ways. You can use Adobe Photoshop to edit the hue and saturation levels which gives any coloured tone or you can use food colouring and with a paint brush smooth the colouring over all of the image of even parts of the image adding spot colour.

You can use these three experiments together to create one single enhanced image. I could use a 35mm coloured and black&white film. I would then use bleach to take away some of the colour of the photographs which would then leave spotted areas, I would then use the bleached photographs and make origami or even layer two contrasting images, the top image would have shaped flaps open so that you can see the other image through the holes. If the top image is black and white but the bottom coloured the coloured areas that show through will have a great contrast.

Press printing.

To produce a press print it is very simple you start by collecting a few objects that relate to your theme. Mine is landscapes so I started by collecting a few leafs and acorns. 

I took them into the darkroom and dipped them into the developer liquid. I then pressed them onto the photograph paper and continued the process by dipping the paper into the stop for 30 seconds and then into the fix for a couple of minutes.

This again is an easy process so to make it a little more complicated I exposed the paper to a negative also relating to landscapes and then using the same objects I again dipped them in developer and pressed them onto the paper so only some areas of photograph will develop but the areas that haven'n got developer on wont.

(IMAGE HERE)

Double exposure using Photoshop.

To produce this double exposure manipulated piece I started by taking a series of digital photographs. I then opened them in Adobe Photoshop and places two images in the same document but on separate layers. 

I then changed the opacity of the photograph on the top layer to 50% but this will vary depending on the photograph you use.

The second image I left the opacity on 100%.

When together this is the final outcome.

This took about 5 minutes to manipulate and is very easy to do. However to continue with further manipulation I edited two more images in the same way however I also changed one of the photographs to black and white so that you can see the difference in effect.

I think this is the better one of the two as the black and white layer against the coloured background stands out well.

Toning prints.

I tried two different ways of toning images. First I toned the images by using food colouring and secondly I toned the images using photoshop manipulation.

To be able to make tonal images using food dye you start with using a developed black and white photograph. I used ones that I had developed previously and and used in other ways. This continuous with my theme of landscapes.

With the black and white images I then dropped 3/4 drops of food colouring onto the image and then with a water damp paintbrush I followed the grain of the photograph and painted the food colouring onto the image.

I then left them to dry and then added another layer. This makes the colour brighter.

The second way of toning my images using photoshop is to open your scanned photograph into photoshop. Then click 'Image' > 'Adjustments' > 'Hue & Saturation'.
Then move the adjustable bars to pick which colour you would like and also to pick how bright you would like the colour.
Here are two of my examples.

Both methods are really easy to do and can both give a great effect when finished.

Bleaching coloured photographs.

I experimented with bleaching old photographs. To do this you need to chose a few coloured photographs. I used these ones below...

I then layered clear nail vanish onto areas of photograph that I wanted to keep the same colour.

After I tried two different methods of bleaching the photographs, firstly I started with dipping the image into a bleach bath and totally enhancing the whole image leaving it looking like this.

I then, using a cotton bud, dipped the bud into the bleach and drew onto the photograph leaving a pattern on the image and only some areas colourless.

Double exposure using a 35mm film camera.

I did another experiment called Double exposure.

This consists of loading a 35mm film into a SLR film camera 

There is then two different ways of double exposing it. Firstly you could and taking a series of photos and rewind the film back to the first frame and take the same amount of photos on the same film. However this is risky and leaves you unsure if you have rewound the film to much or not enough as the exposure counter will not always decrease.

The other way of doing this is to take one photograph at a time and after each photograph hold down the rewind button and flick the advance leaver this will not move on the film as when the button is pressed it does not grip the film inside the camera but it will allow you to take another photograph. When you have take both picture on the same frame you can use the advanced leaver normally to move onto the next photograph.

I did the first method to double exposure. However this did not work effectively and only a few images come out double exposed because the second exposures were not lined up correctly but using this method there is no way you can guarantee that this method will work as you can not expose the film to light.

Here are a few examples of other photographers double exposures.