DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY AND IMAGING / Project 4 : Self Titled

 

1/11/2021
Esther Vanessa [0350751]
Digital Photography and Imaging
WEEK 11 - Project 4

---

LECTURE

Double Exposure & Imaging Blending Mode

• Refers to the merging of multiple images
• to make them surreal, emotional, or humorous
• You can do it with Photoshop or with double exposure camera

Using Photoshop 

• Tilt-Shift Effect
• Blur one of your photos instead of entire image, or blur everything except for one important detail
• Filter -> Blur Gallery -> Tilt-Shift

Figure 1.1 Result

• Create fake reflection
• With the help of a separate photo, merge it. 

Figure 1.2 Result

• Experiment with simple portraits
• Combining something plain with something complicated will give you a balanced result.

Figure 1.3 Result

• Convert Result to Black & White
• Lack of color may strengthen emotions in double exposure images. 
• Gives unique depth to the photography

Figure 1.4 Result

• Work with silhouette
• Catches eye and create unique composite images

Figure 1.5 Result

• Pick 2 random photos
• Result may create a story of their own
• Shoot interesting textures, shapes and forms instead
• Experiment!

Figure 1.6 Result

• Make objects look fascinating
• Try to make objects look like something else
• A Silhouette of  dull-looking building could become the outline of a starry sky like the photo below

Figure 1.7 Result

• Use Shadow
• Outlines of any kind are fantastic to work with for double-exposure photography

Figure 1.8 Result

• Blend modes is alwawys a fun and experimental process in Photoshop. Try and experiment with different modes or fill opacities.
• Common Blend Modes

---

TASK

We are assigned with an exploration project for the us to express our own individuality and reflect their personality into digital art self-expression. The main idea is to build up self-confidence and discover our interest. 

First, we are asked to explore ourselves and write down our biography; what we like and what our dreams are. Afterwards, we visualize it into a poster-like artwork.

Figure 2.1 Idea progression

I want to do futuristic poster that showcases the different sides people have. That aside, I also want to send out a message that we are always adapting whenever and wherever we are.

Here is the poster references I take to visualize what I want to create.

Figure 2.2 Poster references

With these poster references in mind, I tried making several trial posters.

Figure 2.3 Poster trials

Photography wise, Sir Fauzi already approved. However he suggested for me to go for more edits on the photograph to add imaging to the poster. Here is what he suggested.

Figure 2.4 Poster suggestion

So afterwards I try to formulate something similar with what sir Fauzi suggested.

Figure 2.5 Imaging process

Figure 2.6 Process

Figure 2.7 Process

I do have another similar poster design but I decided to scrap it and used the first one instead.

Figure 2.8 Alternative Poster Design

Figure 2.9 Final draft poster

With the poster in mind, I moved to Adobe After Effects to start the animation process. I had to merge the transformation layers altogether so it would create one layer in Ae, and also had to remember in mind all the layers that I'm going to be animating should be separated.

Animating it is pretty straight forward for me. I want the lines to move and I want the text to have a reveal effect. In order to achieve that, I used position tool on the lines and used mask path for the reveal text.

Figure 2.9 Position transform for the lines

Figure 2.10 Mask path for the text

Figure 2.11 Animating the star with position too

I went ahead and exported as a GIF using media encoder. With this, I can now import the gif into Premiere Pro and add songs for the background music. 

Figure 2.12 animated GIF

For the song, I chose Cocoa Hooves by Glass Animals as I deem it as a fitting song for the mood of the poster. I used the cutting tool to snip the part I want to fit in the poster. I also adjusted the volume with the keyframe button in the audio bar.

Figure 2.13 Adding the song in premiere pro

Figure 2.14 Adjusting volume of the song

Here is the draft of Project 4,

After feedback, sir Fauzi suggested for me to just follow the previous poster he suggested. So I created a similar poster using gradient map.

Figure 2.15 Progress

Figure 2.16 Further adjustments

Figure 2.17 Here is a before picture

Figure 2.18 Final poster

I used the same animating process, but this time I use a little bit of opacity tool to support my photography. Subsequently, I input the same song with Premiere Pro.

Figure 2.19 Adjusting Volume

Here's the final video result.

To debrief, the concept of my work is that I wanted to show that it is normal if people have different sides that they would show to different people. These different ‘personality’ consists of not only ourselves but it includes all of the people around us. Constellation meaning an abundance of collection and I personally think that we are all made of a huge amount of collection of personality.

---

FEEDBACK

• Add more to the imaging process to the photography
• Follow through the design with the suggested consulted design

---

REFLECTION

In this task I am asked to explore more of myself and what I want to give out to the audience. At the same time, I am expected to create something simple enough that does not pull away the attention from the photography. I am glad that I know the basics of After Effects as I know it will be useful for the future ahead.