Photoshop CS2 Tutorials

Yesterday, I started using Photoshop to add a lightsaber into a picture I had taken during the weekend. Today, I'm looking for other tutorials online to do other effects.


This image is using photoshop to paint in colors and blur to create a lightsaber. Looking around today, I found it can be done easier than that. (See Mason's blog: )














This image is using this link as a tutorial: http://photoshopcs3tutorials.wordpress.com/2007/08/21/photoshop-cs2-tutorials-and-photoshop-cs3-tutorials-the-bourne-ultimatum-color-and-motion-blur-effect/
and makes a photo look like the Bourne Ultimatum posters.



It's using multiple layers, a different saturation, layer masking, motion blur, and noise.













Also,this one using the same techniques.

Depth of Field: Experimentation

Trying to adjust the DOP to focus on different subjects within one frame. To do this, I adjusted the aperture "stops" and the shutter speed manually. Even after lots of experimenting, its still very hard to adjust the DOP to obtain a predetermined effect. I'm still confused on exactly how aperture adjusts the DOP, but I have a really rough idea.


Trying to adjust the DOP to all three subjects.












DOP adjusted to include only the plane.











DOP adjusted to include only the T-Rex.

Depth of Field

The depth of field is a term used for whats in focus in a frame. There is a certain point away from a camera lens where a subject is totally in focus. If the subject is too far or too close to the lens, it will look blurry. Adjusting a camera's lens or zoom changes the depth of focus.

{http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Depth_of_field}

This pic demonstrates the depth of field and its 'limits'.



Aperture opening has a big effect on the DOF in a frame. A smaller opening reduces the amount of light entering the frame, and increases the diffraction through the lens (blurry at different levels).

In video, there's generally very little changing of the aperture, so to keep continuity from shot to shot. In still photography is when aperture adjusting is used more frequently for DOF changes.

As the aperture stops increase (size gets smaller), the DOF increases, but diffraction increases.

Homecoming week: A Storyboard in Feet {and Inches}

The following pictures, however strange, are telling the condensed version of what happened during Homecoming Week. All are shot from waist-height and with no flash, unless noted.


Feet from waist-height while laying down, ISO 400 film, and low light; bed.












Waist-height, bright light, ISO 400 film, exposure +0.5; obviously in a shower.












Waist-height, ISO 400, daylight, exposure -0.5; path outside house.













ISO Auto, daylight, exposure +1.0, flash; rainy deck.













ISO 300, normal exposure, daylight; steps to the deck.












ISO 80, panning vertically to keep the right foot in focus, normal exposure; Cross Country running.










ISO Auto, flash, dim light, normal exposure.













ISO 400, +1.5 exposure, daylight.













ISO 300, exposure +1.5, sunlight.Obviously, a car.












+0.5 exposure, 300 ISO, dim sunlight.














ISO 400; sunlight, exposure -1.5.

Motion Capture

Blurriness on film is due to excessive moment of a subject or camera. When the shutter is open for the split-second of time, that exact moment is recorded on the film. If the camera is being moved, or if the subject moves quickly in this split-second, a blur is recorded. Blurriness can be confined to the subject, or the whole photo. Also, by extending the exposure time on a digital camera, more movement (blur) can be captured. Usually this can be adjusted on a menu screen or mode on digital cameras.

Stopped action is when the shutter time is short or "fast" enough to reduce or completely leave out blurring in a motion. A shutter time of 1/250th of a second will be "faster" then shutter time of 1/60th of a second. Again, this can be adjusted using a menu screen or mode, usually under 'exposure time' or a similar setting. The photos produced show a more exact moment in time, midway through a motion.

Panning is when a camera is moved on a fixed point either horizontally or vertically. Usually the camera {video or 'regular'} is attached on a tripod for stability. Panning in this sense can then be used as a way to blur the background of a frame, but not the subject. An example would be with race cars on a track: As a car goes by, the camera pans with the car to keep it in focus while the car whips by. When used correctly, the car will be focused {relative to the background}, and the background will be blurred out.

An example of panning {http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panning_%28camera%29}:

Exposures: A Lecture In Use

Using the exposure settings on my camera {which lacks a Manual Mode}, I was able to tweak how a scene looks. Messing with the settings on a Manual-less camera is usually referred to as the "+/- DEV". The exposure settings are as follows: Normal (0.0); -1.0; 2.0; -2.0; 1.0, respectively. Notice how using negative exposure settings makes the frame darker, and positive settings lighter. Also, the last frame thats almost entirely white is an over-esposed shot. What happened was I was trying to take a picture of a tree using time-lapse for 2 seconds. Too much light hit the sensor and whited out the frame.

The "subject" is a Cross Country runner in the very back of the bus on the way to the race.

Exposure: A Lecture

{In Digitals}
Exposure- allowing light to hit the sensor

Overexposure- too much light {white}
Underexposure- too little light {black}

Control
Shutter- How long
Aperture- size
lighting
distance sensor is from opening
distance from subject

Saturday night/Sunday morning Boredom

I spent 12 hours accumulatively this weekend glued to the computer, experimenting with MS Paint. Here are some of the products of my insomnia.

Perspective: Life's Rose-Colored Glasses

An assignment to show how perspectives on a subject will change the mood.

Raining in black and white

Yesterday, big thunderstorm and rain.

Here's a series of photos from yesterday and today.













A fellow LCHS student, completely drawn into a storytelling exercise during Drama class.


















A good skateboarder always finds time to practice, even while its raining.




















Zoom on the photo above, with a few minor adjustments in exposure, brightness, and contrast.





















Autumn leaves stay bright, even when faced with a thunderstorm. Adjustments in saturation and color exposure helped 'bring out' some of the colors.

Rules of Composition

Diagonals


My stepsister twirling a sparkler on Fourth of July. This is part of a series of time-lapse experiments to create some photos with cool effects.















Contrast

Using lighting and contrast to single out the subject. In this case it was me during Digital Studios.

Some photos

I took during my Summer break in July in New Mexico:




The rooftop decorum of the famous Lensic Theatre in {Historic Downtown} Santa Fe, New Mexico. Since its construction in 1931, its condition slowly deteriorated. In early 2001, reconstruction finally ended and was reopened.
















This is the Saint Francis Cathedral down the street from the famous Lensic Theatre. Built in 1886 by Jean Baptiste Lamy, the left tower is actually one row of bricks higher than the right tower.

Some art:

Of mine, a picture from July, then some artwork from yesterday.


This one is a timed delay for around 4 seconds and my subject {Stepsister} spun her arm while holding a sparkler.










Yup, Master Chief in Bic pen! Just finished it last night. I just had to put this up because I'm so jealous of my skills.















Sample-series of my art:

Awesome photographer

One of my favorite photographers is Jussi James. I actually know this woman, and she is crazy-awesome-cool, and she is pretty much my connection to a lot of concerts. One of my favorite concerts she brought me and my friend and my stepsister to was VirginFest in Vancouver, B.C. last May. She gets invited to all of these different concerts, and she's not afraid to get right in with the moshpits to get some good shots.

Here are some examples of her work: {from her website (and the last image was sent to me by her): http://jussijames.buzznet.com/user/}


Bert McCracken, lead singer for The Used; Taste of Chaos concert, Seattle, WA

















Tim McIlrath ,lead singer of Rise Against; VirginFest concert, Vancouver, B.C.


















Robbie "Cheeze" Negrin, guitar player of The Classic Crime; secret showing Bellingham, WA
















Matt MacDonald, lead singer for The Classic Crime; {see above}





You should go look up The Classic Crime, an awesome "local" band who say they're from Seattle when on tour, but they're actually from Bellingham. Support your local bands and check them out!