1

Course Code: AWQ 4MUnit 2: Building on the Basics | Module 2: Photoshop Techniques

How To Complete This ModuleYou will work through this module step by step, reading each section and completing any of the activi-

ties in the investigation as well as any formative and summative assignments. Be sure you spend the appro-priate amount of time on each of the activities and assignments.

All of the investigations must be completed properly before this module is considered complete. All formative work will be placed in your portfolio within a separate folder of paper to be evaluated for feedback and assessment of learning skills. Summative work is to be handed in for assessment by the deadline given. Rubrics are provided for evaluation of all summative work.

Good luck with the assignments and remember to ask for help when you encounter problems!

*all images used in this booklet belong to the author, are examples of student work or are public domain images from wikipedia.org

TECHNIQUES

PHOTOSHOP

2

Course Code: AWQ 4MUnit 2: Building on the Basics | Module 2: Photoshop Techniques

A GRAYSCALE PHOTO WITH COLOUR ACCENT

In this assignment you will set up, shoot and create 10 different shots that will contain both colour and grayscale using a combination of adjustment lay-ers and masking techniques.

PROJECT: MASKING

Project Steps

1. Plan your portfolio of five shots before you begin. Think about what your shots will look like and which parts will have colour.

2. Set up your shots and light them appropriate-ly. Remember to bracket your shot and experiment with composition.

3. Bring your photos into Lightroom and de-velop your best images to get the most from your photos.

4. Bring each of your five best images into Photoshop by clicking on the image while you hold down the control button, (ctrl) or by right clicking and selecting Edit in Photoshop.

5. Change your Background Layer to make it a Layer 0. If you don’t do this step you will not be able to work on the layer!

6. Create a grayscale image with a colour ac-cent by either using an Adjustment Layer, the Quick Mask feature or the History Brush as demonstrated by your teacher. Remember there are many varia-tions including various levels of desaturation for both the background and the accented parts of the photo.

7. Select your best 10 photos to hand in as part of your portfolio for this week. Make sure you hand in the Photoshop file so your teacher can actually examine your masking work.

using masking to create a grayscale image with colour accents

3

Course Code: AWQ 4MUnit 2: Building on the Basics | Module 2: Photoshop Techniques

YOUR NOTES ON AN INTRODUCTION TO PHOTOSHOPPhotoshop will enable you to take some of your photos to the next level. It provides a set of more pre-

cise darkroom tools, text features, masking tools and to ability to work with multiple layers to name just a few key aspects.

THE TOOL BAR

ADDITIONAL PALETTES

SENDING A FILE IN LIGHTROOM TO PHOTOSHOP

An Introduction to PhotoshopPhotoshop is another Adobe product meant to

work in conjunction with Lightroom. While Light-room excels at organizing, developing and exporting your photos to web or print formats Photoshop pro-vides you with some advanced darkroom tools, text effects, filters and the ability to work with layers.

INVESTIGATION Photoshop can be a complex program that war-rants an entire course in itself, but the basics of what it can add to your digital darkroom can be grasped fairly quickly.

For the purposes of this course we will make use Photoshop for three specific tasks - working with layers or compositing, masking and advanced dark-room techniques.

Photoshop workspace, the main tool bar is shown on the left

Photoshop’s main toolbar

4

Course Code: AWQ 4MUnit 2: Building on the Basics | Module 2: Photoshop Techniques

INVESTIGATIONAdjustment Layers and Masking

One of the advantages of Photoshop is that you can use a combination of Masking Techniques and special Adjustment Layers to change or affect only certain parts of an image.

The Quick Mask function allows you to protect select areas of any layer from any Filters or Adjust-ments.

Adjustment Layers allow you to apply any number of effects to photo layers that are underneath.

Using the History Brush or painting in changes to the Adjustment Layer can return parts of the im-age to its original state.

YOUR NOTES ON ADJUSTMENT LAYERS AND MASKING

THE QUICK MASK FEATURE

ADJUSTMENT LAYERS

the images above show a mask applied, (left) and bringing colour in by removing the mask from an Adjustment Layer, (right)

5

Course Code: AWQ 4MUnit 2: Building on the Basics | Module 2: Photoshop Techniques

INVESTIGATIONThe Retouching Tools

Photoshop’s main retouch tools are inspired by a number of traditional darkroom techniques. Ad-ditional tools allow you to copy and patch imperfec-tions with the Clone tool.

The Spot Healing brush will sample the texture of a good section of the photo and match the colour and tone of an imperfect area while it maps the good texture to the new location.

The Blur and Sharpen tools will soften and sharpen edges in specific spots of your photo using the brush size and edge quality of your choice.

All retouch tools are adjustable in terms of the amount or percentage effect the will apply with each application.

YOUR NOTES ON RETOUCHING TOOLSThe main retouch tools in Photoshop are named for techniques which would traditionally have been

used in the darkroom. These include the Burn, Dodge and Sponge tools.

THE BURN TOOL

THE DODGE TOOL

THE SPONGE TOOL

the burn tool gives extra “exposure” time to specific parts of the photo

6

Course Code: AWQ 4MUnit 2: Building on the Basics | Module 2: Photoshop Techniques

INVESTIGATIONText Layers and Layer FX

The text tool will add text in a number of ways to your photos. Anytime you click on the photo with the text tool it will create an new layer that can be edited at any time.

You have access to all the fonts on your com-puter through Photoshop and you can edit all aspects of the text.

Layer FX allow you to add items such as bevels and drop shadows to any text or image layers. As with text you can edit and manipulate all aspects of the various effects.

FX layers appear as a subset of the layer it controls. The effects can be disabled at any time by click the “eye” beside the FX layer.

YOUR NOTES ON TEXT LAYERS AND LAYER FX

TEXT LAYERS

LAYER FX

text layers and fx are totally editable

7

Course Code: AWQ 4MUnit 2: Building on the Basics | Module 2: Photoshop Techniques

PROJECT: HDR IMAGESCREATING HIGH DYNAMIC RANGE PHOTOS

For this project you will create a small number of images that go beyond the ability of standard photos to record the incredible range of tones that can exist in the real world. High Dynamic Range or HDR images use a greater bit depth to record the most intense highlights of sunlight down to the faint-est of light sources in a single image.

HDR LANDSCAPES AND CITYSCAPESYou will shoot a small number of photos of

landscapes and cityscapes that have a wide range of tonal values and use some basic techniques for HDR images to record all that information. You will of course make use of all your knowledge for good photography and incorporate your new knowledge of HDR images to create some incredible photos.

Project Steps

1. Plan out your landscapes and/or cityscapes for your 5 HDR images and gather together the equipment you will need.

2. Photograph each of the subjects you will need using either the Auto Exposure Bracketing or Raw file approach to creating an HDR image. Re-member that good composition and an interesting point of view always makes a better photograph.

3. Import your photos to Lightroom and use the Merge to HDR feature to assemble your Auto Exposure Bracketed photos into an HDR image in Photoshop OR export, (in TIFF format), different exposure settings from a single RAW file and use the Automate/Merge to HDR feature in Photoshop to create an HDR image according to the instructions given by your teacher.

4. Use Image/Mode/16 bits/Channel to change the mode of your images back to 16 bit.

5. Use the Exposure and Gamma settings to Tone Map your images and save them back to your Lightroom Library.

5. Apply the appropriate Lightroom Develop processes to enhance your final images.

6. Hand in your best 5 HDR images of land-scapes or cityscapes that have a wide tonal range for evaluation. You should ensure that you use both techniques to create HDR.

use the automate feature in Photoshop to merge multiple images together into an HDR photo

New York City at Night. Paulo Barcellos Jr. HDR image. 2006.

8

Course Code: AWQ 4MUnit 2: Building on the Basics | Module 2: Photoshop Techniques

YOUR NOTES ON HIGH DYNAMIC RANGE IMAGES

type of digital support bit depth per colour channel depth/pixel dynamic range16-bit TIFF 16 (16 x 3 colours) 48 65,536:1HDR image 32 (16 x 3 colours) 96 infinite

An Introduction to HDR ImagesThe human eye is able to quickly adjust to a

scene with incredible contrasts in light and dark but as you have no doubt discovered the camera can not. The camera must be locked into one setting to cap-ture available light.

High Dynamic Range Imaging (HDRI or just HDR) is a set of techniques that allows a greater dynamic range between the lightest and darkest areas of an image than standard digital imaging techniques or photographic methods. This wide dynamic range allows HDR images to more accurately represent the

INVESTIGATION range of intensity levels found in real scenes, rang-ing from direct sunlight to faint starlight, and is often captured by combining differently exposed pictures of the same subject matter.

The two main sources of HDR imagery are computer renderings and merging of multiple low-dynamic-range (LDR) or standard-dynamic-range (SDR) photographs. Tone-mapping techniques, which reduce overall contrast to facilitate display of HDR images on devices with lower dynamic range, can be applied to produce images with preserved or exaggerated local contrast for artistic effect.

St. Louis Arch. Kevin McCoy. HDR image. 2009.

9

Course Code: AWQ 4MUnit 2: Building on the Basics | Module 2: Photoshop Techniques

YOUR NOTES ON AUTO EXPOSURE BRACKETING AND SHOOTING IN RAW FORMATAuto Exposure Bracketing takes three shots at three different shutter speed settings while a Raw file

records a single 32 bit image capable of recording an incredible dynamic range.

AUTO EXPOSURE BRACKETING

RAW FILES

Two Methods to Create HDR ImagesThere are two basic methods we can use to

create HDR images - Auto Exposure Bracketing with several jpeg images or using a single Raw file. There are advantages and disadvantages to both ap-proaches.

One advantage to using the three jpeg images with Auto Exposure Bracketing is the space saved on your memory card.

INVESTIGATION Raw files take an incredible amount of storage space. Three jpeg images actually take less space than one Raw file and the three separate files are easily assembled into an HDR image in Photoshop without the extra step of creating three new exposure settings from the Raw file.

The advantage of the single Raw file is the incredible amount of picture information that is captured and the fact that you can shoot subjects that have movement.

a comparison of a landscape with a normal range of tones, (right) with an HDR image, (left)

10

Course Code: AWQ 4MUnit 2: Building on the Basics | Module 2: Photoshop Techniques

YOUR NOTES ON TONE MAPPING

MERGING IMAGES IN PHOTOMATIX PRO

TONE MAPPING IN PHOTOMATIX PRO

Tone Mapping HDR ImagesOnce you have merged your three photos into

an HDR image you will need to then turn it back into a 16 bit image so that it can be printed or displayed properly on your screen.

To make this work you will need to map or place the high dynamic range of tones back down into a range that a 16 bit image can store, display or print.

INVESTIGATION This process can be done directly in Photoshop once you select Image/Mode/16 bit or using any of the presets in Photomatix Pro. In Photoshop the two easiest ways to remap tone values is to use either the Exposure and Gamma sliders from the HDR Con-version Menu or the Tone Curve and Histogram of the Local Adaptation section of the HDR Conver-sion drop down menu. In Photomatix Pro click the Tone Mapping button then select one of the presets. Make any adjustments you like, then save the file.

screen shots showing bracketed photos exported and tone mapped in Photomatix Pro

11

Course Code: AWQ 4MUnit 2: Building on the Basics | Module 2: Photoshop Techniques

Working with PhotoshopAdobe Lightroom is the ideal program for

organizing your photographic workflow and getting the most from your photos, but there are some things that it cannot do. Photoshop is another Adobe pro-gram designed to be used in conjunction with Light-room to do specific tasks that Lightroom can’t.

In particular Photoshop does some very spe-cific things that we are interested in - compositing, masking, applying filters, using adjustment layers, visual effects and adding text. Photoshop is a very extensive program that can allow the user complete control over the digital image, and that can take con-siderable time to master, but there are many effective techniques that can be learned quickly. We will start our investigation of Photoshop with the technique of compositing or combining images.

PROJECT: COMPOSITING

COMPOSITE PHOTOSFor this week’s assignment you will plan, shoot

and assemble a complex composite image that con-tains many individual images on separate layers. You will be asked to experiment with different methods for separating a subject from its background includ-ing the pen tool and the extract filter.

Your teacher will demonstrate how to use each of the tools to isolate objects on a layer and remove the backgrounds that surrounds them.

A SURREAL LANDSCAPEFor this project you will shoot a number of pho-

tos of various subjects to create a surreal landscape of images that would not normally belong together. Surrealism is a style of art that creates The empha-sis should be on creativity and the controlled use of compositing techniques.

Project Steps

1. Plan out your idea for your surreal composite image. Think of a story line or theme rather than just a collection of random images.

2. Photograph each of the objects you will need with good lighting against contrasting backgrounds.

3. Use either the Extract Filter or the Pen Tool to separate the object from its background.

4. Assemble your surreal landscape to include a minimum of 10 layers, then hand it in as a Photo-shop file for evaluation.

successful compositing requires careful planning and attention to detail

example of a student surreal landscape

12

Course Code: AWQ 4MUnit 2: Building on the Basics | Module 2: Photoshop Techniques

Portrait of Salvidore Dali, (Dali Atomicus). Halsman, Philippe, photographer. 1948. Gelatin Silver print.

SURREALISMSurrealism was a cultural movement that began

in the early 1920s, and is best known for the visual artworks and writings of the group members.

Surrealist works feature the element of surprise, and unexpected juxtapositions. Freud’s work with free association, dream analysis, and the unconscious was also an important part of in developing Surreal-ist methods to the liberate imagination.

INVESTIGATION

YOUR NOTES ON HALSMAN (1906 - 1979)

Beside the use of dream analysis, they empha-sized that artists could combine elements not normal-ly found together to produce illogical and startling effects. They believed the more distant the relation-ship between the two juxtaposed images the stronger the image will be and the greater its emotional power.

*adapted from the article found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surrealism

13

Course Code: AWQ 4MUnit 2: Building on the Basics | Module 2: Photoshop Techniques

YOUR NOTES ON COMPOSITE IMAGES

WORKING WITH LAYERS

METHODS FOR SEPARATING SUBJECT FROM A BACKGROUND

ACCESSING A SAVED PHOTOSHOP FILE

Composite ImagesComposite images consist of two or more pho-

tos combined into a single image. You may choose to create a composite for any number of reasons - blending a perfect exposure for the sky with another shot that gets the perfect exposure for the ground for example.

INVESTIGATION Whatever your reason for putting more than one image together you will need to isolate and protect some parts of a layer while you extract or erase other parts.

the layer palette can be found in the Window drop down menu

14

Course Code: AWQ 4MUnit 2: Building on the Basics | Module 2: Photoshop Techniques

INVESTIGATIONRemoving Parts of Layers

The most important aspect of creating a suc-cessful composite image is being able to isolate ob-jects and removing the rest of the layer from around that object.

There are three basic ways to select parts of lay-ers and remove them creating transparent areas - the magic wand tool, the pen tool and the extract filter.

There are advantages and disadvantages to each tool and certain techniques or steps involved with using each. Time and the type of photo you are working with will help you to determine which tool is best suited.

Your teacher will take time to demonstrate each tool and to emphasize when it is advantages to use each.

YOUR NOTES ON REMOVING PARTS OF LAYERS

THE MAGIC WAND

THE PEN TOOL

THE EXTRACT FILTER

using the Extract filter to isolate and separate an object from its background

15

Course Code: AWQ 4MUnit 2: Building on the Basics | Module 2: Photoshop Techniques

AWQ 4M BASIC RUBRIC: PHOTOSHOP ASSIGNMENTS

LEVEL 1 LEVEL 2 LEVEL 3 LEVEL 4Knowledge and UnderstandingC1.2 explain in detail terminology related to a wide variety of techniques, materials, and tools

the student demonstrates limited knowledge of terminology, materials and techniques

the student demonstrates some knowledge of ter-minology, materials and techniques

the student demonstrates considerable knowledge of terminology, materials and techniques

the student demonstrates thorough knowledge of terminology, materials and techniques

- 1 + - 2 + - 3 + - 4 +ThinkingA1.1 use various strategies, individually and/or collaboratively, with increasing skill to generate, explore, and elabo-rate on original ideas and to develop, reflect on, and revise detailed plans for the creation of art works that address a variety of creative challengesA1.2 apply, with increasing fluency and flexibility, the appropriate stages of the creative process to produce two- and three-dimensional art works using a variety of traditional and contemporary media

the student demonstrates limited strategies, to gen-erate ideas and does not use steps of the creative process

the student demonstrates some strategies, to gen-erate ideas and makes limited use of the cre-ative process

the student demonstrates multiple strategies, to generate ideas and makes considerable use of the creative process

the student demonstrates varied strategies, to generate ideas and makes thorough use of the cre-ative process

- 1 + - 2 + - 3 + - 4 +CommunicationB1.4 describe in detail and reflect on with increasing insight the qualities of their art works and the works of others, and evaluate the effectiveness of these works using a wide variety of criteria

the student demonstrates limited ability to com-municate information and ideas about their work

the student demonstrates some ability to commu-nicate information and ideas about their work

the student demonstrates considerable ability to communicate informa-tion and ideas about their work

the student demonstrates a high degree of ability to communicate informa-tion and ideas about their work

- 1 + - 2 + - 3 + - 4 +ApplicationA2.1 apply the elements and principles of design with increasing skill and creativity to produce two- and three-dimensional art works that express personal feelings and communicate specific emotions

A3.1 use with increasing skill a wide variety of media, including alternative media, and current technologies to cre-ate two- and three dimensional art works for a variety of purposes

the student demonstrates limited use of design skills and basic drawing techniques for the media

the student demonstrates some use of design skills and basic drawing tech-niques for the media

the student demonstrates considerable use of design skills and basic drawing techniques for the media

the student demonstrates a thorough use of design skills and basic drawing techniques for the media

- 1 + - 2 + - 3 + - 4 +

Check Mr. Sherwood’s blog site for detailed information about learning goals and success criteria for each of the photoshop assignments in this unit.

http://madill.typepad.com/mr_sherwoods_blog/