DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY AND IMAGINE

 


21.4.2025 - 26.5.2025（Week 1 - Week 6)
Yang Shumeng（0378848）
DPI / Bachelor of Design (Honours) in Creative Media / Taylors University
 Exercises

LIST / JUMPLINK

LECTURES

WEEK1

This class introduced digital photography fundamentals, showing how science and art merge in design. Key points:


• Learned Photoshop: A vital tool for designers/photographers, crucial for image editing/manipulation.


• Creative techniques discovered: Broadened perspectives, sparked enthusiasm for future learning.


• Photoshop’s value: Powerful yet user-friendly, enabling creative ideas in tasks like designing business cards, restoring old photos, and cartoonizing images—offers endless visual expression possibilities.

EXERCISES

graphic design composition work 1

        

• Eye - catching composition: Geometric shapes such as circles and squares cut through the picture, breaking the convention. They create a unique visual hierarchy and a sense of dynamism, guiding the viewer's gaze to explore, which is very novel. Moreover, the golden ratio is applied to attract attention.

• Good integration of elements: The overlay of the human figure image and text is natural. The text doesn't look obtrusive. Instead, it enriches the picture while conveying information, with both elements setting each other off.

• Simple and sophisticated style: With black, white, and gray as the main tones, it is simple and elegant, full of modern fashion sense. It conveys a calm and professional demeanor, which conforms to aesthetic standards.



graphic design composition work 2



 Unique Creativity

It breaks conventional composition by placing various scenes in a Rubik's Cube. Each cube is like an independent mini - world, creating a fantastical multi - D space with high - level imagination and a fresh visual treat.

Rich Visuals

• Color: Bright and diverse colors contrast sharply against the dark starry background, delivering a strong visual punch and a lively, dreamy vibe.

• Details: Characters and scenery in each cube are exquisitely detailed, showing the creator's dedication and skills, inviting careful viewing.

Profound Meanings

The seemingly chaotic Rubik's Cube has deep - seated significance. Scenes in different cubes may symbolize life, inspiration, nature, etc., representing the richness of the world and life, sparking associations and reflections.



graphic design composition work 3

 


 •Innovative Creativity

It reinterprets the classic "Mona Lisa" with black and white geometric shapes, breaking traditions and offering a fresh perspective that sparks thoughts on art boundaries.

•Visual Tension

The stark black-and-white contrast and geometric arrangements create a simple yet powerful visual impact, guiding the eye with an ordered yet varied layout.

•Cultural Integration

It blends the renowned "Mona Lisa" with modern design, inheriting its cultural value while infusing new ideas, breathing new life into the classic.

WEEK2

In this lecture, the fundamental principles of composition were the primary focus of my learning. I delved into concepts such as the rule of thirds, the golden ratio, and various framing and cropping techniques. Here's a detailed breakdown of what I grasped:

1. Basic Composition Concepts

• Focal Point: The central element that draws the viewer's attention, acting as the visual anchor of the composition.

• Scale & Hierarchy: Determining the relative size and importance of different elements to create a sense of order and guide the viewer's eye through the image.

• Balance The Elements: Distributing visual weight evenly across the composition to avoid a lopsided or chaotic appearance.

• White Space: Utilizing empty areas to provide breathing room, enhance focus on key elements, and improve overall visual harmony.

2. The Rule of Thirds

The rule of thirds is a highly effective compositional guideline. It involves dividing an image into nine equal segments by overlaying two horizontal and two vertical lines. This grid generates four crucial intersection points, which serve as optimal locations for placing significant elements within a design. By positioning key subjects at these intersections, a more balanced, aesthetically pleasing, and natural - looking composition can be achieved. For instance, aligning the horizon with either the top or bottom horizontal line can significantly enhance the visual appeal of a landscape photograph, making it more engaging for the viewer.

3. Golden Ratio

Figure1.1 Golden Ratio 

The golden ratio represents a sense of beauty formed through harmony and proportion. Widely recognized for its artistic value in design, it follows a specific numerical ratio of 1 to 1.618.

PRE-COMPOSITION #1

The Creative Class of 2025: A Quest for Inspiration

In the Creative Class of 2025, young enthusiasts gathered to seek creativity.

Ellie had trouble with collages. One day, a lemon pic fell onto a sleeping - girl image. It clicked! She started mixing things up, like city views and flowers.

Mark wondered where creativity came from. Seeing a butterfly on campus made him link it to fashion. He then designed cool outfits.

The class was a creative nest. "Creativity is found nowhere and everywhere." They learned this through tries and errors. Some got ideas from old buildings, some from street art.

Finally, they graduated with creative works, showing the world their creative torch.


    PRE-COMPOSITION #2

    The Puzzle of Life

    Ella loved making collages. One day, she found a piece of paper that said "LIVING". She thought it was about how we live.

    Then, she saw a woman's face in a magazine. She cut it out, along with a flower. It was like the woman enjoying a beautiful flower moment.

    Next, there was a picture of a boat on the water. Ella thought it meant going to new places in life. She also added a hand cut - out. Maybe it was like someone guiding or protecting.

    As Ella put these pieces together, she knew each collage was like a small story of life. Different parts, but together they made something special.

      PRE-COMPOSITION #3

      Dreaming of the Sahara

      Amy was bored one day and started looking at a collage. Big red letters said "Sahara Desert". She stared at the person in the middle.

      Amy imagined walking in the Sahara. The sand was hot. The sun was bright. It was quiet, just the wind blowing sand.

      She saw bits of text around. One talked about a garden party. Amy thought, "Maybe I could have a party in the desert at night." Another bit was about a snake ring. She wondered what cool things she could find there.

      Looking at the collage, Amy got excited. Someday, she'd go to the Sahara. She'd see the big dunes and watch the stars at night. This collage made her dream of a desert adventure.

      Reflection

      This week’s learning journey has been a transformative experience, offering profound insights into both theoretical knowledge and practical artistry.

      In the theoretical realm, the photography lecture completely revolutionized my understanding of the art form. Previously, I regarded photography as mere instinctive snapshotting. However, I now perceive it as a structured visual language. Through the course, I’ve grasped how crucial elements like focal points and balanced compositions serve as guides, subtly directing viewers’ gazes and effectively conveying the creator’s intended messages. The exploration of the Golden Ratio, in particular, has deepened my appreciation for visual harmony, allowing me to recognize the intricate balance that makes an image aesthetically pleasing.

      During the practical session, the collage-making task proved to be both enjoyable and challenging. As I cut and rearranged magazine images, creative ideas flowed spontaneously. Even when parts of the composition seemed off, each adjustment led to unexpected discoveries. This hands-on experience taught me that in art, mistakes are not setbacks but stepping stones. They often steer us toward unforeseen beauty, transforming what initially appeared as errors into unique, captivating elements of the final piece.

      WEEK3

      Exercise (Week 3)：

      Instruction

      1. Download all of the images here to your computer:
        https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1cGcbENrjSksAaMQK9np2jb6ZaM7Y-81l?usp=sharing

      2. Follow this tutorial demo as reference to create your digital collage:
        https://youtu.be/BlW7F-fTsbE

      3. Create 3 different composition digital collages from the images that you’ve downloaded. 

      4. Create A4 canvas size (vertical) on Photoshop and start to do the compositions.

      5. Take 3 photo of your digital collage compositions and insert it on the section below

      6. Submit (Turn In) this file in Google Classroom
      Create 3 different composition digital collages from the images that we’ve 
      download.

      #01




      #02






      #03




      Reflection:

      This week, we created three digital collages in Photoshop using downloaded images. I was initially unfamiliar with many of the tools, but after watching the tutorial, I became more confident using features like the selection tool, pen tool, and shape tool. This exercise helped me build a better understanding of digital composition and improved my Photoshop skills.


      WEEK4


      Exercise (Week 4)：

      INSTRUCTION:
      DIGITAL IMAGING EXERCISE:

      1. PROJECT 1B - PART 1: Hearst Mansion
      During this week's digital imaging course, we delved into the techniques of using Adobe Photoshop for image compositing. Specifically, we focused on integrating the character "Shazam" into the backdrop of Hearst Mansion. Guided by the professor's instructional video, we meticulously adjusted the hue, grayscale, and brightness settings. These adjustments were crucial in ensuring that the inserted character blended seamlessly with the existing background, thus enhancing the overall visual harmony and ambiance of the final composite.

      Exercise Demo - SHAZAM:



      Exercise - My Reflection:



      2. PROJECT 1B - PART 2: Recoloring Black and White 
      This week, we also learned how to use Photoshop to add color to black-and-white photos.

      Project 2: Digital Imaging exercise 02

      OBJECTIVE: Recoloring B&W photo- Advanced level

      Project 2: Digital Imaging exercise 02-PART2

      Select  B&W photo from the folder:

      https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1czJ0D44XGRTp8gVCHxqcuArBfLZqWK5-?usp=sharing

      Search photo online for skin/hair references. Recolor the photo for submission.


      WEEK5


      Week 5 Exercise

      Lecture Overview

      Double Exposure and Image Blending Modes

      Double exposure photography combines two or more images into a single composition. This technique commonly features silhouettes and is used to create surreal, emotional, or humorous effects.

      Tilt-Shift Effects

      To apply a tilt-shift effect, blur specific areas of your photo. Navigate to Filter > Blur Gallery > Tilt-Shift in your editing software.

      Creating Artificial Reflections

      There are multiple methods to create reflections, such as using a secondary image to mimic a double exposure effect.

      Combining Portraits and Textures

      Blending simple portraits with detailed textures can result in a visually balanced composition.

      Black and White Conversion

      Removing color from a double exposure can enhance its emotional depth, giving the image a cinematic feel and stronger expressive power.

      Silhouette Experimentation

      Using outlines or silhouettes is an effective way to structure a double exposure. Don't be afraid to explore creative possibilities with this approach.

      Random Photo Pairings

      Often, the most striking double exposures are the result of spontaneous combinations. Unplanned pairings can lead to unexpected and innovative results.

      Transforming Everyday Objects

      Integrating the shapes of ordinary objects with landscapes or patterns can add a touch of imagination to your work.

      Creative Use of Shadows

      Shadows, like silhouettes, can enhance the depth and contrast of double exposure photography, making them equally valuable for composition.

      Assignment Instructions

      1. Watch the Week 5 Double Exposure Tutorial.
      2. Download the required images from 
      https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1lDhDvSaro8tW7XCRa14nOqJO9bDRuqS6?usp=sharing
      3. Attach Project 2A: Part 1 - Double Exposure (Following the Tutorial).


      4. Attach Project 2A: Part 2 - Double Exposure (Personal Creation).






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