Creating your A - Z Slideshow

Well...this is it. Your LAST project of the school year. The photos for this slideshow will be 25% or your grade and the slideshow itself 10%. It is a culmination of all we've learned this year in photo class. If you have questions, please ask so you can take the correct photos. I am happy to answer and explain everything on your checklist.

 

Once you've taken the photos, you need to follow these directions to create a slideshow. Each slide must have the letter as well as the purpose of your photo. Please see my examples here. You can do this is any font and size you like. You do not have to replicate my design.

 
Creating your slide show in Photoshop Elements.

1. Select all images you would like to include in your Slide Show in the Photoshop Elements Organizer Photo Browser. You can select several images by holding down the Control key and clicking on them.
   
2. With the images selected click on the CREATE tab in the Task pane.
   
3. Choose the button Slide Show .... This opens the Slide Show Preferences dialog box (see figure 1).

Here you can change settings for your Slide Show. Remember that you can always change these settings later while creating the Slide Show.
4. Confirm the dialog box with OK. The Slide Show Editor window opens.
The Slide Show editor provides you with many ways to customize your Slide Show including adding images, text and other elements. The Slide Show Editor consists mainly of the Preview window, the Properties area where you can edit the selected object settings, and the Timeline. If you want to preview your Slide Show you can either hit the Spacebar on your keyboard or press the Play button underneath the Preview window.
5. Click on the Quick Reorder button to easily rearrange the individual slides in your Slide Show.
   
6. Rearrange the images by dragging and dropping them, until you are satisfied with the order.
You can also use this window to chose the transitions between the slides.
7. Move your cursor the icon between two slides. These icons represent the transition effects. Click on the triangle next to the transitions box to expand the list of transition effects (see figure 2).

8. Click on the Back button to return to the Slide Show Editor standard view. Notice that all slide order and transition effects changes have been made to the Slide Show.
   
9. Click on the first slide in the Storyboard.
Notice that the Properties area shows the settings for the selected item. For example, you can add a Pan & Zoom animation. 10. Click on the first slide and click on the Play button below the Preview window to begin the Slide Show.
You can watch a preview of your Slide Show with all the transitions 11. Click on the Pause button to stop the playback. 12. When you are satisfied with your Slide Show, click on Output... at the top of the Slide Show Editor.

13. Save as a pdf so I can review your slideshow.

Keeping your eyes wide open

Photo Hunt

You need to find a photo from A-Z. This time the object being photographed must start with the letter (not form the letter) For example...photo of an apple - A, you might have to be creative to find letters like Q. Think about what is happening in the photo not just the object. You will be creating a slideshow on the computer with your photos and you’ll be adding type to describe each one, so make sure you complete all the letters.


Here is where your challenge is...
You must complete the alphabet with your photos while accomplishing this list below. They do not have to be in order.

Create a silhouette
Blur object in your foreground
Blur your background
A portrait (photo of a person)
Close up of an object (must be in focus)
Monotone photo (this means most of the colors within the photo are the same)
Bright colors
Photo inside using flash
Photo outside using your flash
Photo outside without flash
 Photo of a landscape
 Photo of action
 Photo at an angle
 A unique perspective
 Downward perspective
 Upward perspective
 Object so close it is not recognizable (must be in focus)
 Self portrait (use a mirror, reflection, puddle get creative)
 Photo in the shade
 Photo in bright sunlight
 Photo towards the sun
 Photograph something yellow
Photograph something blue
 Photograph something green
Photograph something red
 Photograph that you change to black and white.

Teamwork is key

You've probably figured out by now whether your interests lay in photography or graphics. Some people prefer to come up with the ideas, others would rather compose from others ideas and then there are those of us who love the computer and like to put everything together.

For this next project you will be working in teams of three. Each one of you will have a role.
1. Creative director (overseas the project and helps develop the initial ideas)
2. Photographer - photographs and then helps with editing the photos
3. Graphic artist - Finishes the project on the computer with typeography and other design elements

All three of you must be part of each of the steps, but you will be in charge of one of the steps of the development process.

The Project:  Create a cd cover, dvd cover or book cover.

Requirements:
1. -This idea must be thought out before you start. Plan the name of your book/album as well as your photograph. You will be required to hand in your initial idea for the project (sketch and notes)

2. The final product must include at least one photograph taken by your team. (you may use as many illustrative elements as you'd like along with the photograph)

3. You must use photoshop elements to alter the photo in some shape or form, whether it be converting to black and white, using different filters, adding grain, bumping up contrast and color saturation. etc.

4. There must be a title to your album, movie or book as well as a band name or author using typeography.

Schedule:
May 2 - assign roles, brainstorm ideas create sketch and notes for project
May 6 - photo day
May 10 & 12 - computer time
Project due beginning of class on May 16.

Is using the computer considered cheating?

Does the computer take away the right to call photography a fine art? It's become a huge discussion between film photographers and digital photographers. Either which way, the digital revolution has taken photography in a direction that has allowed photographers to have much more freedom with their results.

Some of the advantages of digital photography:

A photographer no longer has to decide whether they will shoot in color or black and white because conversions happen after the photo is taken

There is no longer a need to conserve film. Digital photography makes it easy to take hundreds, even thousands of photos at no cost.

The guessing game has been eliminated from photography. Film photographers had to calculate so many factors almost making photography a form of math. Now-a-days a photographer can look at the situation, click a photo and then adjust accordingly. This saves lots of time and allows photographers to be more daring with their shots because they immediately know the results.

In my opinion, digital photography is wonderful because I can capture the photo and then realize my vision later on the computer. Most of my photos need at least a bit of contrast adjustment and color enhancement, but I also have the freedom to change it to black and white, add film grain, crop and more. I call the computer my digital darkroom.


Here are some examples of some original photos and their results after working on the computer.

Can you see how the colors look a bit drab until boosted on the computer? Also check out the difference black and white can make, changing the cropping, adding text etc.

Today I'd like you to play around in Photoshop Elements. I've provided a folder of original photographs that you can work with. Adjust the color, contrast, play with coloring, cropping, shading. See what unique effects you can do to improve the overall characteristic of the photo.

sell it part deux

Okay now that we've discussed what works in advertising as far as photography let's get this project started! In ad agencies designers come up with a concept and layout and then direct a photographer to realize the idea. On this project you will be both the photographer and designer.

Your assignment

Choose a product that you'd like to advertise. It has to be something you can bring to class to photograph. Your product and ad may not be vulgar or violent. It must be something that is okay to bring to school. You must take the photo - it can not be pulled off the internet.

1. Today (March 21) we will be "concepting" for your ad - or in other words coming up with the main idea. Choose the product you want to advertise, work on a headline and how you'd like your ad to lay out on your paper. This step needs to be completed before you photograph. 

2. Photo day is Friday (March 26).  Bring the product to class as well as your camera and anything else needed to create your photos.

3. Next week you will have both class periods to layout the ad. You may either lay it out on the computer using photoshop elements and word. Or you can create a scrapbook page by cutting and pasting your images and words to create the page.

4. The add will be due at the end of the class period on Thursday, March 31. We will critique these ads the following week. Meaning you will have a chance to say what works and does not work about others' ads.

Here is an example of my ad:

I chose to advertise one of my dog's play toy's.

First I came up with a headline.

 Then decided on a layout. I thought a simple layout would be best. 

I photographed the toy on a black background and kept most of it in focus.

I then cliped it out using Photoshop and used it as a standalone on my page. 

Lastly, I put all the elements of my ad together.

 

This was the original photograph.

sell it...

What about print or web advertisements catches your eye? Personally a great headline paired with a cool photo can sell me just about anything.

Your next project is to create an ad for a product. This could be your favorite watch, drink, shoes, hat, etc. My only criteria for this product is that it is something you can bring in to school to photograph.

I'll explain the project at more length in my following blog, but for class today I'd like you to thumb through magazines or check out the following link
http://www.google.com/images?q=product+advertising&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&sa=X&ei=pot_TeuiK4XSsAOkwPSWBg&ved=0CGAQsAQ&biw=1202&bih=860
and check out all the different kinds of ads. By the end of class I would like you to turn in the answers to these questions along with ads from the magazine or print from online to back your answers.

1. What style of photography do I think works best for selling a product.Why?
2. Find a headline that you think is catchy
3. Find an ad that doesn't work well, why?
4. Pick a product photograph that catches your attention and explain how you think it was photographed.

After you've completed and turned in the above questions, please take some time to explore your options in Photoshop Elements. Part of this project will require touch up or even changing up your photo in this program. Play around with the program to find out what fun changes you can make to an ordinary photos. Adjust the contrast, color, cropping. This is just an exercise to see what the program can do.

On Thursday we'll start the conceptual process of creating your ad.

Tips for photographing a successful I SPY theme

The first element that you will need to consider is the aperture (depth of field or the amount of blur of your background)

Point and shoot cameras generally photograph with small aperture. Meaning they keep most of the what you photograph in focus. This comes in handy when trying to photograph large groups or photos where you want to show off the landscape. On the other hand this is why many point and shoots have difficulty photographing interiors without blur, this small aperture requires lots of light, hence the blinding flash produced by these small cameras.

With an SLR camera it is more about what type of lens you have because that determines the amount of light let into your camera and you can control the blur of a background as well as how much you can keep in focus. The problem when it comes to photographing with a small aperture is that you are allowing less light in your camera so the shutter speed needs to slow down to compensate. The slower the shutter speed the more likely your result will be blurry.

Here are some tips on taking a small aperture photo without blur. 
1. Photograph a still object. (moving objects will almost always be blurry)
2. Use a trip-pod or stabilize your camera
3. Photograph in a location with lots of light. (outside is going to yield the best results and the least amount of blur. Naturally the camera lens will have more access to light which means you can use a higher shutter speed)

The second element to consider in setting up your scene. Where is the light. Is the sun overhead and going to produce too harsh of lighting for your photo? Are you going to be photographing into light that will blow out your photo, or make it too dark?

Tips for picking a place to set up your scene. 
1. Check out the light first. Ideally you want shade with no sun creeping though. (small amounts of sun will throw off your white balance and your camera will be confused as to whether it should photograph for the darker areas or light areas, so it will over compensate one way or the other)
2. Be aware of the back light (being in the shade and photographing towards the sun) this will create silhouettes of you scene which will be dark.
3. If you are having trouble with blur consider turning on your flash. More light, less blur. Although in an outside setting you shouldn't have issues with blur. And if you can avoid using flash it is always more aesthetically pleasing.

Good luck!