Projects
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Typically programs display your picture surrounded by a command bar, tool bar, scrolling controls. Clicking symbols on the bar in turn releases fly-outs such as dialogue boxes for you to make settings. Image changes made by computer which parallel what you are used to achieving in the darkroom are often the easiest to learn first. The ‘Help’ command brings up explanations and advice on screen, more accessible than an elaborate manual. Key manipulation controls – Brightness/Contrast; Colour balance; Rotate/Crop; Clone; Undo. Using tools you can change colours; shade and print-in; move elements in your picture to new positions; montage parts of different pictures together; and many more. It’s also possible to reduce depth of field and introduce movement blur, either overall or just over selected areas. Ease off the ‘special effects’. Before montaging several images together make sure they match in lighting, perspective and (preferably) colour balance. If you are scanning-in from film remember that negatives are inherently less contrasty than slides and so often give better quality digital images. Levels (Histograms) and Curves offer a sophisticated way of altering the distribution of image tone values and colours. Experiment working in monochrome, and check out the use of duotone and tri-tone. With a flatbed scanner explore photograms; consider combining them with camera-shot images. By applying distortion a ‘flat-on’ shot can be reshaped into an image with pseudo-perspective. Converging verticals can also be corrected this way. Edge-lining and a drop shadow suit some pictures as a finishing touch. Be sure to save all your finished work onto the computer’s hard disk, and if possible, duplicate files on a removable disk as back-up. Saving as a TIFF or PSD file will retain maximum resolution, but is demanding on disk space. JPEG compresses information, saves disk space and suits electronic transmission where work will only be viewed small size on a computer screen. Although image manipulation has long played a role in photography, modern digital techniques allow speedy, far more convincing results. This casts grave doubt on the integrity of some forms of photography (e.g. documentary) which people still trust as factual evidence.
Projects 1 Find examples of manipulated silver halide photography. Check out: H.P. Robinson, Le Gray, Oscar Rejlander, Hannah Hoch, E.L. Lissitzky, John Heartfield, Angus McBean, Peter Kennard. What do you think was the purpose behind the work of each of your chosen photographers? 2 Using an entry-level photo-manipulation program it is possible to practise digital work with a basic computer having as little as 40 MB RAM, 8 GB hard disk, and a 15 inch monitor. Your high street lab can inexpensively put a selection of your negatives and slides onto a Photo-CD. The equipment will be slow in opening files, making changes, but you can get started and learn a lot. 3 Pick just one or two tools at first and thoroughly learn what each can do. Try Brightness/Contrast, Clone, and Colour Balance. Make notes. (You don’t necessarily have to print anything out.)