Assignment 1 - Photo Manipulation Assignment

When we go travels, we usually take camera to keep the beautiful view, and it’s just as important to record the ephemeral good times with friends or family. The photograph reminded me of the days which had been wonderful. But sometimes the photos are not satisfying, because of many reasons such as the weather, the quality of the camera or the smart phone you used, or the blurring caused by minute caused by the user. If these are happened, I will feel so sad.  But with improvements in science, there is ways to fix these things up: we can use the Photoshop or online free editing tools to make some change that you like.

        This photo was taken on August 28^th, 2011, my friends and I travel to the Quebec City, Upper Town. For me, I don’t like to take too heavy things on the traveling, that’s why I use SONY W560. It’s smaller and lighter than those digital SLR cameras. That day was sunny, but there is thunderstorm after the lunch time, so this photo was looked like rainy, the light was dark. What a pity!  

      Let’s make this photo looks better.

     At first, I am going to adjust the light of the dark areas. First click at levels icon in the adjustment palette to add a levels adjustment layer. Then to moving the midtones and the highlights sliders to make the dark zones brighter. At this time, the highlights are moved to 175 and the midtones balanced to 1, 94. Now, it looks lighter than before, but I feel a little bit strange so I need to increase the contrast. At this part, I add a curves adjustment layer; it needs to be made an “S” type curve to increase the contrast. After that, the visual effect is too rigid, aesthetically. So next step, I try to give the photo more color, because in the photo’s original color dark and cold colors were in the majority. I think if I change the photo’s color to the more warm color, it will be more attractive, looks like a sunny afternoon. Now I use a color balance adjustment layer, it start adjusting the shadows to reduce the bluish tone of the shadows and en up fine-tuning the midtones until you are satisfied with the result. Then let’s add a saturation adjustment layer to modify the different zones of the photo. At this time, I can select the yellow channel and raise even more the saturation, modify also the red and the blue channels to make the decorative arts on the street and the building more visible.

   Actually, I am not very well at the Photoshop, just to make a little change. But not bad, see both of these pictures, the original picture and retouched one.

   Usually, after that I will add some decorative pattern or frame on the picture. It will make the picture looks like photo, more real, and when I post on my blog, it will let people feel more light and placid.
                                                           before

                                                            after

                                                  the after and after 

 the resource, I watch : video: How to Use Photoshop CS5 Basic Tools. by Matthew Hendershot.