Project 4: Photoshop Masks

Photoshop masks are an invaluable resource to any photographer or designer. They allow you to hide unwanted pixels without actually deleting them just in case you need them again. It is a less permanent solution to the eraser tool and something that anyone who uses Photoshop should know about.

Once you start using masks you will realize just how easy they truly are even if they seem a little intimidating at first. Creating a mask in Photoshop is almost as easy as selecting your image. You simply select the image that you would like to add a mask to and then go to the bottom of your layers palette, click the "add mask" button which looks like a square with a circle in the middle of it. By default your mask will come up as white making everything visible. To start hiding items using your mask click on the mask layer to the right of the image you masked, select your paint brush and make sure your paint brush color is set to black (to reset your colors to black and white simply select D on your keyboard, and to switch between the two colors easily hit X on your keyboard). Then start painting over the area of your image that you would like to hide. White on a mask will reveal pixels and black on a mask will hide pixels. As you are working you will notice that you need different paint brush sizes in different areas of your image a simple short cut for changing the size of your brush would be to press [ to make your brush smaller and ] to make your brush larger.

Below are two of my personal examples of images being combined to create one composite using masks and layers in Photoshop.

If you would like to know more about Masks and Layers in Photoshop be sure to check out these helpful links:

Unveiling Photoshop Masks - Smashing Magazine

Photoshop 101: How to Use Layer Masks | Design Reviver


Image Composite One


Straight Out of Camera



Straight Out of Camera


Image Composite using Photoshop Masks and Layers



Image Composite Two


Straight Out of Camera


Straight Out of Camera


Image Composite using Photoshop Masks and Layers

Project 3: Gray Card

A digital gray card is a flat card that is a neutral gray (18%) used to produce a more consistent and correct white balance for your images. Essentially an 18% gray card takes the light reflected off of the gray card into consideration and between the camera and the computer can figure out which colors of light are being reflected off of the card, and are able to make adjustments using a custom white balance.

It is really simple to use a gray card, simply just take a photo of your object/subject holding the gray card, setting your exposure in camera correctly when photographing this image. Then remove the gray card from your object/subject and continue shooting in the same lighting conditions making sure not to change any of your settings.

Once you get to the Post Processing of your images Aperture and Lightroom make getting the correct white balance of your images super easy! Simply go to your developing section in either or, set your exposure and setting that you want for your first image that has the gray card in it, then use the eye dropper in the white balance section to sample from the gray card and tada! Beautiful white balance, then just apply this setting to the rest of your photos in this set and you have a set of images with the proper white balance.

If you would like to read more about a gray card be sure to check out this awesome review on gray cards here: The Digital Picture: Gray Card Review


Also if you are interested in purchasing a gray card check out this company: RM Imaging


Check out some of these images I took using a gray card:

Winter Love

“If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant: if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.”
– Anne Bradstreet

Project Two: ISO

ISO (International Organization for Standardization) for a digital camera is the measurement of the sensitivity of the image sensor. The higher the ISO number the more sensitive your sensor will be to light resulting in more noise or grain in your image, and the lower the ISO number the less sensitive your sensor will be to light resulting in finer noise or grain in your image.

A reason why you may want to use a higher ISO would be if you are shooting in low light and need a faster shutter speed to freeze action such as at a sporting event. The following images were taken using a Canon 50D to show ISO in low light, normal light and night light.


LOW LIGHT










NORMAL LIGHT







NIGHT LIGHT

Photography...

“Photography is a way of feeling, of touching, of loving. What you have caught on film is captured forever... it remembers little things, long after you have forgotten everything.”
– Aaron Siskind

Awesome Free Textures

Why purchase your textures when there are some pretty awesome people out there putting them out there for free? Supplying you with great resources that won't cost you a cent and will allow you to experiment and work on your personal style. I commend these artists for being "lovecats", sharing there tangible resources with the rest of us.

Along my photographic journey I have come across Jerry Jones a very talented artist who uses his blog as a resource for others and helps inspire those of us around him that check out his blog on a regular basis. Providing us with a great amount of free textures that I have to say are some of the best that I have seen.

They vary in all colors and the amount of dramatic grunge that you are able to apply to a single image or design. Leaving you with endless possibilities for each and every project that you work on. Though don't be mistaken his blog is not all about free texture resources he as a mass amount of great tutorials, his favorite fonts, cool brushes and of course some lightroom presets, along with his own personal artwork that will inspire you to get in touch with your darker side. So why not dive in, check it out for yourself and explore Jerry Jone's talents and generosities on his blog which can be found here: Shadowhouse Creations.



Here are two of my favorite textures at work, Stoned Again and Funk n Grunge combined to add a little more texture and a different feeling to a simple flower image. Who knows what you could do with these textures, why wait to find out head over and check it out!

Creativity...

“Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.” – Scott Adams