Software Packages - Dreamweaver, Adobe Illustrator

Dreamweaver is an Adobe program which is designed in order to help you write HTML code for the creating of web sites. HTML means 'Hyper Text Markup Language' -  the code you type in order to insert text and images onto a web page.
We created a basic webpage in college using a template supplied by our tutor John and had a go and changing fonts, font colours and inserting images. I created a basic web page to help promote my photography and book cover. The first screenshot is the front page which by clicking on the image take you to the second page with all the contents listed.
I added my book cover image (without the text) as the main image then added images down the right hand side of the screen to go with the relevant text. In order to do this I opened up the template in Dreamweaver and typed in the HTML code such as -

sam johnson

. The

code tells dreamweaver that the line of text ends there. As this was my first time EVER writing in HTML code I found it a little bit confusing to start with. In order to change the colour of a font you can use the swatches codes from photoshop which gives limitless options when deciding on what colour to go for.

Fig 1.

Dreamweaver makes things easier for novices such as myself to create a web page. As photographers it gives us a fantastic tool to get our work out there and online that can give anyone access to all over the world. Self promotion is a great way to start when your just starting out as no one else is going to do it for you!
Wix.com and Weebly.com make things even easier by allowing you to adjust templates using a drag and drop process. I decided I would use weebly for my web page.
Fig 2. shows the edit page on weebly. As you can see the option to add pictures and paragraphs etc are just a drag and drop tool.

Fig 2.

If I wanted to change my URL (uniform resource locator) from the weebly one http://samjohnsonphotography.weebly.com/ I could buy a domain name such as www.samjohnsonphotography.co.uk (if not already taken) costing anything from £3.99 to £20 per year. Sites such as namesco limited allow you to buy the domain name then 'rent' it off them for a annual fee.

Another software package you can use to help with your web design is Adobe Illustrator. Adobe Illustrator is a vector based program which means you can re-size images and text without losing quality. Illustrator also allows you to turn a bitmap pixel based images into vector images using it's live trace function - a digital version of tracing paper.

One of the main advantages of using Illustrator Dreamweaver and Photoshop is that they are all made by Adobe so the you get software synergy.

images courtesy of http://software.productwiki.com

Final Evaluation: Book Cover - completed dust jacket

Below is my final book cover image for the dust jacket. The theme being red riding hood but changed to petit chaperon rouge which is french for red riding hood.
Petit chaperon rouge is a french spy during WWII and is looking for revenge after her family was murdered by nazi werewolves. I remember the nazi werewolves in the film an American Werewolf In London which helped in the look of the wolf - see Fig 1.

Fig 1, image courtesy of http://robsmovievault.files.wordpress.com/1981/08/werewolf-london_l.jpg














I wanted to replicate the grindhouse look of Quentin Tarantino's inglorious basterds so I gave the book cover a grimy look to it in Photoshop and light room. I edited the RAW file in light room using the cross process tool and then using a plug-in, in Photoshop I enhanced the greens and small details further giving the image a HDR feel to it. I also changed the book dimensions to 51.9cm x 22.3 cm. This will wrap perfectly around another book I have chosen and will cost much less to print out than the original size! That was the overriding factor in changing book dimensions.

Overall I am happy with how the cover has turned out. It is pretty much how I saw it in my head. The difficult thing always being getting that vision of of your head and into print.The book cover was saved and printed at 300 ppi and as a 16-bit TIFF file.

In order to publicise my book I have created a web page using a template from weebly.com. I used the front page to advertise my book then created another click able link page which directs visitors straight to my blog. The link to the web page is below:
(please not my celebrity and journalistic endorsements are nothing to do with the actual persons!)

http://samjohnsonphotography.weebly.com/index.html

Final Evaluation: Zoetrope - sin city

After amending my zoetrope original idea slightly I have finally finished and saved it as a GIF file for viewing online.

The original background image I wanted was that of an advertising board but when I went to shoot it it had gone unfortunately. Undeterred I found a new backdrop - that of a black metal shed at the side of the canal near to where I live. I decided instead to use this as my background for the GIF and and my plan (using Photoshop) was to have the black metal doors open up the reveal the animated GIF inside.
For the image inside I found myself becoming more adventurous and used a toy figure from the film sin city of the character 'Gail' played by Rosario Dawson (fig1). I thought this would look much better that using someone in a skull mask to represent the painting by Edvard Munch's the scream. I have still taken inspiration from the PEN advertisement though by using a public space and then placing the animated images into in order to give it a base and background to work in.

(Fig 1 image courtesy of http://img2-1.timeinc.net/ew/dynamic/imgs/100505/Rosario-Dawson-Sin-City_400.jpg)

The digital zoetrope was quite an undertaking as not only did I have to edit each movement of the Gail figure I also had to then place the figure into the background picture.





Fig 2 shows the background image I will be using for the zoetrope

Fig 2

Fig 3










Fig 3 shows one of the images I took of the figure. I took each shot on a plain white background and moved the figure slightly each time in order to give the illusion of movement when put together to form a GIF file.

Below is the finished GIF after saving it for web & devices in Photoshop.
I changed the resolution to 72 dpi from 300 so the images moved along faster creating the persistence of vision. Being a GIF it did not need all those colours as it would be viewed on a monitor and not printed out.
All together there are 36 images all layered on top of each other in order to create the GIF you see below.

Setting Up Photoshop - For Photographers

Photoshop is not initially set up for photographers to get the best out of it. It is set up for graphic designers. In order for said photographer to get the best out of it there are a few tweaks you can do straight away.

Photoshop Set-Up

1.) Go to adjustments > Curves
Options > clip 0% and set as default

*Enhance monochromatic contrast and set as default
This will then be curves auto setting and levels every time you open up Photoshop

The colour space for internet use is sRGB
The colour space best for printing (e.g. magazines) is AdobeRGB
Adjust accordingly when working on different images for use with different mediums.
There is one more space - ProPhoto - huge colour space created by Kodak. For now LEAVE ALONE.

2.) Edit > Colour Settings
Working space - Adobe RGB (can export in lightoom)
- sRGB (for internet use)
Tick all boxes in colour settings
*All set to preserve embedded profile*

3.) Edit Preferences
To work out your screen res - measure the screen and then right click desktop and look at screen res and divide it to get your resolution.
Windows machines use 72 ppi and Apple use 96 ppi.

Zoetrope - Digital Idea

For my Zoetrope I have decided to be daring and try a digital one. I like the idea of taking a scene in real life and then manipulating it using the zoetrope effect.
A advertising board on the roadside will form the background for my scene. Using photoshop I shall replace the image on the board with a plain white background. I shall then shoot approx 25-30 images of someone walking towards the camera.
The camera will be stationary on a tripod and the person will walk towards it, every time they move closer I will press the shutter to capture there movement. As they come in for their close-up they shall re-enact the Edvard Munch scream pose.

I shall set up my camera on a tripod and take approx 25-30 shots on the advertising board and the street below to also give that part of my zoetrope movement. So in effect I shall be layering two images onto one and creating a gif file using both the street scene/advertising board and the Edvard Munch images.

Not the greatest of drawings but a rough (very) outline of my idea.

Inspiration came in no small part to the video shown to us in our IDE module class by Olympus cameras. Showcasing their new Pen camera Olympus used stop motion bringing huge billboards to life. See below for the fantastic video:

Zoetrope - GIF creation

Zoetrope.....what is it? Well the Zoetrope I am referring to is not Francis Ford Copploa's and George Lucas production company but it is in fact a device for giving an illusion of motion. The first Zoetrope's consisted of a slitted drum (see fig 1) that when spun round the images placed inside become one and gave the illusion of movement.
Using the famous set of horse photographs taken by Eadweard Muybridge we created our own digital style zoetrope by using the Muybridge images and turning them into a GIF file. Muybridge proved, through a series of motion images of horses,that all four of a horse's hoves left the ground at the same time.

A GIF file is an images that is predominantly used for presenting graphics on websites. GIF files can be animated hence the reason for using this format to make a digital zoetrope.

How to make a GIF

Open up photoshop
Edit - cut
Create one new file
Paste cut out image
Then repeat

Go to window animation
Got to top right - make frames from layers
Select all frames
Hold shift and click on end
Change frame rate
File save for 'web & devices',select GIF (on right)

Voila!

Mid-Point Evaluation - Book Cover

IDE Mid-Point Evaluation
Sam Johnson
Book Cover Design

THE TALE:
Red Riding Hood by the Brothers Grimm / ‘Petit Chaperon Rouge'

I was due to shoot a model (sourced off a model website) before Christmas but the shoot was cancelled. It has since been re arranged for the 14th January. Hopefully as it’s an outside shoot the weather will hold off and I can get the shot underneath the railway bridge that I am looking for.
I have also sourced a women’s trench coat for the shoot and have got hold of a black leather briefcase which I shall use for the back of the book image of the wolf’s head placed in the case. I did initially decide to shot the image of the briefcase with the wolf’s head inside in the studio however I have now decided not to. The reason being I want the overall feel and concept of the front cover to marry perfectly with the whole dust jacket. I have decided that the image on the back may be a little too jarring and subsequently change the 40’s espionage tone I am aiming to achieve with the front cover. My idea for the shot now is to have the model hold the case open revealing the head inside shot on the same background as the front cover image (i.e. near to the railway bridge).

I have taken some test shots of the location from different angles so I know how to position my model on the day of the shoot. I have also edited the images using light room and Photoshop playing around with ramping up the shadows and contrast with layers and converting to black and white. I will also use subtle selective colouring on the models red gloves and red hair on the final image.

I aim to have both the front and back cover images finished for the end of January when I will spend the remaining time editing them and making sure they fit the size format of book I have gone for. The total size including both front and back flap will be 62.5 cm x 24.2cm. This will fit perfectly round my chosen book. I will shoot both portrait and landscape on the day and decide in post-production which looks the most effective.

Zoetrope:

Unfortunately I was unable to attend the Zoetrope photo session in the studio but I have come to the conclusion that I shall shoot my own images and create a digital Zoetrope. Partly inspired by the Olympus pen video shown in class, my idea is to shoot a number of images (20-30) of movement and then layer them on top of other images I would have shot previously of an advertising boarding. The idea is to create movement on the advertising boarding so it looks like its alive. I will achieve this using Photoshop layering and creating a GIF file.