teacher: kenji tachibana digital photography i x rough stage feedback

Teacher: Kenji TachibanaDigital Photography IDigital Photography I

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Rough Stage FeedbackRough Stage Feedback

Teacher: Kenji TachibanaDigital Photography IDigital Photography IRough Stage FeedbackRough Stage Feedback

Point of View:Point of View:

What follows is a somewhat detailed feedback on What follows is a somewhat detailed feedback on six different student assignments from both the six different student assignments from both the North and South campuses. Each feedback is North and South campuses. Each feedback is specific to the student but please think of each specific to the student but please think of each image as your own. I critique each image as if I image as your own. I critique each image as if I shot them or in the process of shooting them.shot them or in the process of shooting them.


Don in his environment:Don in his environment:

Strong story idea weakenedStrong story idea weakenedby tight cropping. Criticallyby tight cropping. Criticallyimportant story detail isimportant story detail ishidden. Backing off by 20%hidden. Backing off by 20%might better show the saddlemight better show the saddleand it would add ‘comfortand it would add ‘comfortclearance’ above the hat.clearance’ above the hat.

I wanted to see the saddleI wanted to see the saddlehorn but Don informed me that his saddle didn’t have a horn. horn but Don informed me that his saddle didn’t have a horn. But, understanding my point, he offered that he might remove But, understanding my point, he offered that he might remove a saddle bag which would expose the stirrup.a saddle bag which would expose the stirrup.


Basic Lab Work:Basic Lab Work:

Improving brightness and Improving brightness and ‘snap’ will help to tell the ‘snap’ will help to tell the story better. Apply…story better. Apply…

1)1) Layers AdjustmentLayers Adjustment

2)2) Brightness/ContrastBrightness/Contrast

3)3) Color AdjustmentColor Adjustment

Special – since there was no Special – since there was no change made with the Color change made with the Color adjustment layer. That layer adjustment layer. That layer was renamed to ‘no change’.was renamed to ‘no change’.

Camera OriginalCamera Original

Basic ProcessBasic Process


Process: IntermediateProcess: Intermediate

Improve color by Improve color by using an additional using an additional Layer Adjustment, Layer Adjustment, Hue/Saturation.Hue/Saturation.

Basic ProcessBasic Process

Intermediate LabIntermediate Lab

Teacher: Kenji TachibanaDigital Photography IDigital Photography I.

Lab Work: Fine-tuneLab Work: Fine-tune

The blown-out top portion of the hat was toned The blown-out top portion of the hat was toned down and colorized. And the oragne road-down and colorized. And the oragne road-center line was moved more into the picture. center line was moved more into the picture. It’s a little change that makes a big difference.It’s a little change that makes a big difference.


Fully Processed: Final project starting point…Fully Processed: Final project starting point…


Next Stage Rough Shoot: The starting point shot is a better all around except Next Stage Rough Shoot: The starting point shot is a better all around except for showing the stirrup. Although this is not an apple to apple comparison – this for showing the stirrup. Although this is not an apple to apple comparison – this image is not process.image is not process.


Gabriel: WaitingGabriel: Waiting

Simple waiting Simple waiting story idea. story idea. Although, too Although, too much competing much competing image element image element was included in was included in the background.the background.


Crop For Story:Crop For Story:

Avoid having the Avoid having the main subject main subject competing with competing with words. The image words. The image was cropped to was cropped to selectively focus selectively focus on the subject.on the subject.

In doing so, the In doing so, the subject got a subject got a whole lot bigger whole lot bigger which helps to tell which helps to tell the story.the story.


Lab Work:Lab Work:

It was processed for It was processed for brightness and brightness and snap. It was also snap. It was also retouched to retouched to remove the remove the distracting white distracting white calligraphy on the calligraphy on the jacket guided by the jacket guided by the ‘less is more’ ‘less is more’ principal.principal.


Light Painting:Light Painting:

Less is more but Less is more but too simple can too simple can become boring. I become boring. I used light used light painting to add painting to add back movement back movement and depth with a and depth with a cast shadow on cast shadow on the background.the background.

Teacher: Kenji TachibanaDigital Photography IDigital Photography I. Rough Stage FeedbackRough Stage Feedback

Judge For Yourself: Compare the differencesJudge For Yourself: Compare the differences


Previous fully processedPrevious fully processed Next stage: Back to a earlier idea.Next stage: Back to a earlier idea.

I find the previous story to be more visually I find the previous story to be more visually interesting and with a clearer story.interesting and with a clearer story.


Natalia: Visual poetry…Natalia: Visual poetry…


Crop & Process:Crop & Process: For story..For story..


Re-shoot: SuggestionRe-shoot: Suggestion

The original shot was a The original shot was a horizontal. Rotate the horizontal. Rotate the camera to the vertical camera to the vertical orientation and zoom in to orientation and zoom in to frame the image using the frame the image using the red dotted line as a guide.red dotted line as a guide.


Missed Deadline:Missed Deadline:

No Rough assignment shot No Rough assignment shot turned in. Natalia received turned in. Natalia received plenty of beauty lighting and plenty of beauty lighting and background ideas and background ideas and instructions. I’m looking instructions. I’m looking forward to her next stage forward to her next stage Rough assignment shot.Rough assignment shot.

Note – Please don’t drop the Note – Please don’t drop the ball in this final stretch of the ball in this final stretch of the quarter. quarter. Come to every class Come to every class with improved versions of the with improved versions of the final project to each class!final project to each class!


Andy’s: Activity seriesAndy’s: Activity series

His series started with this His series started with this ‘walking down a path’. He ‘walking down a path’. He faked this very well. You faked this very well. You can’t tell that he is actually can’t tell that he is actually squatting on the path…squatting on the path…

He got a lot of feedback He got a lot of feedback about ‘packing’ the image about ‘packing’ the image with story telling elements.with story telling elements.


Andy’s: CrossingAndy’s: Crossing

His self portrait is fully His self portrait is fully packed with simple and packed with simple and clear story telling clear story telling elements. elements.

Next stage suggestion is Next stage suggestion is to include 20% more of to include 20% more of the environment.the environment.


Next Stage:Next Stage:

Add more background Add more background especially at the right especially at the right and the bottom. and the bottom.

The bottom image detail The bottom image detail will show more of the will show more of the stuff being crossed.stuff being crossed.


Retouched:Retouched:

Darkening the back- Darkening the background and seriously ground and seriously burning down rocks burning down rocks helps to focus the viewer helps to focus the viewer attention on the subject.attention on the subject.

Taking the same shot Taking the same shot under softer lighting under softer lighting condition would condition would eliminate much of the eliminate much of the HDR problem.HDR problem.

Flash-fill, an advanced Flash-fill, an advanced lighting technique, would lighting technique, would also have helped this also have helped this shot.shot.


Wrong Way: Next stage 3Wrong Way: Next stage 3

Andy might have gotten Andy might have gotten distracted by wanting to distracted by wanting to make a new ‘Feel of make a new ‘Feel of Summer Light’ story.Summer Light’ story.

The previous shot is The previous shot is much more authentic and much more authentic and visually more interesting.visually more interesting.


Layout Issues:Layout Issues:

The subject is too close The subject is too close to the left edge and has to the left edge and has become too flat. The become too flat. The previous shot was a ¾ previous shot was a ¾ and it’s now reduced to a and it’s now reduced to a profile, a silhouette angle.profile, a silhouette angle.

It’s also become centered It’s also become centered in the vertical dimension.in the vertical dimension.


Layout: Crop fix 1Layout: Crop fix 1

Red dotted line crop mark based on applying the 1/3 x 2/3 Red dotted line crop mark based on applying the 1/3 x 2/3 special breakup ideas… A white sliver more of background was special breakup ideas… A white sliver more of background was added on the left side to eliminate the subject to edge tangency.added on the left side to eliminate the subject to edge tangency.


Layout: Crop fix 2Layout: Crop fix 2

The image was The image was rotated to introduce rotated to introduce more movement into more movement into the composition and the composition and to further reduce the to further reduce the tangency issue.tangency issue.


Lab Work: Lab Work:

The color shift and The color shift and the HDR issues made the HDR issues made it very difficult to it very difficult to make this image look make this image look ‘right’.‘right’.


Olga: Bad HabitsOlga: Bad Habits

Good story idea and Good story idea and execution for a execution for a stage 1 shoot.stage 1 shoot.

The Mac laptop The Mac laptop cover is doing an cover is doing an interesting optical interesting optical illusion thing, illusion thing, pretending to the a pretending to the a deeper wall area in deeper wall area in the background.the background.


First Step: CropFirst Step: Crop

I like to start my lab I like to start my lab routine with a ‘fine-routine with a ‘fine-tune’ cropping.tune’ cropping.

This can sometimes This can sometimes change the basic change the basic processing needs. processing needs. Although it didn’t Although it didn’t change anything for change anything for this example shot.this example shot.

This cropping This cropping places the subject places the subject in the optical center.in the optical center.


Photoshop: Lab workPhotoshop: Lab work

This step is meant This step is meant to make the image to make the image look believable in look believable in brightness and brightness and mood.mood.It also increased the It also increased the optical illusion and optical illusion and added snap to the added snap to the image.image.


Light Painting:Light Painting:

I applied both local I applied both local and regional and regional gradated darkening gradated darkening to increased the to increased the optical illusion wall optical illusion wall and applied a and applied a similar gradated similar gradated darkening lighting darkening lighting on the real wall.on the real wall.


Re-shoot Suggestion:Re-shoot Suggestion:

The lines in the shot is The lines in the shot is too straight and clean. too straight and clean. Replacing the Marlboro Replacing the Marlboro box with a soft pack box with a soft pack would soften the image would soften the image and make it less brand and make it less brand conscious. The story is conscious. The story is about habit and not about habit and not Marlboro.Marlboro.


Re-shoot Suggestion:Re-shoot Suggestion:

The lines in the shot The lines in the shot is too straight andis too straight and


Mariah’s: Well doneMariah’s: Well done

It tell the story very It tell the story very well as a prose from. well as a prose from. If I Had I not seen If I Had I not seen the previous poetic the previous poetic form, I may not feel form, I may not feel reservations about reservations about his new version...his new version...


Poetic Form:Poetic Form:

This is not a straight This is not a straight forward prose story. It forward prose story. It isn’t as clear as the isn’t as clear as the new version. new version.

Although it’s much Although it’s much more interesting more interesting visually. And the heart visually. And the heart is drawn superbly by is drawn superbly by the soft light.the soft light.


Re-shoot: SuggestionRe-shoot: Suggestion

I suggested a 10% I suggested a 10% increase of the increase of the background image area background image area to relieve the over to relieve the over crowded feeling. crowded feeling.

Use the keyboard Up & Use the keyboard Up & Down arrow keys to Down arrow keys to compare this processed compare this processed image with the previous image with the previous camera original. camera original.


Matter of Taste:Matter of Taste:

They both work. The new They both work. The new version has a faster take. The version has a faster take. The older version is more older version is more suggestive.suggestive.

The plastic heart looks The plastic heart looks luscious in the original but it’s luscious in the original but it’s almost an after though in the almost an after though in the new version…new version…

The broad soft lighting is The broad soft lighting is working reasonably well in working reasonably well in both shots. Although it’s both shots. Although it’s looking a little flat in the new looking a little flat in the new version.version.


Consistent Observation:Consistent Observation:

Most of you are still very careless about your Most of you are still very careless about your camera framing and composition. When I ask camera framing and composition. When I ask for 10 to 25% increase in background, that’s for 10 to 25% increase in background, that’s what I expect you to do. Although many of you what I expect you to do. Although many of you come back with backgrounds that much more come back with backgrounds that much more than I asked for.than I asked for.


Possible Solutions:Possible Solutions:

Easiest solution is to reference the original Easiest solution is to reference the original image on your digital film card by viewing it on image on your digital film card by viewing it on your camera LCD monitor.your camera LCD monitor.

Another easy one is to print out the reference Another easy one is to print out the reference image either in B&W or color. Color is needed image either in B&W or color. Color is needed only if the color is very vital to your story.only if the color is very vital to your story.


Billboard Breakdown:Billboard Breakdown:

If you need more help than If you need more help than the previous ideas, here is the previous ideas, here is a way to break down your a way to break down your composition by finding composition by finding mid-points and creating mid-points and creating grids.grids.

This is a method used by This is a method used by billboard painters to map a billboard painters to map a small drawing into a full small drawing into a full size billboard.size billboard.


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