Photo of the Week | 3 – Ether, 4 – Headphones.

Because I skipped last week, due to not being able to get any good shots, I have two for this week.

3 – Ether.

Taken March 3rd, 2010. Sony a200. 19-55mm. School soccer field.

Originally, this photograph wasn’t incredibly captivating. I looked up at the sky and found that the cloud formations were peculiar, so I chose one in the camera’s viewfinder and took a few shots of it. I continue to enjoying capturing something in its entirety, free of manipulation of control. The aspect of catching something natural, as it is, as best as you can, is something I enjoy about photography.

The main aspect of this photograph is the manipulation I did to it in Photoshop. While playing with the channels—originally RGB, I hid and unhid individual ones, coming across the effect of leaving only the Red channel visible, leaving this large contrast between dark and white of the sky and clouds, respectively. Because Photoshop didn’t allow me to save a file within a specific channel chosen, I changed the mode to Multichannel, which allowed me to freely select channels to use.

I titled this Ether because I think that’s exactly the effect the finished image invokes. Changing something as simple of as the channels can alter the effect of a photograph so drastically, and even go as far as invoking an opposite emotion or effect than what occurs from the original image, which can bee seen here. The value of the image is only one aspect of its effect, as the shape of the clouds, almost like mist, emits a far eerier tone—even something bordering supernatural allegories; all this can be concluded from just looking at the image with a critical eye, which is what I value most in photography and its applications.

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4 – Headphones.

Unknown Date. Nikon D3000. 18-55mm. Around Issa’s neck.

This shoot wasn’t as successful as the last ones, mainly because I was struggling with my ability to get any good pictures. I settled with this set of photos, because they were really the only good ones I could take, even if I wasn’t totally happy with how the shoot turned out. I decided that a good way to work around the visually bland image was to turn it into a graphic.

To me, graphics provide an interesting and creative way to manipulate images to as much an extent as one wants, and gives another level to the artistic capability of one’s vision, through the usage of new technologies to achieve that vision. I had to troubleshoot within Photoshop to discover a proper and effective way of turning the photo into a graphic, but then realized another solution. Utilizing other programs to extend creative ability is something I always value, and that includes all programs within Adobe’s Creative Suite, which is made behind interconnectivity behind creativity.

Using the Live Trace tool in Adobe Illustrator, I was able to use a threshold and posterization-like effect to add ample visual interest to the photograph, creating clear elements of colour and value that allow the image to be interesting to look at.