Skills Development Blog

Shutter Speed Entry

Different shutter speeds are used for different things. Changing the speed of the camera shutter helps to capture the type of picture you want, and how you want to catch it. The shutter speed changes how much light is let into the lens. For example if you take a picture and find it is very underexposed, for example it is very dark and there is little contrast, you can slow down the shutter speed to let more light into the lens helping to retrieve a better, more exposed image or picture. It would be underexposed because the shutter would not be letting in enough light, therefore if there is a longer time period for the shutter to be open more light will be allowed to get into the lens. If you find that a picture is over exposed, being too light and not being able to see the image clearly, you can then speed up the shutter speed to improve the picture. This is because the shutter is letting in too much light which in turn is changing the exposure of the picture. Speeding up the shutter speed will decrease the amount of light able to get into the lens causing a better exposure. Generally slow shutter speeds are used in very dark areas and quick shutter speeds are used in very well lit areas. Shutter speeds can also be used to freeze an object in an image or create the effect of motion blur. A very fast shutter speed will freeze the object where as a slow shutter speed would cause a motion blur effect to the object.

Possible Problems

Underexposed-There is a possibility of taking an underexposed image that is caused by the surrounding area being too dark. A possible way to correct this problem would be to retake the image with a slower shutter speed allowing more light to enter the lens. A second possible way of fixing this issue would be to retake the image on a different day or a different time of the day, preferably a day with more sunlight on a less overcast day, or retake in a place with better lighting conditions. Also another way of correcting the poor exposure of a shot would be to change the ISO speed of the camera. The ISO speed is how quickly the cells of the camera react with the light. Therefore, for a very sunny day you would want to set the ISO speed as low as possible and as high as possible for a very dark area.

Poor Framing -Poor framing can consist of a mixture of things, such as the cropping and cutting off, of hands, limbs and heads. Another example of poor framing is being too far away from the subject of the photo. There are several ways of correcting these problems and there are targets to aim for to stay away from making these mistakes. For a start you should review the images as you take them by using the built in screen on the camera every time you capture a new image. You must remember to take your time when taking the images as rushing will cause framing and exposure problems. If the subject of the photo is moving then it is important to try and take lots of pictures, to do this you could use the continuous shoot mode on the camera. You must also aim to get very close to the subject to actually make them look like the subject of the photograph. Also using a tripod will help you to set up your camera to take the photograph exactly how you want it to in the exact position you want.

Focal and motion Blur- There are two types of image blurring, the first is focal blur. This is when the lens hasn’t been focussed properly and therefore creates a blurring effect which should be avoided by all means unless this was to be the desired effect of the picture. The second type of blur is motion blur. This is when the subject of image is moving and when the image is taken the subject leaves a blurred streak behind it. This occurs when the camera is move suddenly during taking the image or when the subject is moving too fast for the shutter speed. Solutions to avoid focal blur would be to use the automatic focus function on the camera as the camera will never forget to focus the lens. If you are not using the auto focus mode then you must remember to spend time to adjust the focal ring on the camera. To avoid the effect of motion blur you must adjust the shutter speed to be faster, it needs to be fast enough to freeze the subject in motion.

Overall Targets

I aim to get closer to the target in my photographs; this will help to show their emotions, body language and facial expressions to give the photo some ‘feel’ and emotion. I will also remember to review each picture as and when I take a new one so that if I spot a problem with the image I know about it and can correct the problem. Also I will record what shutter speed times accurately alongside the subject speed and motion, so I know the ideal shutter speed for each type of motion in the future. I wish to experiment further with shutter speed and ISO settings to further my experience and knowledge of using these techniques. I also aim to get used to using manual and auto focus by further experimenting with these functions. Thinking about the weather conditions as a take images will be a big aim for me and thinking about how the weather conditions will affect my photography work.

Side Lighting Entry

Side lighting is when portrait photography is lit from either only lighting on side of the subject in the photo. Front lighting is when the light on the subject comes from above and directly onto the subject. Side lighting can connote that there could potentially be more to a person for example they could have a darker side. Side lighting is very good for picture male subjects; this is because it is great at accentuating male facial features such as a strong jaw line. Frontal lighting, also known as Butterfly lighting and Glamour lighting is used to picture females usually. The butterfly lighting name comes from the shape of the shadow that the nose casts on the top lip as the light comes from above creating a butterfly shaped shadow. The reason females are usually captured in this type of lighting is because the light softens the facial features of women to create a softer complexion on their faces.

If you find a photo to be underexposed because there isn’t enough light entering the lens, as the surroundings are too dark offering poor lighting situations. To correct this issue I could retake the images using a slower shutter speed to help gain more light into the lens before the picture takes. I could also take my pictures at a different time of the day or a different day offering better lighting conditions, or in an area with better lighting conditions. A final way of overcoming this issue would be to increase the ISO settings of my camera; this would mean that the cells that react with the light in the camera would react with the light more quickly creating more light into an image.

Poor framing could be a further problem with an image. The poor framing could include missing limbs, hands or even missing a head of the subject. Solutions I could use include things like reviewing image as I take them by looking at the built in screen on the camera, and also to remember to take my time to take notice of everything and every detail in picture before taking it. I should also take lots of pictures if my subject is moving, as this will give me a choice of which pictures I would want to use and I would be able to pick and choose the best ones. Another way of reducing poor framing would be for me to get closer to the subject, as then I can use the rule of not cutting off the subjects’ limbs at the joint.

If I take a picture out of focus I would need to first decide if it was focal or motion blur and then find a solution to create a better image. If it was focal blur I would have to remember to take my time to adjust the focal ring on the camera lens. If I had no luck with this then I would have to remember to use the automatic focus setting on the camera. If it was a motion blur problem then I would need to adjust the shutter speed settings to be fast enough to freeze the subject instead of it leaving a blurred trail in the image. 

These are my side and front lighting pictures that i took to go with this blog entry.

      

Shutter speed Skills development

Shutter Speed Entry

Different shutter speeds are used for different things. Changing the speed of the camera shutter helps to capture the type of picture you want, and how you want to catch it. The shutter speed changes how much light is let into the lens. For example if you take a picture and find it is very underexposed, for example it is very dark and there is little contrast, you can slow down the shutter speed to let more light into the lens helping to retrieve a better, more exposed image or picture. It would be underexposed because the shutter would not be letting in enough light, therefore if there is a longer time period for the shutter to be open more light will be allowed to get into the lens. If you find that a picture is over exposed, being too light and not being able to see the image clearly, you can then speed up the shutter speed to improve the picture. This is because the shutter is letting in too much light which in turn is changing the exposure of the picture. Speeding up the shutter speed will decrease the amount of light able to get into the lens causing a better exposure. Generally slow shutter speeds are used in very dark areas and quick shutter speeds are used in very well lit areas. Shutter speeds can also be used to freeze an object in an image or create the effect of motion blur. A very fast shutter speed will freeze the object where as a slow shutter speed would cause a motion blur effect to the object.

Possible Problems

Underexposed-There is a possibility of taking an underexposed image that is caused by the surrounding area being too dark. A possible way to correct this problem would be to retake the image with a slower shutter speed allowing more light to enter the lens. A second possible way of fixing this issue would be to retake the image on a different day or a different time of the day, preferably a day with more sunlight on a less overcast day, or retake in a place with better lighting conditions. Also another way of correcting the poor exposure of a shot would be to change the ISO speed of the camera. The ISO speed is how quickly the cells of the camera react with the light. Therefore, for a very sunny day you would want to set the ISO speed as low as possible and as high as possible for a very dark area.

Poor Framing -Poor framing can consist of a mixture of things, such as the cropping and cutting off, of hands, limbs and heads. Another example of poor framing is being too far away from the subject of the photo. There are several ways of correcting these problems and there are targets to aim for to stay away from making these mistakes. For a start you should review the images as you take them by using the built in screen on the camera every time you capture a new image. You must remember to take your time when taking the images as rushing will cause framing and exposure problems. If the subject of the photo is moving then it is important to try and take lots of pictures, to do this you could use the continuous shoot mode on the camera. You must also aim to get very close to the subject to actually make them look like the subject of the photograph. Also using a tripod will help you to set up your camera to take the photograph exactly how you want it to in the exact position you want.

Focal and motion Blur- There are two types of image blurring, the first is focal blur. This is when the lens hasn’t been focussed properly and therefore creates a blurring effect which should be avoided by all means unless this was to be the desired effect of the picture. The second type of blur is motion blur. This is when the subject of image is moving and when the image is taken the subject leaves a blurred streak behind it. This occurs when the camera is move suddenly during taking the image or when the subject is moving too fast for the shutter speed. Solutions to avoid focal blur would be to use the automatic focus function on the camera as the camera will never forget to focus the lens. If you are not using the auto focus mode then you must remember to spend time to adjust the focal ring on the camera. To avoid the effect of motion blur you must adjust the shutter speed to be faster, it needs to be fast enough to freeze the subject in motion.

Overall Targets

I aim to get closer to the target in my photographs; this will help to show their emotions, body language and facial expressions to give the photo some ‘feel’ and emotion. I will also remember to review each picture as and when I take a new one so that if I spot a problem with the image I know about it and can correct the problem. Also I will record what shutter speed times accurately alongside the subject speed and motion, so I know the ideal shutter speed for each type of motion in the future. I wish to experiment further with shutter speed and ISO settings to further my experience and knowledge of using these techniques. I also aim to get used to using manual and auto focus by further experimenting with these functions. Thinking about the weather conditions as a take images will be a big aim for me and thinking about how the weather conditions will affect my photography work.

Introduction project

Personal Evalution

I learnt how to use the cameras that we use in college properly in auto mode, I also learnt about different types of shots and what they are used for, for example a long shot would normally be used at the start of and advert and this would be used to set the scene this could also be known as an establishing shot. Also I learnt that a close up shot would be used to accentuate what is important in the advert or to help the audience understand what the advert is trying to say/get at. However there are still skills that I have weaknesses in still and have not yet developed especially I have not developed many camera skills as of yet and must develop them for my future studies in media. I would like to be able to master the use of changing shutter speeds, and I would also like to be able to use aperture.

In my work I have used Photoshop skills such as the magnetic lasso tool and the brightness and contrast tools to produce my final product, I also used the crop tool to only leave the parts of the picture that I wished to use. To make the black and white image stand out more clearly, I changed the brightness and contrast. Then to add the parts of the image that has colour i used the magnetic tool to cut the areas out when the image was in colour and made them into new layers when i placed them over the black and white version of the image.

The image I am blogging shows that i have improved my skills of camera use as i have chosen an image that is close up to direct the audience to what i am trying to advertise helping the product to stand out.

There are problems with my work, for example at the bottom of my final product there is a white strip running along which shouldn’t be part of the image, and to improve this I will need to use the cropping tool to further reduce the image to the parts of the picture I only want to focus on. I also think that the text doesn’t seem to stand out strongly enough against the dark black and white image behind it, to fix this i could increase the brightness of the image and maybe change the fill colour of the text and the outer glow colour to the opposite colours, therefore making the text fill the same colour pink as the pig mask and the outer glow yellow. This would help the text to stand out more strongly against the black and white as the yellow would clash with the black and would make for a stringer better colour to define the edges of the text more clearly.

To further improve the standard of my work to a professional working standard i would need to develop my skills into to using a camera with their maximum capabilities learning more advanced techniques into camera usage. I also need to learn to plan my work more thoroughly and think about every single detail that will appear in the pictures i will take. Also to improve my work to this standard i will need to learn to also work quickly and punctual to meet certain targets if i was working in media as a professional.

Before i re-branded my product i believe that my product was aimed at an older more middle-aged target audience or for families. I think this as it is a quick and easy product to eat and make meals with and the people who will need this are parents who need to be able to feed their children and family relatively quickly for packed lunches or for a quick snack after school. My new target audience for this product was a much younger generation of 16-21 year olds.

I think because i used the humour of using a home-made pigs mask in the final product will help to catch our target audience, as the ages 16-21 tend to be attracted to more humorous products in the market. I also think I used somebody in the age range of the target audience this would also attract them, as they will be able to relate to the same sort of clothes they would wear. Also as they are the target audience will be of similar age they should share the same or similar sense of humour that i used in the product. However i think that my final product is not as bold or stand out as much as it should and is actually a bit dull. This would cause the product not too work as well as it should be eye-catching to draw the audience into looking in more detail at the product for consumer purposes.

If i could re-do my project i would put much more thought and planning into the final product and think about the final design aspects such as the clothing and background of the product.  I think that the product has mostly met the tailored demands, however there isn’t enough in the design to make the product look more exciting and new and therefore desirable to my target audience, to make the product more i wish to have more going on in the design which would add to make a more interesting product drawing in the target audience. This project demonstrates my understanding of the audience segmentation systems as it shows how i have thought about the ways in which my audience behaves and their interests in media products that they are interested in that surround them.

Initial Skills Assessment

AS Media Production

Technical Skills Audit Print Production

Name:Adam Baxter                      Tutor group:2.28                 Date:

Photographic Skills

Which of the following photographic features/equipment have you used on a camera before:

Feature	Yes	No	Comments if yes – where have you completed this skills and to what level
Manual Focus features	y		Graphics trips to whitby and durham
Shutter Speed		n
Aperture control		n
ISO Control		n
A tripod		n
External flash		n
Self timer facility		n
Light meter		n
Composition grids		n

Photoshop Skills

Which of the following features of Photoshop have you used before:

Feature	Yes	No	Comments if yes – where have you completed this skills and to what level
Have you aver used Photoshop ever before?	y		AS and A level graphics lessons
Text control	y		AS and A level graphics lessons
Filters	y		AS and A level graphics lessons
Brushes	y		AS and A level graphics lessons
Layers	y		AS and A level graphics lessons
Opacity control	y		AS and A level graphics lessons
Shape creation	y		AS and A level graphics lessons
Brightness and contrast control	y		AS and A level graphics lessons
Gradients	y		AS and A level graphics lessons
Load selection features		n
Feathering	y		AS and A level graphics lessons
Colour curves adjustment	y		AS and A level graphics lessons
Resolution setting control	y		AS and A level graphics lessons
Magnetic lasso, polygon lasso tool	y		AS and A level graphics lessons
Cropping tool	y		AS and A level graphics lessons
Clone tool	y		AS and A level graphics lessons
Retouch tool		n