Fixing White Balance ...

There are a few ways to fix the white balance issues in a photograph.

1. Set the camera so that it corrects for any color temperature/white balance issues in the image. Go to see Mr. Hiller if you want to learn how to do that.
2. If you have already taken the shot and the image has an orange, blue, green, etc tint to it you can fix the picture after the fact with such tools as iPhoto or Photoshop.

1. iPhoto

• Select an image with white balance issues
  
• Edit
• Adjust
• Temperature - This slider will allow you to shift to cooler or warmer tones

1. Photoshop

• The most stunning way is to ...
• Select an image with white balance issues
  
• Image->Adjustments->Levels
• Click on the eye dropper on the lower right (the far right one that says "Set White Point"
• In the image click on something that should be white
• It will automatically correct the image with that point being plain white

There are many more ways to fix this in Photoshop!

Assignment ... on your blog, provide two images ... the first, any image (any source) with a white balance issue. The second, corrected by one of the methods above. Explain what you used as your "white point", what was causing the original color issue, and what you did to fix it.

• Here is a sample image. There is a blue tint which is very common in shade. You may use this image for your image to correct, or take or find another.

Pre-holiday competition

• Objective: as convincingly as possible insert yourself or one of your classmates into one of the supplied images.
• Due: Tuesday end of period. Put it in the appropriate gallery folder.
• Prizes: 1st place: $10 Best Buy gift certificate - 2nd place: $5 Best Buy gift certificate
  

Requirements:

• Must be someone from this school.
• Must be "Full Body" ... (Do not just replace a head. Portions of the body can be obscured.)
• Must use one of the two images provided below.
• Must be good enough to fool a jury!
  

Tricks

1. Match shadows. Is the lighting source the same?
2. Are any highlights from lighting sources the same on the insert vs. those in the picture?
3. Is the inserted person the same brightness, contrast, etc as the originals?
4. Is the resolution of the insert similar (not better detail, not worse detail)?
5. Have your inserted person both behind some of the original objects as well as in front of some of the original objects.
6. Removing someone from the original may be the best way to integrate a new person.
   

To get the image ... click on one of the images below then copy and download the LARGER image that shows up.

This will also serve as your picture for the week.

Cut out

1. There are many ways to cut out an object ... eraser, selection tool, pen, lasso, etc.
2. Go to this site and try this method.
3. Then, search the web for another way to cut out an object, try the method, then paste the link as a comment to this blog entry.

Photoshop introduction

After working through this Wiki (Do the tasks to a photo in Photoshop) up to and including the Levels/Histogram section, which sections do not make sense? Do you know when you would use each tool?

What did you learn today? What do you need to learn more about or have explained better?

Respond as a comment to this blog.

Lesson Design Idea

See Moodle for your lesson design assignment.

Respond as a comment to this blog what your lesson subject may be and how you will put it together (what form will it be in.)

You may have one partner if the plan is significant enough to require two people. Grading will be more difficult for a group.

Depth of Field

I understand this is repetitive and some of you have answered these questions, but along with shutter speed, Depth of Field is the other very important topic.

Watch the video and then discuss the following.

How does lens selection (or Zoom on a zoom lens) affect depth of field? How does the aperture affect depth of field?

Why might you want to blur the background? What compositional rule can you think of that you suggest we blur the background?

For portraits are you more likely to want a blurred or sharply focused background? Does this require a large Depth of Field or a short depth of Field?

Describe how focus should be in a landscape photograph.

Action shots

Watch this video (ear phones on) ... and then respond with the THREE methods to represent/capture action in your photos. For each, list a subject whose action would be well represented using that method.




(Note: After watching the video online, if you want to see a higher quality version of the movie, you may watch it on Mr. Hiller's laptop. The compressed video online blurs the images some so the difference between fast and slow shutter speeds is not as obvious.)