First work

This is my first work for Expanding Horizons; this work is only a test piece to give me an idea on what I want or going to do for this subject. For my first photo shoot I had used a model to perform martial arts moves in the. I had composed my photos by telling my model to slash down in a slow motion and stop at a specific place so I can capture the motion.

These are the three photos i am going to manipulate to make my Image referring to Stefanie Jung's multi layer photo. I had told my model to pause in a pose because it would make it easier for me to layer it over each other. This photo was taken in location; the photos were taken in a privet area in the back garden, the reason why I had taken a photo in a privet residential area because of the use of weapons. I had also used a certain person to be in my photo shoot because I want to use people who knows how to use the weapons properly, I also want real trained marshal artist.
Originally in my ideas I wanted to use a fast shutter speed to capture the motion but the results was a failed due to the amount of light in the background. The photo shoot was taken at night because I wanted to experiment with the lighting of and the background like Umberto Salvagnin's work.

After the photo shoot I then uploaded my photos on the computer and only dragged the photos that is needed on Photoshop. After dragging the photos on Photoshop I then have to over layer them on top of each other. I had done this by opening one photo as a background and then I drag the two photos on. I have to make sure the photos are in order in form of ascending from the movement. I can check how many layers I have by going on the side bar and looking at the line going down. After I had done this I have to change the opacity of the photos.

I have to change the opacity of the photos because I want to make it look like my model is moving in the photo and I also want it to be a multi exposure photo. I can change the opacity of my photos by selecting the photo layer, after doing that I look above the layer box and find where it say "opacity" in the box it should say 100%, after finding that box I can change the opacity by clicking on the box and moving the marker (small triangle), I have to remember moving the marker left will lower the opacity, moving the marker right will higher the opacity. In my case I have to lover the opacity; I have to do this to the layers that is not marked as "background".
I have to make sure my layers are balance by looking at the photos and judging if i can see all of the photos properly. After doing that I have to flatten the image, the reason for this is if I make any changes to the photo it will change all of the whole photo not the one layer.
After I flatten the image I then crop the photo; I have cropped the photo because I want the photo to be focused on my model. I also want unwanted object in the photo out of the photo i.e. the lawnmower. I had also used this opportunity to centre my model in the middle of my photo. I think this change to the photo really works, I say this because when I look at the photo I can see my model at the centre of the photo making it easier to look at.
After cropping the photo I then saw my photo look a bit flat, so I had decided to change the curves of the photo to make it look a bit more 3D. I can bring up the curves tool by going on the top bar in Photoshop, click on image, adjustments then click on curves. The faster way of bringing up the curve tool is hold command on the keyboard and press "M". After changing the curves my photo is finally finished.









Finished Photo

This is my finished first image; I had made this photo my mixing in Umberto Salvgnin's location experimentation and Stefanie Jung's multi exposure technique. I had mix both of the artist together to make this photo because I thought it would work as a photo. I think this photo is a really good photo for a first attempt because of the balance of the opacity.
What I like about this photo is how my model is using real moves and it's being portrayed in the photo. The way the photo is layered over each other shows a clear idea on how the model had performed the moves and also it gives a still photo life. I also like how the photo is a straight, I say this because of the wall in the back ground is still and also there are no surrounding moved out of place.
What I don't like about the photo is the location; I say this because of the way the urban background clashes with the photo and the message of the photo. I think if I was to change my technique for the next time I would change the location to make it more suitable for the photo to show marshal arts true nature.
I also don't like the lighting of the photo; I say this because of the way the photo looks really dark and not a lot of details is shown in the photo because of the flash of the camera lights up the visible area and near by surfaces of surrounding area. The flash of the camera makes the light unbalanced and had to work with on Photoshop when it comes to editing.
For my future work I will make changes from this photo. I am going to take the photos when there are more day light. I will do this because I think if the light is out then the image will be easier to work with and edit. I will also change the location this is because I want to have a location that matches the theme of marshal arts, I was think a plain background or a studio like the way Clifton Li take his photos in a block colour background.