Learning About Design 7

 When I reflect on design, I realize how much I’ve learned, yet I still have so much further to go. Photography has always been a hobby I’ve cherished, but I never shared it with anyone as a serious pursuit. I enjoy enhancing photos and embracing the challenge of improving them through editing in Google Photos.

Now that I’ve gained knowledge about composition rules, cropping techniques, and utilizing Adobe Lightroom—especially features like the histogram, tone curve, and presets—I feel like I’ve discovered a new dimension of photography that I never thought I would reach.

I decided to take some photos and edit them, and here are my before-and-after shots.

Before 

After

Before

After

And then again

I had alot of fun playing with presets, the mid tones and tone curve.

Color Choice

I took this picture at the park and was struck by the beauty of the single flower my friend had picked. I snapped the photo, thinking it was nearly perfect as it was. However, I soon realized there were a few adjustments needed. I tweaked the midtones and exposure, then increased the saturation a bit and added a vignette to give it a more cinematic vibe. Overall, I’m pleased with how it turned out.

Tell A Story

I worked really hard on this photo. I used a wide aperture to focus on the subject and create a narrow depth of field. However, I didn’t consider that a wide aperture allows more light in, which made me struggle a bit with exposure as a result. I was trying to capture the warmth that the sun naturally gave to the photo, as well as the special moment shared between my brother and my nephew. Even after adjusting the clarity and histogram, I still didn’t quite achieve what I was looking for. I’ll take this as a lesson learned and am eager to try again, applying what I know now.

Seeing The Elements Of Design

I recently decided to take a walk in search of inspiration, and it turned out to be a delightful decision. Armed with my camera, I ventured into nature, captivated by the endless beauty surrounding me. There's something magical about how much natural splendor can be captured in a single moment.

As I strolled, I kept in mind the six essential elements of photography, aiming to capture a unique shot for each one.

**Format** was my first focus. I edited the chosen photo in Adobe Lightroom, and the grid feature proved to be incredibly useful. Cropping with the rule of thirds in mind and adding a subtle vignette transformed the image, bringing balance and a pleasing aesthetic to the overall composition.

Next up was **lines**. I was drawn to the railroad tracks, and after cropping and straightening them with the grid, the image came alive. The lines naturally guide the viewer’s eye toward the horizon, creating depth. I chose a wider aperture to keep the tracks sharp at the foreground while softening them as they drift off into the distance.

For **shape**, I selected a shot that beautifully showcased positive and negative space. This interplay draws attention to the subject, making it the focal point. Using Lightroom, I adjusted the color saturation and exposure while straightening the lines to perfectly center the subject. The result was striking.

When it came to **value**, I found myself lying on my back at the end of my driveway as the sun began to set. Waiting for the perfect moment, I captured a car's headlights as they illuminated the cinder block fence, casting enchanting shadows on the trees. With Lightroom, I enhanced the blacks and shadows, cropped the photo, and meticulously adjusted the highlights to highlight the scene's drama.

The element of **texture** came next. Using Lightroom once more, I cranked up the texture and colors, widening the aperture to draw attention to the car’s metal surface and the debris around it. The contrast and detail were simply stunning.

Finally, I tackled **color**. I played around with the tone curve, increasing saturation while using the histogram to soften the blacks and shadows. Employing a wide aperture allowed the background to blur, directing the viewer's gaze to the vibrant colors and intricate details of a nearby bird. I was astonished at how close I could get!

                                       

Each element allowed me to creatively express my surroundings, reminding me that inspiration is often just a stroll away.

Learning About Design 6

I have always loved taking photos. As a child, I envisioned that when I grew up, I would write a book and use my own photography as the illustrations. I even created a homemade book using a hole puncher and yarn to bind the pages. I wrote a story about a bird, took pictures of birds and trees with my Polaroid camera, and glued a photo on each page. I was so proud of it.

As an adult, my passion for photography remains strong, and I still have my Polaroid. I often edit my photos, adjusting colors and cropping them to improve their composition.

Recently, I learned about histograms in photography and the advantages of using them. I wish I had discovered this tool earlier, instead of relying solely on my eye to gauge the light, dark, and colors in my pictures.

A histogram displays the tonal range in a photo, indicating where the shadows (on the left), mid-tones (in the middle), and highlights (on the right) are located. You can adjust these elements by moving the sliders for contrast, highlights, exposure, and shadows.

Additionally, you can fine-tune your adjustments by manipulating the sliders for the tone curve, whites, and blacks. There’s also a triangle icon in the corner that enables clipping warnings, alerting you if there is too much black or white in the image.

I found this feature fascinating! I edited a photo using the histogram and compared the before and after results.

BEFORE

AFTER

Creative Challenge 15

We meet again. Back for another creative challenge? Well, here it goes. 

This week I found another fun and creative challenge in the book Caffeine For The Creative Mind: 250 Exercises to Wake Up Your Brain. 

This challenge is entitled Dude, Feel Free To Pop A Mint.

In this challenge, you must photograph 20 things that cause bad breath. 

I struggled a bit. This is what I came up with. 

I also came up with peanut butter, garlic  alcohol, and sardines.

Can you think of twenty different things that cause bad breath?

30 Photos Of The Same Object

I had a lot of fun with this project. I immediately wanted to choose an object that was Halloween-related ( since we are in October). 

Then I saw Chucky and I thought to myself aha! That's perfect!

So, I got carried away with this. I tried different lights and angles. I took some photos at night and some in the day. I tried to make the light softer by using a mosquito net ( that kind of worked). I even took a photo with dye through a glass of water. 

What I learned is that blue light did not work so well( even with flash). Red light gave me the effect I wanted but was hard to capture  The focal depth and lighting made all the difference. The light shown from below definitely aided in the spooky vibe. When shot from above the intensity of the photo seemed to increase. I know  I was supposed to take 30 photos and choose my favorite three and I've added them below however I couldn't resist making an animation of the other photos because it's just fun. 

This is favorite three 

And here is the rest