Photoshop
Photoshop Fun!
Jul 6th
I launched my MySpace page in 2003 or 2004, and launched a Facebook page in 2005 while back in college at Temple University. I wanted to make my profile stand out a bit, so I took a quick self-portrait photo and used Photoshop to embed my face on a series of pop culture photographs. Some of the images turned out better than others, and my variant of the Mona Lisa (I call it the “Mika Lisa”) is still my favorite. This is not only a fun way to stand out in social networks, it’s also a great way to keep honing those Photoshop skills.
Photoshop For Set Decoration
Jan 22nd
I used Photoshop here to montage three headshots into one family portrait.
Back in 2004, I directed a series of videos for a CD-ROM driver screening tool distributed internationally by AAA (Automobile Association of America). The tool was targeted at older drivers, and the characters who walked users through the exercises were grandparents. I hired actor Peter Salzer to host the program, accompanied through the tutorials by his wife, portrayed by actress Iris Torres. For an introductory video, I hired a young actress to portray their granddaughter.
Fun With Photoshop
Jan 12th
I found this photo while going through some old folders. It’s an experiment I did in Photoshop about ten years ago. I wanted to take a photograph and change something subtle. In this case, I added the I-95 overhead sign. The I-95 sign I added was color, so I had to desaturate and resize it, then play with the levels and brightness to get it to match the other sign. Finally, I used the smudge tool to simulate the rain effect in the rest of the image.
Photoshop Tip: Understanding Histograms
Nov 24th
When I was teaching Photoshop to my students at ITT Technical Institute, one of the features they grappled most with was understanding histograms. A histogram is basically a graph showing the tonal range of the photo you’re currently working with. You can access histograms within “Levels”. Let’s take a look at one. Below is a photograph of a hot air balloon over a forested area.
