Photo Editing With "Picasa" Assignment Number One

The photo editing program I am using is one recommended by my Instructor. This program goes by the name of “Picasa.” The images I will be using are photos taken of myself. I already have a basic idea of what I want the end result to look like. The first photograph I will edit will be the one of me sitting down in a yellow collard shirt. For this photo I want to grasp a summer type look, giving the audience the impression that it is a bright summer day. Editing my picture this way is quit ironic because the photograph was taken mid winter inside of my house. By editing my picture this way I doubt that I would confuse my audience. Because there is no indication as to what season it is (in both the original and edited photograph) my audience would only know I took this picture in the winter if I had informed them prior to viewing my work, or if I had added a descriptive caption to it. at the same time they could be confused by the short sleeve collard shirt, or by the sun glasses. For the second photograph I sit on a chair with a white collared shirt and a dark gloomy background. The background alone makes me feel like this picture should be edited with a dark but vibrant feel. I want the background to remain dark and gloomy but I want my body and face lighter, with a glowing effect. I want my audience to feel as if a massive storm is about to pass by when they look at this picture. I want to give this picture a windy/destructive/”something is about to happen” vibe. I highly doubt this photograph would bring confusion to my audience. They may wonder where i was or what I was doing. Was it a photo shoot? school picture or something? The possibilities are endless with this one, that's the most i can say!

Photo Edit Number One

Photo Number One's Editing Process

First I add a bit of auto contrast and auto coloring from the “Commonly Needed Fixes” tab just to give my photo a bit of clarity and punch. Going over to the “Finely-Tuned Lighting and Color Fixes” tab I add some “Highlights” for better lighting, I used “Shadow” to capture the glow feel, and I adjusted the “Color Temperature” to bring out the summer out of this winter photo. Now I have selected the “Fun and Useful Image Processing” tab where I “Sharpen” my photo to the fullest to give the soft edges a more sharp edge. In the same tab I find an effect by the name of “Cross Process” I add a bit of that along with some “Boost” just to brighten up the image and enhance the glow. Last but not least I add an effect called “Duo Tone” to really top off the summer feel adding that real sunlight look.

Photo Number Two

Photo Number Two's Editing Process

I start off by adding a bit of “I’m Feeling Lucky,” “Auto Contrast,” and “Auto Coloring” from the “Commonly Needed Fixes” tab to clearly auto focus the detailing and coloring in my photo. These are just minor effects that can really help take your photo a long way. Under the “Finely-Tuned Lighting and Color Fixes” tab I adjust the “Fill Lights” to brighten the whole photo, I add some “Highlights” so I am able to see my face, I add “Shadow” to capture the dark glow feel, and I adjusted the “Color Temperature” to give it that stormy look. Shuffling over to the “Fun and Useful Image Processing” tab I “Sharpen” my photo for more enhancement, and I add the “Glow” effect to conquer my stormy vision. I also give my photo a “Vignette” style border around it to bring out the gloomy effect even more. An effect called “Orton-ish” was also added for more brightness and glow. I used the “Sharpen” tool to once again enhance the sharpness of the smooth edges. Lastly I added a “Soft Focus” for a blur kind of effect around the border of the photo.