You have chosen to convert your photographs of and
around Lyme Regis into photo art form as a personal project. You have given
yourself a concise briefing that encompasses what you have learned during the
course and applied this to the project. Photoshop is the main tool used to
create these artistic creations you would have chosen to achieve by traditional
means of painting.
‘Over
the past few months, outside of your OCA project and assignment work, you have
been working on creating photo art from some of your pictures of Lyme
Regis. This involved taking the original
picture image and applying one (or more) of the effects available in
Photoshop’s extensive filter gallery’.
Blue
Anchor at Sunrise image has worked out well by adjusting the filter cut-out
tool to maximum levels at 8. It certainly lifts the image off the page to give
this very nice effect. There is sufficient contrast in the picture content to
allow the horizon to be placed in the centre of the image in this case.
Bluebells shot. You certainly have worked hard on
this shot to produce a very acceptable finished product. I can imagine
selecting the area of purples and blues to create a more pleasing image was
quite tricky and you have coped with this very well indeed.
Aerial view of Cobb Harbour. By cropping the image,
it has lifted the horizon off centre that improves the balance of the picture and
the effect using the cut-out filter at these levels has produced a very
pleasing effect. In addition you worked on the sky, sea and waves and with the
effort you put into this image it has certainly paid off to produce n
attractive artistic scene. Well done Jennifer!
Cobb High Wall. The sweeping lines of the wall
attract the viewer to explore the scene and by the manipulative procedures you
have applied to this image do improve this artistic vista. I am inclined to
think that the smaller image showing a break in the sky is more balanced.
Surfboards. This is a great transformation in
bright colours. The original is a good photograph, but the manipulative effects
you have applied give a very nice abstract feel to the picture.
Museum Roofs. You have certainly experimented with
several options with this image and that is a positive step in the learning
process and as we are working in an area of subjective genre’, in the end it is
what you would like to see from your efforts. My comments are not only based on
experience but on personal choice and along the way I hope that you will find a
balance that is both useful and add to the learning process. The water wash
effect has worked well, but also the black and white silhouette provides a nice
alternative.
![]() |
| Original choice |
![]() |
| Tutor's alternative suggestion |
I
pondered over this image but felt it was too stark when I used the
graphics filter in Photoshop. I also added to the dramatic air by
adding two different colours to see what effect they had but stuck with
the original submission.
![]() |
| Second alternative choice |
I think I might revisit this image in the future and play about with the colours to see what other effects I can add.
Red Boat. I like the effect. The emphasis lies with
the red boat and the stanchion with the rest of the picture in monotone. It is
a useful effect to use. Many Wedding Photographers use this technique to
emphasise the bride’s bouquet colours and/or the groom’s buttonhole by
duplicating the image, convert to black and white and bring the colours from
one layer into the other with the eraser tool. Similarly, the teacup and saucer
shot mimic this procedure.
Beach Silhouettes. I recognise this picture also
and it does benefit from the manipulative effects you have applied. There is
scale added to the overall shot with the figure to the right on the beach.
There is a nice calmness about this conversion and is restful to the eye. You
were right to include the railings that as you say give perspective to the
scene.
Cob Sunset. I also like the effect you have created
here, and there is a good alternative in this illustration image 9CobbSunset#6.jpg,
as a slightly less manipulative photograph. The final image has good definitive
lines, especially outlining the figures on the horizon wall that now stand out
against the horizon brilliantly. The ‘rule of thirds’ is more evident in this
version with added layers that attract the viewer’s eye.
![]() |
| Original submission |
![]() |
| Tutor's alternative image, 9CobbSunset#6.jpg |
Whilst
I can see that the alternative image is softer and more realistic, I
would stay with my original choice as I like the way that Photoshop has
interpreted the movement of the waves and banks of colour in the sky.
Cob Arms Moon. The original shot is quite a
dramatic contrast shot of the pub at sunset and the artificial lights show up
strongly against the stark background. I think you could afford to crop this
image at the bottom to lessen the dark area as you have done in the converted
image, which has taken on a totally different effect using the actions in the
glowing edges filter.
![]() |
| Original image without cropping |
![]() |
| Cropped image - tutor suggestion |
Here
I can agree with my tutor that the black area at the bottom of
the image looks better when there is less of it. I had already cropped
about a quarter of the black area but with further cropping it balances
up the whole picture.
The theme you have chosen to use for your personal
project has worked well using scenes from your images of Lyme Regis. Photoshop
gave you ideas to experiment with in the filters gallery and the options you
have chosen has given the desired effect of photo art to your liking.
Sketchbooks/Learning Logs
The blog is fine Jennifer. Correct the spelling of
Monochrome on the heading for assignment 3. You have worked hard on your
assignments and blog entries and this blog will form an important part in the
assessment stage. Well done.
Formal Assessment
You have indicated that you will submit your work
for assessment in November 2012 and from the quality of your submission of work
during this course, I have no reason to think you will not be successful in the
appraisal procedure.
Best wishes in your future endeavours.

























