[9]

[8]

[7]

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom

When looking at Adobe Photoshop Lightroom and Adobe Bridge it is at first difficult to understand why they are different. But, after reading about each of the programs it becomes clear that each program has its own purpose. Bridge is used as the connection between the many programs in Adobe's arsenal. You can take an image from Photoshop to Illustrator through the use of Bridge. Because it is used with every other program, it can seem complex to those who don't know what all of the features are. This is where Lightroom comes in. Lightroom has many featured and tools but simplifies them and makes them more efficient to the user. Unlike Bridge, Lightroom allows the user  to see more information about the images being used. Also, because Lightroom is database driven, an image does not necessarily have to be "on-line" to be used. These databases also make it easier for the user to organize their images based on clients or their own organizational needs.
To conclude: Lightroom does most of what Bridge does, but does so more efficiency, speed, and ease. This makes the user spend less time on the editing process and more time taking more pictures and completing more images.

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Project #1 Old vs New

This is a painting that I did for my friend’s birthday about 3 years ago. (For those of you who don’t know, it’s a Tardis from the show Doctor Who) Although I know it isn’t the best painting ever, I still love it and sometimes wish I had kept it for myself instead of giving it away. However, I also know that if I had decided to paint it for myself it would have turned out at a much lower quality than it did. When I try to draw or paint for other people, my work turns out much better than if I do something for myself for whatever reason. I know that I’m not that great of a painter, but I really love working with the colors and being able to add more texture to a piece. Drawing will always be my first love, but when it comes to what I wish I could do more of, it would be painting.

Although I wish I could paint more, I also know that I actually enjoy photography a lot (if using an iPhone counts as photography…). I’ve always loved the idea of being able to capture the beauty of a moment. I am definitely drawn to landscapes and am hoping to finally get a nice camera of my own before studying abroad in Ireland this upcoming spring. So I guess if I had to pick one way that I could continue working with art it would be photography. I will always love drawing and painting, but right now I have a fascination with photography.

Sunrise at Bluestone Bay, Mike Calder

Going with my fascination with photography (specifically landscapes) here are two examples of photos that I really like. Sadly, I don’t have a favorite photographer. I am still very new to all of this and just like what I like. When I look at photos like these, I feel like I’m there. The crispness of the rocks in the first example makes feel like I could touch them. The rays of light in the second example make me feel warmth but the slight blue tint in the surrounding air makes me think that the air is a little chill. I can imagine myself being there and that is what I want to do for people who might someday look at a photo that I took. I want to make people feel things, whether it is emotion or to have them feel like they are physically there.  I have a slight obsession with emotion when it comes to any type of art. I think that an image, even a landscape, can convey a particular emotion whether there is a specific event associated with it or not. I just think that it’s so fascinating.

Artist unknown

Photos like these also give me hope that maybe I will get to see these places in person someday. Right now they’re all I have, but my hope is that someday I’ll have photos of my own experiences that I can look back on and feel what I felt when I first took the photograph.

Chapter 1 Summary

The section begins by describing how different photographers and areas influenced photography as an art form. It also describes how photography can show how “we are the alter egos of animals” or “alternative realities”. The artists described in this section all had their own unique styles as well. Some took photographs of people who were not allowed to change their appearance before the photograph was taken, others looked at cultural differences as a subject, others focused on objects or writing, and a few more focused on natural landscapes.  Although each photographer had his or her own styles, each one tried to do the same basic thing: make the viewer feel or think about something. As artists, that is their main objective. Whether they simply want you to feel a sense of calm by looking at a landscape or to think deeply about a political issue, they still want you to feel something. This chapter did a good job of showing how so many different styles of photography can still achieve the same goal just in different ways.