- My featured image conveys that my website is focused on sharing tips and tricks that I have learned along the way when it comes to editing photos, primarily posted on Instagram. I feel this featured image meets the needs of my target audience, as I tend to edit almost every picture with glitter in one way or another, I felt it was essential to incorporate it into my featured image to show my fun and unique approach to photo editing.
- I found my source images on Google and Flickr. When searching on Google, I made sure that I filtered my image search by going to “Tools” and making sure I clicked “Labeled for noncommercial reuse with modification” to narrow my results down to images I knew I could use. I also only searched for “Transparent” images so it would be easier to create a multi-layer featured image and be able to put the camera logo image directly on top of the glitter background. When searching for a background image on Flickr, I made sure to filter my background search by clicking “Creative Commons Mortifications Allowed.” I then verified that both images I found were usable as their licenses came up as “Universal Public Domain” on the Creative Commons website.
- In order to create my featured image, I decided to use Photoshop as it is a software I am familiar with and already have the software installed on my computer. I began with multiple layers for the glitter background and the camera logo. I played around with the look and design of my featured image which is what lead me to duplicate the camera so that it is on both sides of the background image. I then adjusted the opacity of the camera itself and brought it from 100% to 80% so the glitter background would slightly show through. I also rotated the camera on the left 90 degrees counterclockwise to create an asymmetrical look and feel for my featured image. As described in Manovich’s article, I was able to use layering techniques to be able to work on different components of my featured image without disrupting other components. The most common feature I used for each layer as Manovich mentions, is the transparency tool where I can see the effect that each layer has on one another.
- When comparing my production process to that of a single-layer bitmap image as described by Davison, it is clear that the multi-layer approach provides much more flexibility as you are able to manipulate different layers separately. Although there are many features that are the same in both techniques including brushes and tools, it is clear that multi-layer editing allows for much detailed creations and allow you to edit each layer multiple times throughout the design processes.
Featured image made using background photo ““Silver Glitter 6” by Michelle Grewe, provided via Flickr (Creative-Commons license). https://www.flickr.com/photos/gabbysol/21520653015/in/photolist-yMGYnD-yv7fdq-xQPw5T-yKoyPq-yNtt2a-xQFdhA-yv7gFA-dKbi46-7HcrhU-Hu5HUj-LyZWeq-yvejt5-9SoYFB-yLQPJy-SLK9ka-zzLp3h-qrKJov-8FNqho-xSfVtG-RPypBW-abdDH3-2hyfKyj-2hymh1z-PP1R1z-MTgFSw-2HEiF-4qwEKN-JQf7PX-RUfvqt-w9Pdoq-rygngr-2E3ap8-k5BCLz-gpLjXh-dJxFrZ-ioeY5C-7nsyeT-abkugu-GVdMWj-aEXovA-2dTY6KR-do4YhZ-FNBHe7-eau9MH-dDU2ix-4inzGA-6iFQR-RL35am-7o9fX8-R2mCyM
Camera logo photo courtesy of Openclipart (Creative-Commons license). https://publicdomainvectors.org/en/free-clipart/Camera-symbol/59745.html
jane's edits 