Non-Destructive Editing.

Define 'Non Destructive Imaging (NDI)'

NDI referes to image processes where the source image may be adjusted in a way that leaves the original data intact. (Krogh. P, An evolution of rendering technology, pg 1)

The most simple way of putting NDI, is that in post processing you create layers on layers to ensure that the original data is kept intact, giving you as much colour and other information as possible. As when you start to process your source image, you start to lose data that can then not be recovered.

List four challenges introduced by digital photography

1. The creation of a vast number of photos
2. The need to apply identical adjustments to many photos in one operation
3. The need to interpret a single source image in multiple ways (B&W, colour)
4. The desire to take advantage of rapidly evolving image technology to reinterpret image with more capable software in the future.  

What is meant by a 'Derivative File?

A derivative file is a copy of the original file, with any adjustment saved, achieved by using the 'save as' function after each change is made. Your creating a new version of the original file, enabling you to preserve the source file or original file and allowing you to go back to each change/adjustment if required.

What are two problems with using "Save As' to create derivative files?

1. Creating multiple files of the one derivative file creates confusion when it come to working out what file you need at a later date.  
2. Storage as you are re-saving the entire image over and over again. 

What is 'Self Referenced Non Destructive Imaging'?  

Photoshop adjustment layers make it possible to wrap up the source image with a set of instructions, or a set of many instructions, for rendering the photo (Krogh. P, An evolution of rendering technology, pg 3). In other words photoshop creates a layer or preview file on top of the original source file, allowing the data to be preserved.  

List two advantages of 'Self Referenced NDI' over the use of Derivative Files?

1. Storage, Self Referenced NDI files are much more economical and take up less space 
2. You are able to see the adjustments you are making and what the effect is and to come back to the file at a later date and clearly and easily see what adjustments have been made
3. You are able to create a separate interpretation of the file, a black and white, while still making use of some of the work you have already done on other versions.   

Define 'Parametric Image Editing (PIE)'

Software programs that assume the original source file will not be altered, instead saved interactions are applied when the file is being output for use. A small proxy of the photo is used and then references the source file at the time of output.

What is the difference between a 'Live Rendering' and a 'Fixed Rendering'?

• Live Rendering is a view of the image that only exists when the source image is loaded into the software. This type of rendering is considered more/less as a temporary preview. Its your photoshop file with adjustment layers, or its your Lightroom image, or its your indesign file. 
• A fixed Rendering is the final version of your image, your adjustments are fixed into your pixels and is a freestanding image on its own. Its basically your photoshop file flattened so you can print it or its your final Jpeg.   

List three advantages of NDI

1. Cost savings
2. Time savings
3. and creative freedom, without distorting or destroying your original source image. 

Week five. Camera Raw.

A very simple exercise and easy to follow apart from the second last option, cropping the image and then selecting a preset to save the image? I have no idea where the preset is, so I skipped this step.

I had no trouble saving the image by selecting the 'save image' button. Below is the cropped and slightly improved image.

Adobe Bridge. Week four.

I have gone through the Adobe Bridge exercises placed up on eLearn and I found tBridge to be really easy to use. I think bridge is a much more effective program to use when importing image, storing image and also sorting and moving image. I like the fact that it mirrors my computer so it allows me to find things very easily.

I could see myself using Bridge when importing images and then organising them into folders, as Bridge places files onto my computer, whereas in Lightroom, they are placed into a Lightroom database.

Below is a screen shot of bridge as well as my contact sheet just to show that I went through the exercises.

Contact sheet

Screen shot

Exercise Three. Colour Theory 2.

Start Photoshop and open the document you created in Exercise 3.

What is the keyboard shortcut for opening an existing Document ? Command O

Change the Blending Mode of the layer Group to ‘Pass Through’.

Make the background layer the working layer by selecting it in the Layers palette.

Use the Rectangular Marquee tool to select the top half of the image.

Use the Paint bucket tool to fill this area with Black.

What is the keyboard shortcut for this tool ? G

Change the Blending Mode of the ‘Red Circle’ layer to ‘Lighten’. 

Do the same for the Blue and Green Circle layers.

Select the Move tool. 

What is the keyboard shortcut for this tool ? V

Turn on the ‘Auto-select’ option and set it to ‘Layer’ (Not ‘Group’).

Drag the three circles so they all overlap each other.

This simulates the Additive Colour System.

Rename the group of circle layers to indicate this.

Add a text layer (using white text) saying ‘<name> Colour System’.

Select the group of circles in the layers palette.

Duplicate the group using ‘Layer -> Duplicate Group …’. 

Use the Move tool with ‘Auto-Select’ set to ‘Group’ to drag the new group to the bottom half of the page.

Change the Blending Mode of the this group to ‘Difference’.

This simulates the Subtractive Colour System.

Add a text layer saying ‘<name> Colour System’.

Save the document as ‘Ex 4 – Primary_Colours.psd’

Exercise Four. Primary Colours.

Start Photoshop and create a new document with the following properties :-

Name : ‘Ex 3 – Primary Colours’

Size : A4 @ 300dpi

Colour Mode : RGB / 8 bpc

Background Colour : White

What is the keyboard shortcut for creating a new Document ? Command N 

What is the size of the image in :-

Megapixels _______      Megabytes 

Set the foreground colour to Red (ie R 255, G 0, B 0).

Select the Ellipse Tool (not the Marquee tool). What is the keyboard shortcut :- U

Draw a circle with the Ellipse tool approximately 6cm in diameter (about 1/3^rd of the page width) – display the rulers and use Preferences to set the units to cm .

Which key forces the ellipse to be a circle ? SHIFT

Change the layer name to ‘Red Circle’.

Duplicate the layer and 

change the colour to green and 

change the name to ‘Green Circle’. 

Note: To change the colour click on the colour button on the option bar immediately after duplicating the layer, or double click on the layer in the Layers palette.

Duplicate this layer and 

change the colour to blue and 

change the name to ‘Blue Circle’.

Select the Move tool. What is the keyboard shortcut ?   V

Turn on the ‘Auto-select’ option.

Spread the three circles across the top of the page with a small space above them (they may overlap a bit – that’s OK).

Fit the image to the screen (ie so the whole page is visible)

What is the keyboard shortcut for this ? Command Plus

Go to Full Screen Mode – ‘View -> Screen Mode ->Full Screen Mode’.

What is the keyboard shortcut ? F

Stare at the centre of the middle circle for 20 seconds, then look at the white area below. You will see an after image.

What colour are the after images for each circle ?

Red - Yellow (I have no idea if this is working but this is what I see!)

Green - RED

Blue - Not really a colour just a white/yellow circle

Select all three layers in the layers palette.

Group the three layers together by selecting ‘Layer -> Group’.

What is the keyboard shortcut ? Command G

Select the group in the layers palette containing the three circles.

Change the ‘Blending Mode’ for the group from ‘Pass Through’ to ‘Difference’. (We will be looking at Blending Modes later, so don’t worry if you don’t understand them now).

Stare at the centre of the middle circle for 20 seconds, then look at the white area below. You will see an after image.

What colour are the after images for each circle?

Cyan - RED

Magenta - GREENISH

Yellow - Same here - I don't ready get an after      colour but I am guessing its bluish! 

Save the document as ‘Ex 3 – Colour Theory.psd’

What is the size of the .psd file on disk ? 1.1 MB 

How does this compare to the image size you recorded in step 3 above.