Digital Photography and Imaging Task 4

3 June 2024-  June 2024

NABIL JULIUS DORN (0370978)

Digital Photography & Imaging | Bachelor of Design in Creative Media | Taylor's University

Project 4: Self- Titled

List

• LECTURES
• TUTORIAL
• PRACTICLE
• REFLECTION

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This is the Module Information Booklet for this module: 

Project 4: Self- Titled

• After Effect Exercise
• Self-Titled

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LECTURES

Intro to After Effect

Adobe After Effects (AE) is a 2.5D animation software used for animation, visual effects, and motion picture compositing. It is used in the post-production phase to manipulate imagery.

AE create motion graphics animation works by manipulating vector and rasterized art to create and tell a story. Both photography and videography can be integrated in AE.

Fig 1.11.1 After Effect

Pre-Compositing in Photoshop

Before importing to AE, compositing is usually done in Photoshop. All the layers need to be arranged and renamed accordingly so that it will be easier to organize and animated in After Effects.

FIg 1.11.2 Pre-Compositing in Photoshop

Compositing in After Effect

After Effect create digital visual effects, motion graphics, and compositing application, elements such as images, video, vector and more can be imported into.

*All the layer elements need to be organized and synchronized to the external software platforms such as Photoshop & Illustrator. 

*After Effects links to the media instead of embed it.

FIg 1.11.3 Compositing in After Effect

Week 12

Mr Fauzi gave us a tutorial on how to navigate and use After Effects. We are encouraged to use other elements and textures for the background. We were also taught on how to use looping sound effects from youtube, to use in our videos.

FIg 1.12.1 Audio in After Effect

*The animation need to be in loop.

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TUTORIAL

Week 11:

This is the tutorial video given by Mr Fauzi about Kinetic Typography using After Effect.

Fig 2.11.1 Kinetic Typography

In this video, Mr Fauzi showcased the function of the keyframe. By adjusting keyframes, we are able to tweak the timing and spacing of the animation. We can create 3 keyframes point to get a curve control.

Fig 2.11.2 Curve Control

Each animation needs to be grouped into different compositions. That way, we can animate each pre composition first, and then combine into a final animation. 

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PRACTICAL

After Effect Exercise

These are the instructions:

Fig 3.12.1

These are the layers and composition provided:

Fig 3.12.2 Layers given

We were required to import the PSD composition into AE

Fig 3.12.3 Imported composition

I then followed Mr Fauzi's tutorial demo and made my own keyframes using Position, Scale and rotation.

Fig 3.12.4 Keyframed animations

Fig 3.12.5 Finished animations

Final video

https://youtube.com/shorts/FXW1dg6iw7U

Self-Titled

Week 11: 

During this weeks lecture, we were briefed on our last task and final project, self titled. This project is an exploration project to express their own individuality and showcase their personality by using digital art self-expression. This is to build up self-confidence and discover their own style of art.

Requirements:

• At least 50% of camera photography
• We are encouraged to use our own self portrait and pictures of objects.
• The duration of video is 15 seconds. Export the video in MP4.
• Instagram story size (1080 x 1920)

In the idea development period, we need to write a biography about ourselves and statement of our work. 

I stared looking for inspiration. My idea was to make my self portrait into the style of a graphic poster.

After browsing on Pinterest, I found this artist that makes really aesthetic and intricate posters. I liked his usage of the subject as the main focal point, complementary typography, usage of contrasting color palettes and design elements.

@ohwallie

I then took a picture of myself as the self portrait in an abandoned building with a graffiti backdrop and a shallow depth of field.

Here is a sketch of my idea along with the color palette and composition.

I began by separating myself from the background and using a contrasting gradient map 

I then added the title and some design elements over the top of it.

After that, I placed some design elements and graphic vectors to add some more visual elements to the poster.

Then, I finished up by adding some more complementary text around the poster and finished up the final touches of the poster.

Here is the final output of the still image:

I then begun on the animation of the poster. I wanted to separate the different elements of the poster; The subject, the text, the background and lastly the smaller design elements.

My idea for the animation was to have the background zoom in while the subject zooms out, giving the illusion of depth.

Along with that, I would use the photography blur effect to make it seem like the camera is going in and out of focus from the title, to the subject.

I also wanted to have the title pulse to a beat of roughly 150bmp. I added a scifi looking design element making it look like its the viewers eye looking through the poster and all the different parts. This helps guide the viewers eye to all the different parts of the poster.

Here is the final output uploaded to Youtube.

Youtube link: 

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/fxBepHudZt0?feature=share

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REFLECTION

  

In this module, we learnt to use After effects and photoshop to create a simple animation using still pictures. We had to implement what we learnt from different projects throughout the entire semester. This helped me understand the workflow and how things should be organized before animating it. We were also taught how to make photomanipulations and how to blend pictures together to make it look organic.

The use of our own self image for the different tasks was enjoyable as it taught us to not only be comfortable with editing our own image but to also be comfortable in front of the camera.