Design Concepts: Rule of Thirds

The most basic principle in photography, layout or design is The Rule of Thirds.  The basic idea is that you can divide your photo into an equally divided 3x3 grid with focal targets [sometimes called "sweet spots"] occur at the line intersections.  Photos that the human eye perceives as good or powerful tend to follow the Rule of Thirds.  Even the masters -- painters from hundreds of years ago -- used the Rule of Thirds... although it didn't really become a "rule" until photography came into being.  And even then... it's more of a guideline.  :)

So how do we use the Rule of Thirds in our own compositions?

If you were to look through a viewfinder or at a camera screen you can divide it into thirds by mentally making a Tic-Tac-Toe grid:

Many cameras have a grid or boxes or "corners" indicating where the "sweet spots" are in the photo:

Some phone apps (the iPhone Photo App, for example) have pre-built "Rule of Thirds" helpers:

The idea is that the human eye focuses most on the areas where the lines intersect.  So if we put the focal point of the photo in one of the intersections, the image becomes more attractive or interesting.

Another use of the Rule of Thirds is to place the subjects eyes on the horizontal line.  Ideally one of the eyes would be on one of the interesctions, while the eyes would be looking to the opposite side into the empty space.  This image of a cat is fairly close.

If you are taking (or cropping an existing) landscape photograph, the Rule of Thirds can be used to help add interest to the shot.  Sometimes the horizon line is on [or close to] one of the two horizontal lines.  Sometimes the picture can be divided into three areas -- the foreground, the focal point, and the background.  In the example below, the horizon line follows the bottom line while the subject of the photo is exactly on the interesection.

Here are a few more examples demonstrating the Rule of Thirds:

Now look at the following photographs and see if they follow the Rule of Thirds -- and if so, in what ways:

The Rule of Thirds is utilized in movies as well as photographs.  This is an example of a commercial with the Composition Lines overlayed on the movie.

This guy did a music video about the Rule of Thirds:

A more advanced explanation about the Rule of Thirds can be seen in the video below:

http://blog.muddyboots.org/2007/07/rule-of-thirds.html

http://www.everydayhdr.com/?p=1367


By comparing three different shots, you can see how the placement of the subject in the photo makes a difference in impact.

Remember, that although these are called "rules", they are really more of a suggestion. There are always exceptions to these rules. This photograph, for example, had a very strong subject, it was a simple design, and it broke the rule of thirds -- but it's still a powerful image.

Photoshop: Replace Color

Today we will begin playing with the "Replace Color" tool.  In Web Design you will sometimes be given a picture that has clashing colors -- especially with the colors on your site.  Instead of changing the entire web site to fit with the colors of the picture, you can change the colors ON the picture.  Likewise, this is the method that many companies use to showcase different color offerings for items.


Step I: Getting Started

1. Click on one of the sample images below to view it full screen
2. Copy the image
3. Open PhotoShop and create a New Document
4. Paste the image

Step II: Making a "Warhol Grid"

1. Go to IMAGE > CANVAS SIZE
2. Change "Inches" to "Percent"
3. Change BOTH Width and Height to 200 [percent].
4. Click the "Upper-Left" Arrow
5. Click OK
6. Click VIEW > FIT ON SCREEN
7. Paste another copy of your picture
8. Use the arrow to drag the picture to the upper-right corner
9. Paste another copy of your picture
10. Use the arrow to drag the picture to the lower-left corner
11. Paste another copy of your picture
12. Use the arrow to drag the picture to the lower-right corner.

Step III: Changing Colors

1. Select the layer that you want to adjust (top-right, bottom-left, and bottom-right)
2. Go to IMAGE > ADJUSTMENTS > REPLACE COLOR
3. Use the Dropper tool to click on one of the bright colors
4. Hold Shift and select other shades of that color
5. Drag the "HUE" slider left or right to adjust the color
6. Repeat steps 1-5 for the other two squares.

Step IV: Finishing

1. Add your name to your image
2. Save your image to ThawSpace as a PSD
3. Save your image to ThawSpace again -- this time as a JPG
4. Log in to your portfolio (Blogger) page
5. Create a New Post and insert your JPG picture
6. Write a quick summary of the project and what you did to get the look you came up with

If you have access to YouTube you can watch the following video tutorial explaining this process:

Photoshop: Erase Layer Colorize

Colorize an Image by Erasing Layers

Another interesting way of "colorizing" an image is by pasting a black and white layer on top of the color layer and erasing the areas you want in color.  Confusing?  It will make sense after we try it.

Here's a sample image to get started [of course you can use your own]:

1. Open an image.
2. Do a CTRL+A (to "Select All") then CTRL+C (to "Copy)
3. Go to Image > Mode > Grayscale to convert the image to grayscale ("black & white").
4. Go to Image > Mode > RGB Color to convert the image back to color.
5. Do a CTRL + V (to "Paste").
6. Double-Click the bottom layers name ("Background") and change it to anything else (i.e. "Layer 0").
7. Drag the bottom (grayscale) layer above the color layer.
8. Select a soft (feathered) brush small enough to get details.
9. Use the eraser tool to erase areas you want in color.

Next, locate another image where you can perform the same steps.  Make sure to add your finished projects to your portfolio.

Some Examples:

You can also view the video tutorial below for step-by-step instructions:

Photoshop: Spray On Color

Today we will be learning to colorize a black and white image.  The image we are starting with, however, is already in color.  What we will do is take this image into PhotoShop, convert it to black & white, then colorize it.

1.  Click on the image (below) to view it full-size.
2.  Right-click and save the image to your folder.

3.  Open the image in PhotoShop.
4.  Convert it to Black & White by going to:  IMAGE > MODE > GRAYSCALE
5.  Balance it by going to: IMAGE > ADJUSTMENTS > AUTO CONTRAST
6.  Convert the image back to RGB Color by going to:  IMAGE > MODE > RGB COLOR
7.  Create a new layer:  LAYER > NEW > LAYER
8.  Pick a bright color (pink, blue, red, etc.)
9.  Choose a soft (feathered) brush and paint on your new layer over an object (hat, pants, overalls, etc.).  Don't worry about the bright, ugly color because we're going to adjust that in the next step.
10.  Next, adjust the opacity (transparency) of your painted layer by clicking the arrow next to OPACITY above the Layer.  Drag the arrow left or right to adjust the opacity. 

This is a quick example of the project:

Here are a few examples of adding color to a black & white photograph to create different effects:

If [for some reason] you don't see your layers, click F7.


Also, if you have access to YouTube you can check out this video tutorial that I put together a few years ago.  It's on a Macintosh, but the concepts are the same:

Photoshop: The Gondola

Assignment:  We have accepted an assignment from a client to take a dull, scanned photograph and improve it for use in a poster, brochure, web site, etc.  The client has scanned a photograph of a gondola, but they think it is too hazy... and they don't like the speedboat in the center of the picture... and "the colors are a little blah".  We will use PhotoShop to correct these issues... and more.

Photoshop Tools/Options Used:

• Ruler
• Rotate Canvas
• Crop
• Levels
• Clone Stamp
• Dodge
• Burn
• Replace Color
• Magic Wand
• Paste Into
• Free Transform

We will be using the following images to create our final project:

Part I: We will begin with the Gondola picture:

• Copy the Gondola picture
• Do File > New and click OK
• Select VIEW > FIT ON SCREEN (shortcut is CTRL+0) to see the image as large as possible
• Select the RULER tool (sometimes it's hidden under the EYEDROPPER) -- a shortcut is SHIFT+I which toggles through that toolset.
• Drag the ruler along an edge that should be straight (i.e. the edge of the tower).
• Select IMAGE > ROTATE CANVAS > ARBITRARY...
• A suggested rotation is already in place based on your ruler line (this tool is trying to make the ruler line vertical or horizonal)... so click OK.
• Use the RECTANGULAR MARQUEE tool (the box shape) to select as much of the picture as possible without including the black border (it's okay if you don't get all of the photo in the square).
• Select IMAGE > CROP
• Select VIEW > FIT ON SCREEN (again, to see the maximum image size)
• Select IMAGES > ADJUSTMENTS > LEVELS
• Drag the "black triangle" in toward the very beginning of the "mountain range" -- and do the same for the "white triangle" (click the "Preview" box to toggle this change to preview what it is doing) then click OK.
• You now have a brightened, cropped image to work with for the next part.

Part II: Removing the Motor Boat / Using the Clone Stamp

• Click the CLONE STAMP tool
• Move your pointer over to a clear area of water -- about the same distance/depth as your motorboat (i.e. somewhere in the same horizontal line) and ALT+CLICK.
• Move your mouse over to the center of the motorboat and slowly paint over the boat.  Notice the "+" shape where the CLONE STAMP is copying from.

Part III: Adjusting Highlights and Shadows

• Click the DODGE tool (it looks like a black pushpin) and set the Range for HIGHLIGHTS and the Exposure to around 10%.
• Adjust your brush size as necessary with the [ and ] keys.
• Brush over the red and white striped tarp and notice how the highlights are getting brighter.  Try this on other tarps and the side of the boat which seems to get shinier.
• Click the BURN tool (it looks like a hand pinching and is found under the DODGE tool) and set the Range for SHADOWS and the Exposure to around 5%.
• Adjust your brush size as necessary with the [ and ] keys.
• Brush over the boats/tarps just to get a little contrast.

Part IV: Replace the Orange Tarp

• Use the ZOOM tool (it looks like a magnifying glass) to zoom in on the orange tarp -- making sure you can see the entire thing.
• Use the LASSO tool and draw around the orange tarp (making a selection)
• Select IMAGE > ADJUSTMENT > REPLACE COLOR
• Click on the orange part of the orange tarp.  You should see a faint "mask" of the orange shape appear in the Replace Color box.
• Hold down the SHIFT key and Click and Drag around the orange tarp trying to select ONLY the orange areas.  If you over-select (i.e. you accidentally go into the black) you can start this step over.
• When you feel like you have a nice, sharp "mask" of the orange tarps shape, drag the HUE slider left and right.  Notice the colors changing on your image.
• If you adjust the SATURATION slider and the LIGHTNESS slider, you can actually match the colors of the other tarps on the boat.

Part V: Make Blue Skies From Gray

• Copy the Clouds picture.
• Select EDIT > COPY (or do CTRL+C)
• Go back to your Gondola picture.
• Click the MAGIC WAND tool (SHIFT+W toggles this)
• Click in one of the "gray" areas of the sky and notice how it selects some of the building tops.  We don't want that.
• Drop your TOLERANCE down to 10 and see how that works.  Notice that it [probably] doesn't select the entire piece.  We can compensate for that by holding SHIFT and clicking in the "unselected" areas.
• Continue SHIFT-Clicking the other "gray" areas of the sky throughout the picture.
• Select EDIT > PASTE INTO (not PASTE)
• Notice how ugly and unnatural this looks?  Don't worry -- go over to the OPACITY setting (above your LAYERS) and drag that down until it looks natural.  Mine is about 37% [this time].
• When you are satisfied with your final product, select LAYER > FLATTEN IMAGE.

Part VI: Make the Before and After

• Go to IMAGE > CANVAS SIZE
• Change "inches" to percent and change the width (since this is a picture that is taller than it is wide, a side-by-side comparison works best -- so we will adjust the width) and change the 100 to 200 (making it twice the width).
• Click on the Right Arrow (this means you want your current picture -- the "after" -- to be on the right) and click OK.
• Copy your original image (in this case, p_start.psd) and Paste it into your finished image.  Use the MOVE tool (the black arrow) to drag it to the left side.
• You may want to use your FREE TRANSFORM to rotate and resize the original so it fits better.
• Add your name to the finished image.
• Save your completed file as a JPEG image to your Thawspace. 

Part VII: Add to Your Portfolio

• Go to your Blog (http://www.blogger.com/) and sign into your account.
• Click New Post and make sure "Compose" is selected.
• Click the IMAGE/PICTURE button.
• Browse for your picture (from your Thawspace).
• Add a description about the steps you completed or the process you used in putting this together.  You could even add the reason you did the project (e.g. A virtual client wanted you to clean up an image to use for print/online media).
• Click PUBLISH POST.
• Click VIEW BLOG.

If you have difficulty following along and would like to work on this from home, here is a tutorial using the same images: