Assignment 1:
Image optimization and manipulation

cropping, straightening, resizing, and "downrezing" images.

In these video tutorials, Sam Jennings demonstrates simple Photoshop techniques using sample images and the Windows version of Photoshop. Our goal is for you to learn the techniques and use them on your own pictures.

Part 1:

Create a new folder within your public_html/coms226 folder. Name the folder "crop" (ALL lower case letters).

Using the tools and methods covered in class crop and straighten two different images. One is an image that was improperly scanned at an angle and the other was an photograph that was shot at a crooked angle.

Next, using the "Crop" tool, crop, straighten, and separate three parts of/within an image into three separate images.
Save all images as .JPEG files in the new "crop" folder within the "public_html/coms226" folder.

Step 1: Go to the "H" drive then to the "public_html/coms226" folder and create a folder naming it "crop" in lowercase letters. (Note that the video tutorial shows Sam making the folder in "public_html," but we want a "coms226" folder as a container for everything you do in the course.)

– Sam's Tutorial

Step 2: Download these images to the "crop" folder. You can open each image in the browser and simply drag and drop it into the folder, or you can right-click (control-click) these links andchoose "save link as." (You could even create the "crop" folder at the same time if you haven't done that yet.)

crooked tree | crooked scanned image | 3 images scanned into 1:

- Tutorial

Step 3: Follow these tutorials, step by step, to complete assignment 1:
Cropping and straightening an image that is crooked

After completing the steps in the tutorial save the new image as "crookedtreeFIXED.jpg" in the folder "public_html/coms226/crop".

Crop and straighten a scanned image that is crooked (automagic!)

After completing the steps in the tutorial save the new image as "scannedcopy.jpg" in the same folder.

Crop and straighten multiple images from one image file

tutorial 1 | tutorial 2

Other ways to learn to straighten, crop and size:

I. Photoshop CS5 One-on-One textbook Lesson 2, pages 39-60 with a lot more detail -- and a chance to fix the leaning tower of Pisa once and for all. Note that the practice file photos provided with the book are NOT yours to "publish" in your public_html folder, but you can make copies on the Macintosh or your own computer for personal use. You can store working copies of them in your H drive space, just not in the "public_html" folder.

After doing the exercise, try using "canvas size" and background colors to frame your cropped images from Sam's exercise -- or your own images.

II. Adobe's video tutorial on straightening with the ruler tool.

III. The green block below is from the Photoshop Help documentation -- actually a page from Using Photoshop CS5, a 600-page book downloadable as a PDF file. (This is the new PDF edition of the printed book that used to come in the box with your Photoshop discs.)

Search for "Straighten an image" within the help system or PDF file and you should get this page within the "Home / Using Photoshop CS5 / Retouching and transforming / Adjusting crop, rotation, and canvas" section.

Straighten an image

The Ruler tool provides a Straighten option that quickly aligns images with horizon lines, building walls, and other key elements.

Select the Ruler tool.
(If necessary, click and hold the Eyedropper tool to reveal the Ruler.)

In the image, drag across a key horizontal or vertical element.

In the options bar, click Straighten.

Photoshop straightens the image and automatically crops it.

To reveal image areas that extend beyond the new document boundaries, choose Edit > Undo.

To entirely avoid automatic cropping, hold down Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac OS) when you click Straighten.

Part 2: Updated

Students are required to take pictures using a digital and/or analog camera. We'll let this part of the assignment wait until we've had a chance to find out what cameras are available for borrowing from the School of Communication and what your own cameras, phones, webcams or PhotoBooth-style applications can do.

Images will need to be in a digital format (.JPEG, GIF, .BMP) and placed on the "H" drive.

Create a folder within the non-public space of your "H" drive called "coms226images" to hold the raw "master copies" of your pictures.

If you have the choice, use high resolution.
Shoot a minimum of 20 images for future assignments.
As you use them on class projects, you will move lower-resolution (Web-friendly) copies to the public_html/coms226 folder. Details to be announced.

Topics for first three classes:
- Introduction to Adobe Photoshop interface.
- Practice using some of the basic tools
- Discuss photography (analog vs. digital).

Copyright Free Images

Sam offers the following websites as sources of COPYRIGHT FREE images

(please read the terms of use if applicable):

http://freestockphotos.com/

http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/

http://www.free-stockphotos.com/

http://www.public-domain-photos.com/

Free Images from Sam Jennings' website

Bob adds some more:

http://photo.net/stock -- See polymath Philip Greenspun's copyright notice

http://www.nasa.gov/audience/formedia/features/MP_Photo_Guidelines.html

http://www.photolib.noaa.gov/about.html#about_images