Final Skills Audit

AS Media Production: Final Skills Audit Print Production

Name: Hannah Maddison     Tutor group: 1.16   Date: 16/04/2013

Photographic Skills

Which of the following photographic features/equipment have you used on a camera before:

Feature	Yes	No	Comments if yes – where have you completed this skills and to what level
Manual Focus features	×		I used this when doing my photoshoot for unit 3. I needed to use manual focus as I needed to alter the focus so that the photo I was capturing would have a more professional look. Using manual focus ensured that I could focus on my model, and make it look as clear as possible.
Shutter Speed	×		I used this while experimenting during my media lessons. We were learning different features on a camera and this was one of them. We had to get someone to run or jump and capture them in mid-air. We also used a torch and drew an image in the air and captured it all in one image.
Aperture control	×		We experimented with aperture control again during a media lesson. We had to get one object and photograph this where all focus was on the object, this made the background blurred. Then again with only a little bit of blur in the background and finally the last with no blur at all.
Continuous shoot mood	×		During a class experiment we went outside in pairs and took turns of blowing bubbles and capturing them on the camera. We also did this with bubblegum. I posted the results of this onto my blog.
A tripod	×		During out lesson of aperture, we used tripods to ensure that the photos we had taken weren’t blurry. This gave me good quality photos. We also used tripods when experimenting with timer. We got group photos and to do we set the camera on timer on the tripod to get it steady. I found tripods easy to use.
External flash	×		During my photoshoot, I used external flash and also light boxes. So that when I took the photo, I could see what the photo would look like with flash because of the external flash and then once I took it, it would flash. This meant it would be directly onto my model. It made my photos bright and look a high standard.
Self timer facility	×		During one of our lessons, after completing the task we had to do, a few of us got together and experimented using self timer. We put the camera on a tripod and set it in a place that would get everyone in. They turned out very well. We also used some aperture in this as the background was blurry.
Light meter		×
Composition grids	×		During an experimenting class we used these grids to check our rules of thirds. This was helpful in aligning my photo and model in the right place.

Photoshop Skills

Which of the following features of Photoshop have you used before:

Feature	Yes	No	Comments if yes – where have you completed this skills and to what level
Text control	×		I added text to my final product. I added sell lines, headers, titles. I used the text tool a large amount during the creation of my front cover. I had to change the font size, change the font and I also added things like drop shadow and colour to the text.
Filters	×		We learned how to make images look warmer or cooler. We did this by adding a filter to the images. This could change the feeling from the photo so it was important to use this in the best way possible.
Brushes	×		We used brushes in one of the workshop lessons. We learned how to download a brush and then use it on photoshop. We can change the colour and the size and make it look very effective on a product. I added this work to my blog.
Layers	×		I added new layers to my work so that I could move things around easily. I could also move only certain things around without disrupting the rest of the other elements. I could also add effects to only selected things.
Opacity control	×		I altered the opacity levels on my front cover of my unit 3 project. This was on one of the sell lines. I added a circle but turned down the opacity so that it wasn’t as in your face and it blended into the rest of my front cover.
Shape creation	×		I added shape creation on my front cover and also on my DPS. I used the elliptical tool. This made the text on top of these shapes stand out.
Brightness and contrast control	×		Some of my photos from the photoshoot were a bit dark once I put them on the computer so I used the brightness and contrast to make them a bit brighter. I also did it to make other photos look more dark and mysterious.
Gradients	×		I used this when experimenting with photoshop, when creating some CD covers. Some as stated earlier I used stamps; however others I tired the gradient tool. Choosing to colours to blend in together. I found this tool very easy to use.
Load selection features		×
Feathering	×		When experimenting with vigneting I used feathering to get a better effect of this. I set it between 45-60 to get the best result. This was so the edge was not too harsh.
Colour curves adjustment	×		During a lesson we experiment with changing the colours in a photo to see what effect this would have. It changed the reds, yellows and blues in the photo. We also altered the curves of the photo to try and improve the image.
Resolution setting control		×
Magnetic lasso, polygon lasso tool	×		I used the lasso tool when trying to colour the background of some of my texts to make it the same colour as others. I also cut out the background of some of the images I used through out experimenting. I cut round the image and the tool would automatically make a neat outing around the image.
Cropping tool	×		When adding some of my images from the photoshoot there was too much background or there was another object in the way which was not meant to be there, I used the cropping tool to get rid of these and make the image the size I required.
Clone tool	×		I used the clone tool when experimenting on photoshop. I used it to get rid on spots and blemishes on a model. I also used it to get rid of bags under their eyes.
Retouch tool	×		I also used this tool in the same experiment of getting rid of a girls spots and acne. We removed it by basically grabbing skin that was fine and replacing the spot or redness with this. I added this task to my blog.
Other skills Vampire Tutorial	×		I used the magnetic lasso tool to add vampire teeth to an image. This was after I edited her skin and eyes to make her look ‘zombie like’ I added the teeth to make her look more like a vampire. I did this by drawing round her normal tooth and then dragging the tooth down so that it looked like vampire teeth.

In Design Skills

Which of the following features of In Design have you used before:

Feature	Yes	No	Comments if yes – where have you completed this skills and to what level
Margin and column guide creation	×		When setting up my page on InDesign it asks what type of document you would like and also
Inserting an image ID	×		I edited an image in photoshop and saved it as a JPEG so that I could then insert this easily into InDesign and use it in there as well. I found this very easy and simple to do.
Resizing images in ID	×		I inserted other images that were too large so I had to use the white arrow and the shift buttons too make the image smaller and suitable for the page.
Text manipulation – resizing, rotation	×		During the workshops to learn the basics of InDesign I learned to add text to the page and put it on a slant. I played around with it so I could get the basics and then finally found a suitable tilt that looked appealing on the page.
Text manipulation – controlling kerning and leading		×
Text flow creation	×		As my DPS is an article I had to put it into columns; however my article was obviously too long for one column. I learned that clicking the red ‘+’ sign in a little red box at the bottom of the first column and dragging it to the next column along it automatically put the next part of the article into the next column. I found this very useful.
Using transparent imagery in ID		×
Shape/line creation In design	×		On my DPS I wanted to create a line that would separate my article from some facts and figures so I had to learn where to create a line.
Exporting to PDF from In-design	×		In order to submit my final product I had to save my final product as a PDF in order to upload it and hand it in.
Text Wrap	×		When putting my article into my DPS some of it overlapped my main image; therefore I used text wrap around my image. This gave it a more professional look and also made nothing over lap and could see every element.

Number of new skills achieved: 26