The student had no prior experience with Photoshop at the start of the academic year and found using it challenging. Through trial and error and spending spare time experimenting, their Photoshop skills developed over the course of the year. Most of their peers had Photoshop experience, so the student put in extra effort to gain experience and reach the expected standard. This benefited their final media projects and boosted their confidence with Photoshop. One key skill learned was editing photos by airbrushing skin, changing hair and eye colors.

2. At the beginning of the academic year I had never before used Photoshop,
therefore starting to use it was some what of a challenge. My skills in Photoshop
have developed over time, they did not come easily, however now I am confident
in using Photoshop and I feel my skills in Photoshop have proven worth while
on my completed product. Learning to use Photoshop mainly revolved about
trial and error. I was at some what of a disadvantage to the rest of my peer group
which and nearly all had experience in Photoshop. Therefore I spend much of
my spare time experimenting with Photoshop and gaining experience in order to
bring myself up the expected standard of an AS media student. I feel the extra
effort I put into gaining Photoshop experience benefited my final products and
also helped boost my confidence around the subject.
One of the main skills I gained, which was important in the process of
completing my product, was editing photos, for example “air brushing” skin,
changing eye colour and changing hair colour.

3. This is one of the
examples in which I
used Photoshop to
improve the quality of a
photo. My original
image did not have the
“rock band” look I was
hoping for, so I
changed my models
hair to a red to orange
ombre colour (inspired
by rock artist Hayley
Williams) and also
added darker eye make
up to her. As well as
this I also airbrushed
her skin. This made the
image more suitable for
my magazine and also
added to the visual
appeal.

4. Original photo to final product transformation.
As you can see, I have used my Photoshop skills to adjust my models hair
colour, eye colour, lip colour and I also air brushed the skin and removed the
models hood from her jacket.

5. So as you can see I have learnt a lot about the technology, Photoshop,
through out this project and I am pleased with how much I have learnt and
improved in such a short space of time. I have explored the software and
learnt to use its tools such as the magic wand tool, quick selection tool,
masks and many other aspects of the software. All this has aided my finished
product in being successful.