hands on

For my photography class, we were supposed to make “tangible illusions” by manipulating photos or creating a unique image without using photoshop. Basically, the point was to make an interesting effect on a photo by hand, rather than computer.

For this image, I wanted to take a photo looking at the sky, but I wanted a new perspective. I used mascara to draw outlines of eyes on my glasses, as a different way of “looking” at the sky.

For this image, I wanted to imitate a purple hue in a portrait. In photoshop, there is the option to change the hue of a photograph, and extreme changes can result in a different skin color. I used violet icing coloring on my face, as well as a purple vase over a lightbulb to create a purple glow to achieve an imitation of this photoshop process. I mixed the violet coloring in with liquid foundation, which proved to be too dark of a purple shade. While wiping it off, I discovered it stained my face the color I wanted, so it all worked out! Then I set up my camera & snapped away. I also hung a purple backdrop! Everything except my hair, which is too dark to change color, and my eyes, are purple. I was pretty pleased with the result! However, it was quite a pain getting all of that purple off of my face. I looked like a grape for a few hours!

Here are more examples of the purple portraits. I think I might like to do this again, but I’ll make sure I have plenty of time to scrub my face afterward 🙂

For this image, I used blue crepe paper to create the illusion of water spilling out of a water bottle. I wanted it to look like a bottle of water had been dropped on blacktop & spilled out. I thought it was a fun little photo, and I think I will take some more photographs like this in the near future!

It was very fun and unique to create images that were “illusions” without photoshop. I knew I wanted to do the purple hue portrait from the start, however the other two images did not come so easily. After being stumped for some time, both ideas just came in a wonderful epiphany.

I hope to make more photos like this and think outside the box with my photography!