Front Cover Image

Having completed my photo shoot, I was able to use my front cover image. Before inserting it onto the page, I wanted to edit it, to create and image that had the feeling of an 'old film star photo', one that was perhaps taken on a film camera, with a slight grain, that simply adds to the artistic aesthetic, which my TA crave.

I selected this image [which was my very last shot in my shoot] for the cover, as it is by far the most relaxed, and emits a melancholy, moody and dark tone, almost in a Film Noir fashion, which is exactly what I wanted. 

Although the image looks ok here, the black back-drop fading away nicely and the shadows encroaching her coat well, it simply was not artistic enough for my front cover, or my TA.

To begin with, I cropped the image, to focus on the model more, with less background.

 I then created a vignette. To do this, I selected the 'Elliptical Marquee Tool'. I circled where I wanted the eyes to be drawn, so specifically the face, hair and some shoulder.

So that when I adjust Brightness and Contrast, it does not create a solid line, creating literally and oval in the middle of my image, I clicked refine edges. Adjusting the settings on here, allows me to create a graded vignette, which is far more subtle and professional, and you can see how the image is feathered.

Then, by 'Select>Inverse', I was able to select the area that surrounds the focal point of the image, and adjust the brightness and contrast.

You can see from this that the image is now looking far more professional, and artistic. At this point, I decided that, using the 'Spot Heal Tool', I would remove some slight marks on the skin of my model, but not to the extent that the image begins to look 'airbrushed', simply to create a more flattering image.

At this point, I wanted to create a slightly more artistic, and 'retro' looking image. I began by using the 'Distort > Diffuse Glow' tool which would slightly desaturate the image and it would then gain a slight grain.

Now, despite my lighting, this image has somehow escaped the 'starry eyed' look, with this being only slightly visible. To enhance it, I used the 'Dodge Tool', to reinforce the reflection.

This difference that this change alone makes is incredible, appearing to sharpen the entire image and draw the eye in to the focal point of the image. However, it is still not quite artistic enough, so I decided to use the 'Burn Tool' to enhance the shadows, lips and hair.

This image is now suitable for my front cover.