Photo Manipulation

Activity 1: What is photo manipulation?

(10 minutes)

Watch this timpe-lapse video of someone editing a photo of an old man. How is the photo manipulated, or changed?

Now click on the links to the images below. Do you think any have been manipulated? If you are working with other people, talk about which aspects of the photos you think may or may not have been manipulated and why.

Activity 2: What are some reasons people manipulate photos?

(10 minutes)

Check out this photo gallery of images from BGCA members around the world. Do you think there is a difference between manipulating and editing photos? If so, what is it?

Read the blog post Picture Imperfect — Digital Image Manipulation Ethics or watch this video. Did your ideas change at all? Talk about what you learned, and what you think about it, with someone else. If you are working alone, journal your thoughts. What do you think about using photo manipulation to create art versus portraying a manipulated image as reality?

Activity 3: What changes will you make to a photo of yourself?

(20 minutes)

If you're using a smart phone, download a free photo editing app from the list below.

Adobe Photoshop Express (Android)
Photoshop Fix (iOS)
Aviary (iOS and Android)
Pixlr Express (iOS and Android)

If you are using a computer instead of a smart phone, try editing photos through one of these websites:

Ask someone to take a picture of you, or take a picture of yourself. You might want to try starting with a head-and-shoulders shot. Open the photo in the editing app and start experimenting with editing it. Play around with the different tools. After you have given the different tools a try, start editing again from the beginning and edit with a specific goal in mind. Do you want to make your photo appear old-fashioned? Or make yourself appear younger? Can you make yourself unrecognizable?

If you want, make a collage of the images you edit, like this.

Activity 4: What feedback are you getting?

(10 minutes)

When you have a manipulated image, or series of images, that you are happy with, save and share your work other people. Talk about your work and ask people questions about their interpretations of what you made. Ask for suggestions and ideas for next time. How do you think this feedback will influence your work in the future?

Activity 5: Submit your work!

(5 minutes)

Want to earn a few digital badges in photography? Email the digital media you created to BGCAmediamaking@gmail.com or send it through instagram to @BGCAmediamaking

Still Interested? Take a look at these resources:

Article: The Ethics of Digital Manipulation