Photoshop Experimentation - part 1

I have begun experimenting with the various effects on the software programme Photoshop. I simply adore this programme as it has allowed me to alter my quite dull and boring photographs and give them a much more contemporary and urban appeal, what I am aiming to create for my entire album. What I have done is taken some photographs of areas in London and have added certain effects to them to see which ones porudce the best result.

This is a photograph of the iconic London landmark, St. Pauls Cathedral and the effect that I have used is called Neon Glow. This is probably my favourite effect as it completely changes the colour scheme of the image, enhancing the object itslef by introducing vivid backlighting in a specific colour. I love this image as the effect has given it a much more aged and withered look which links in well with my urban theme. The yellow tint emphasises the impressive structure of the building and also the vivid contrast between the light and shadow areas of the photograph.

This effect is called 'cut out' and what it has done is given the image a graffiti like style with the segmentation of different tones of colour. What I like about this effect is that it removes the detail of the image but still leaves the general outline (which I feel makes it look like a stencil).This effect I think I shall use in the actual design of my digipak because it exudes a rough, urban appeal that I am aiming to acheive however the only issue with it is that when I was experimenting with it sometimes the images would come out too basic as I had taken away too many layers.

This effect seems to have enhanced the black tones of the image to make them more predominant within the image's composition. I love this effect as well as the others because it yet again gives the image an industrial feeling with the rough surface that has been added to the image's design. The black intensity has made the image seem much more dark and less visually attractive however for what I want to do this is exactly what I want to re-create.