Lesson Plan
Course Title: Printing & Imaging Technology
Session Title: Digital Photo Retouching
* This is Lesson #12 if used as part of the overall unit on Printing & Imaging Technology.
However, this lesson may be taught as a stand-alone project if desired.
Lesson Duration: Approximately 4-5 days
[Lesson length is subjective and will vary from instructor to instructor]
Performance Objective: Upon completion of this assignment, students will understand basic
concepts in photo retouching and demonstrate basic skills in photo retouching by completing a
photo retouch project.
Specific Objectives:
1. Define terms and concepts associated with the lesson.
2. Repair imperfections in digitally captured photographs.
3. Correct the brightness and contrast of a digitally captured photograph.
4. Recolor and adjust the saturation of a digitally captured photograph.
5. Evaluate corrected photographs according to established criteria.
Preparation
TEKS Correlations:
§130.96 (c)(1) The student applies academic knowledge and skills in printing and
imaging projects. The student is expected to:
(A) apply English language arts knowledge and skills by demonstrating use of content,
technical concepts, and vocabulary; using correct grammar, punctuation, and
terminology to write and edit documents; and composing and editing copy for a variety of
written documents such as brochures, programs, and newsletters;
(B) apply mathematics knowledge and skills by identifying whole numbers, decimals, and
fractions applied to measurement and scale; demonstrating knowledge of arithmetic
operations; using conversion methods such as fractions to decimals and inches to
points; and applying measurement to solve a problem.
§130.96 (c)(11) The student develops a technical understanding of printing and imaging.
The student is expected to:
(F) apply desktop publishing to create products by:
(v) editing products
(H) demonstrate knowledge and appropriate use of hardware components, software
programs, and storage devices;
(K) evaluate products.
Instructor/Trainer
References:
Kelby, Scott (2001). Adobe Photoshop Photo-Retouching Secrets. United States of America:
New Riders Publishing. ISBN 0-7357-1146-1.
Author’s expertise
AAVTC: Print and Imaging Technology: Digital Photo Retouching
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2013. All rights reserved.
1
Instructional Aids:
Digital Photo Retouching slide presentation
Dog photos #1 and #2
Student Handout
Digital Photo Retouching Teacher Rubric
Digital Photo Retouching Student Rubric
Self-Reflection Activity
Materials Needed:
Several photos (from the teacher and/or students) that need correction in levels, saturation,
scratches, etc.
Equipment Needed:
Computer with appropriate industry-standard photo editing software installed.
Means for displaying the slide presentation
Transparency copies of photographs if needed
Color inkjet or laser printer and paper.
Learner
Understanding of concepts from previous lessons
Introduction
MI
Introduction (LSI Quadrant I):
ASK: Ask students to indicate by a show of hands if they have ever taken or had
taken any pictures that are too dark, are too light, or with red eye. Ask those who
raised hands to share briefly how they felt about those photos.
Use the title slide to show Dog Photos #1 and #2
SAY: The first photo is an original photo of a dog. It is a very poor photo and
correcting an image this bad is really impossible. It is important to always get the
very best image with the camera to leave color correcting at a minimum. However,
sometimes you have to work with less than ideal photography.
SAY: To the right is the same photo that used some correction techniques using
photo-editing software.
ASK: Is it obvious that the second photo is better than the first photo?
SAY: Even with the correction added, the second photo is still of too poor quality to
use for a client. However, if the techniques used here worked this well, imagine their
effect on photos that started out better.
ASK: What other types of retouching can be done to photos?
(Examples: red-eye reduction, recoloring, removing scratches and repairing
imperfections, adding or removing people or objects from the photo, etc.). The
teacher may choose to pass out a selection of photographs that have various
imperfections.
AAVTC: Print and Imaging Technology: Digital Photo Retouching
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2013. All rights reserved.
2
Outline
MI
Outline (LSI Quadrant II):
Instructor Notes:
Digital Photo Retouching using the slide
presentation
I. Some uses of photo retouching
A. To improve personal photos
B. To edit professional photos
C. To edit photos for continuity within a
project
Discuss each step thoroughly
being sure to answer
questions along the way.
Students should take notes
to use during the Guided and
Independent Practice portion
of the lesson.
II. Repairing Imperfections
A. Scratches
B. Water spots
C. Torn edges
D. Discoloration
Note: Although red-eye is
one of the main imperfections
in photographs, it will not be
used in this particular activity.
III. Brightness and Contrast
A. Switching the image to black and white
helps with understanding adjustments
B. Adjust the levels of shadows
C. Adjust the levels of mid-tones
D. Adjust the levels of highlights
IV. Recoloring and Adjusting Saturation
A. Color reference
B. Color balance of the image
1. Understanding the context of the
image (i.e. earthtones, primary colors,
etc.)
2. Various objects within the photo must
match the context of the photo.
C. Saturation
1. The amount of color for each object
2. The amount of color for the overall
image (i.e. making the photo appear
realistic – was the photo taken
yesterday or 60 years ago?)
V. Colorization Questions:
A. Do any of the colors look like they do not
belong? Why or why not?
B. The black hat was actually recolored with
black. Why would you add black back to
the colorized image?
C. What objects should have been colorized
in the image but were not?
Note: Adjusting the image’s
brightness, color, and
imperfections, may require
multiple layers, which will be
introduced in the next lesson
(Lesson #13).
We used a black & white
image to understand how to
adjust the levels of a
photograph. Now we want to
recolor the photo. To make
an image look real, you need
another picture of the object
to use as a color reference.
This helps you apply the
appropriate color.
Colorization Answers:
A. The pumpkins don’t
match the other
colors of the image,
because no color
reference was used.
B. Adding black back to
a colorized image
helps an object that
was originally black fit
in context with image.
C. The faces, the hands,
the shoes, the wheel
and the dirt could
have been colorized.
AAVTC: Print and Imaging Technology: Digital Photo Retouching
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2013. All rights reserved.
3
Application
MI
Guided Practice (LSI Quadrant III):
Students will be provided with four or five photographs (3” x 5”) that need correction.
The student will choose one photo for the activity.
The student will scan the image at a resolution of 300 ppi.
The image will be opened in the software, and the student will make the following
corrections:
a. levels, exposure
b. saturation
c. removal of scratches, spots
The student will save the file and re-print the corrected image using a color inkjet or
laser printer.
MI
Independent Practice (LSI Quadrant III):
Once students have completed the corrections to the required image, they will select
one of their own photos to correct using the concepts learned in the lesson. They will
present before and after images to the class and explain how they made the
necessary corrections.
Summary
MI
Review (LSI Quadrants I and IV):
Checking for understanding: (Discussion Questions Session)
Why does switching the image to black and white help edit the levels of the
Shadows, Mid-tones and Highlights?
Why would you want to colorize an old black and white photo?
Why is it important to properly color balance and saturate an image?
Evaluation
MI
Informal Assessment (LSI Quadrant III):
Teacher should evaluate both corrected photographs with the Digital Photo
Retouching Teacher Rubric. The corrected photo provided by the teacher during
Guided Practice should NOT be used in a portfolio, but the corrected photo provided
by the student could be included in a portfolio if the quality of work meets portfolio
standards.
AAVTC: Print and Imaging Technology: Digital Photo Retouching
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2013. All rights reserved.
4
MI
Formal Assessment (LSI Quadrant III, IV):
Have students electronically share their before and after photos with the entire class
and explain the correction techniques they used. Students should use the Digital
Photo Retouching Student Rubric to evaluate their peers’ work. Rubrics will be
submitted to teacher for a completion and quality grade. Teacher will need to coach
students on providing meaningful feedback prior to the presentations.
Students use the self-reflection activity and submit for completion grade.
NOTE: Teacher can opt to compile peer evaluations for redistribution to students for
additional feedback on their work.
Extension
MI
Extension/Enrichment (LSI Quadrant IV):
Students who have mastered the skills can bring in additional photos from home and
experiment with the techniques discussed.
Students will apply these skills when working with clients on future projects.
Students may peer mentor or assist classmates as they work through the various
projects.
AAVTC: Print and Imaging Technology: Digital Photo Retouching
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2013. All rights reserved.
5
Photo Comparison Handout
Dog Photo – Original
Dog Photo – Corrected
AAVTC: Print and Imaging Technology: Digital Photo Retouching
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2013. All rights reserved.
6
Name_____________________________
Student Reflection Activity
Was I happy with my final result? Why or why not?
Could I have put more effort into the project? If yes, in what way?
What did I dislike or would have done differently?
What did I learn from this particular project?
AAVTC: Print and Imaging Technology: Digital Photo Retouching
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2013. All rights reserved.
7
Digital Photo Retouching
STUDENT HANDOUT
Repairing Imperfections:
Scratches and torn edges use the same basic tools in photo editing software to cover the
area of the image that needs correcting. These tools are sometimes called ‘Clone’ tools or
‘Stamp’ tools. They are designed to copy a portion of the image that looks similar to the area
where the scratch or torn edge is. This creates a patch that covers up the imperfection. There is
also a tool that blends the patch with the original image so it looks natural. Some software
programs call this tool a ‘Healing Brush’.
Water spots and discolorations can also be fixed using the same tools. However, using
the selection tool helps correct the light and color balance of the patch created to cover up the
spot. ‘Burn’ and ‘Dodge’ tools also affect the light of the image and can be used to retouch
images.
Brightness and Contrast:
Adjusting the levels of the Shadows, Mid-tones and Highlights can be done on the entire
image or just a section of the image. Balancing the brightness of different areas can help keep
certain portions from being ‘blown-out’ or having too much light. A ‘blown-out’ image loses any
information (pixels) that can be edited.
The contrast of the image refers to the difference between the darks and lights of an
image. A muted image has similar levels for Shadows, Mid-tones and Highlights. Images with
greater contrast are usually easier to edit. But there must be a balance with contrast too or the
image will lose its quality and look more like a drawing instead of a photo.
Some photo editing software packages include other tools to adjust Brightness and
Contrast in different ways. These tools can adjust the specific ‘Levels’ of the Shadows, Midtones and Highlights or create unique combinations with ‘Curves’, which are like templates for
the amount of adjustments to Brightness and Contrast.
Recoloring and Adjusting Saturation:
Recoloring an image can be done through the menus of the software program if the
entire image is being adjusted. Usually editing the color of an object within an image requires
using the selection tools and then applying the new shade or tint.
It works the same way with Saturation. Most photo editing software has a menu item
that will enhance or subdue the color of the overall image. However, when working with
portions of an image, saturation adjustments can be achieved with color layers, their opacity or
transparency, and how the color is blended with the image.
AAVTC: Print and Imaging Technology: Digital Photo Retouching
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2013. All rights reserved.
8
DIGITAL PHOTO RETOUCHING TEACHER RUBRIC
Criteria
Completeness
(10 pts)
Application of
Photo
Retouching
Concepts
(30 points)
Design
elements
(30 pts)
Creativity
(20 points)
Professional
Appearance
(10 pts)
Comments:
Exceptional
Above Average
Below Average
Unacceptable
9-10 points
5-8 points
1-4 points
0 points
Work is
complete and
presents a
unified whole.
Work is
complete, but
lacks unity in the
composite.
Work is
incomplete.
No attempt was
made to produce
the document.
27-30 points
15-26 points
1-14 points
0 points
Demonstrated
knowledge of
Photo
Retouching
Concepts is
exceptional.
Photo
Retouching
Concepts are
used, but more
practice is
needed to
demonstrate full
knowledge of the
software.
Attempt is made
to use Photo
Retouching
Concepts, but it
is evident that
knowledge of
the software is
very limited.
No evidence of
knowledge of
Photo
Retouching
Concepts.
27-30 points
15-26 points
1-14 points
0 points
Design
elements are
successfully
applied.
Design elements
are applied but
need refinement
to achieve
success.
Design elements
are poorly
applied.
No evidence of
application of
design elements.
17-20 points
8-16 points
1-7 points
0 points
Design ideas
are original in
thought and
exceptionally
creative.
Design ideas are
somewhat
original and
creative.
Limited
evidence of
creativity and
originality in
thought.
No evidence of
creativity or
originality in
thought or
execution of
project.
9-10 points
5-8 points
1-4 points
0 points
Professional
project.
Final product is
neat and
professionally
presented.
Good
presentation of
project. Only
minor corrections
are needed
Fair
presentation of
project. Several
errors are
evident.
Project is
unprofessional.
Errors distract
significantly from
the content.
TOTAL
POINTS:
AAVTC: Print and Imaging Technology: Digital Photo Retouching
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2013. All rights reserved.
9
Points
DIGITAL PHOTO RETOUCHING STUDENT RUBRIC
3
Correction Techniques
5
0
SCORE
Levels/Exposure:
Levels corrections applied
appropriately to create the best
possible photograph
considering range of color &
shadows/mid-tones/highlights
used to correct opacity to create
the best possible photograph.
Levels/Exposure:
Some levels corrections
applied, but additional
corrections needed.
Levels/Exposure:
Corrections needed, but no
attempt made to correct
photograph.
Color:
Color corrected and balanced to
achieve the best possible
photograph.
Color:
Some corrections applied, but
additional corrections needed.
Color:
Corrections needed, but no
attempt made to correct
photograph.
Saturation:
Saturation used to correct color
to achieve the best possible
photograph.
Saturation:
Some corrections applied, but
additional corrections needed.
Saturation:
Corrections needed, but no
attempt made to correct
photograph.
Other:
Clone and other editing tools
used as needed to achieve the
best possible photograph.
Other:
Some corrections applied, but
additional corrections needed.
Other:
Corrections needed, but no
attempt made to correct
photograph.
TOTAL:
Notes/Specific Suggestions for Improvement:
AAVTC: Print and Imaging Technology: Digital Photo Retouching
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2013. All rights reserved.
10