Talkin-Typewrita.
- Critique Talk
The Photoshop Effect
Saturday, October 4, 2008, 21:00
This video discusses about digital retouching using Adobe Photoshop.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YP31r70_QNM
We shall now analyze the different communicative aspects of the video.
For the uninitiated, some of the tools used are: healing brush for the sunspots (as described in the video), color dodge to saturate the eye pupils (to make them brighter), color burn tool to desaturate the teeth (to whiten them), and cloning stamp to remove skin blemishes. After all these adjustments, the "Liquify" filter is applied to warp pixels. That's when the magic happens.
Tim Lynch, the digital photographer, explained how digital retouching has taken over the world, and demonstrated how digital retouching was being done. There is a certain element of pathos in his speech, and he used non-verbals highlighted on certain points of digital retouching ("thinner waist, thicker waist" etc.) using hand gestures. His speech was fluent and he maintained eye-contact with the reporter throughout the interview.
This is sharp contrast with Alexis Beck, the clinical nutritionalist. Throughout the interview, her eyes seemed to be gazing all over the place, and her speech was halting. This gives the impression that she wasn't very prepared for the interview, or that she wasn't sure what was politically correct to say.
The listening aspect is also considered in the video. It tries to capture attention right at the beginning (by showing a photo-shoot), and limiting the use of technical jargon (by Tim). At the end it ends on a cliffhanger, as the video fades out with a question left unanswered. This helps to make a informative documentary memorable.
In conclusion, I feel that the video has sufficiently brought across the message about the topic of digital retouching by using interviewees with contrasting styles, and applying elements to aid the listening aspect of communication.
Labels: Jerry