My Curriculum Vitae

CV - Kate Pritchard

A hard working ambitious junior designer with a passion for media and creativity. High academic achiever in studies to date. Possesses strong written and verbal communication skills and a willingness to learn. 

Key Skills

Communication skills:
• Excellent and proven communication skills, both written and spoken.
• Competent at liaising and communicating with experts, professionals and the general public.
• Demonstrated skills in writing clear and concise copy, gained in business and academic environments.
• Proven track record of delivering presentations in front of an audience.

Planning and organisational skills:
• Effective time management, self discipline and ability to work under pressure has brought academic and business achievement, including winning awards listed further down the page.
• Possesses excellent planning and organisational skills, proven during time spent in academic and retail environments and as demonstrated by producing film trailers and working on creative ideas and pitches for leading business professionals.

IT and training skills:
• Fast and proficient user of IT: Microsoft Office package, including Word, PowerPoint, Excel, internet browsers, email.
• Competent user of: Adobe Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator and Final Cut Pro and Garage Band (editing software).
• User of WordPress, Adobe Dreamweaver and Image Ready.
• Willingness to learn: acquired new skills in academic environment and during voluntary work and projects.
• Have an open and flexible attitude to learning new skills.
• Confident and enthusiastic personality with great initiative.
• Ability to work in and/or lead a team.
• Full, clean driving license and own car.

Employment History 

Apprentice Graphic Designer at GGS (A Photographic company in Norwich) – May 2014 – present day

Duties include:
• The creation of artwork for printing
• Creative thinking and presentation
• Administration and Liaising with clients
• Retouching images
• Making hot drinks for clients

Trainee Graphic Designer at GGS – March 2013 – May 2014

Duties include all of the above.
 
Freelance Writer at Write for Cash.com (an internet based review company) - November 2012 – March 2013

Duties include:
• Sourcing and writing original articles using my own ideas
• Utilising a range of resources for research purposes, such as from the public, internet and other sources, including social media.
• Finding suitable information and data that fit the specifications set by Write for Cash and presenting it in an entertaining and engaging fashion.
• Working to deadline.


Sales assistant at Currys and PC world – November 2012- July 2013

Duties include:
• Interacting with customers and providing a helpful, friendly service that is suited to the customer’s needs.
• Influencing customers choices by giving details of promotional offers and services that are highlighted by my managers
• Working to weekly sales deadlines in which targets must be met

Other Employment History

Customer Assistant at The Takeaway (fish and chip shop) - July 2011-September 2012

Duties included:
• Stock management.
• Time management and multi-tasking.
• Dealing with customer complaints and keeping customer satisfaction as high as possible.
• Serving customers food.
• Handling money.
• Complying with health and safety regulations.
• Selling promotional offers.

I have also worked in similar customer services roles at Dorothy Perkins in Lowestoft during June 2009 and at Barnardos in Lowestoft as a volunteer, utilising similar skills outlined above.

Achievements

Winner of the Developing Sustainable Communities Competition
Duties included:
• Working in a team to design an ecologically sustainable community.
• Taking into account marketing the town to tourists, dealing with journalists and possible press attention, as well as the aesthetics of design and technology.
• Putting together a detailed presentation of findings and delivering this on stage to a large panel of professionals and experts.

Shot a film trailer for my A-Level Coursework
Duties included:
• Working in a team to produce a product of professional standard.
• Organising filming and planning each shot, including setting up equipment and assisting in filming.
• Editing raw footage using Final Cut Pro and Garage Band.

Pitched creative ideas to architectural companies Arup and Aecom
Duties included:
• Coming up with suitable ideas that fit the companies’ brief.
• Using software such as Google Sketch-Up to create 3D models of my designs.
• Presenting my designs to the companies’ representatives in a formal business environment.

Opened a breakfast meeting at the Orbis Energy Centre in Lowestoft
Duties included:
• Thinking of creative and entertaining ways to open the meeting.
• Organising and putting together a presentation suitable for business professionals to keep them amused.
• Speaking in front of a large audience of professionals.

Education

East Norfolk Sixth Form College, Gorleston, Norfolk - 2010-2012
A Levels: English Language (C), General Studies (C), Media Studies (A), Psychology (C).
AS Levels: Mathematics (E).
 
The Denes High School, Lowestoft, Suffolk - 2007-2010
11 GCSEs grades A-C, including A grades in English Language and English Literature.
Certificate in ICT Functional Skills.

References

Available on request.
 

My Official Job Description

Evidence 3 - Understand the Creative Media Employment Market Place

Within the creative media industry there are different options when it comes to considering employment. Different types of business require different skills and interests, so when applying for jobs it is these differences that an individual must consider. They must also consider their own interests in order for them to stay motivated and interested in their work. 

A Public limited company, or a PLC as it is commonly known, is a company where shares may be sold to the public. This is usually using the stock market where shares can be both bought and sold. For example ITV, which is the largest and oldest television network in the UK; is well known but also rather competitive when it comes to applying for jobs. ITV is responsible for broadcasting on the ITV television networks. The market for their services includes broadcasting and interactive media when considering their online catch up services. It’s audience is rather vast and includes a large number of residents in the UK and internationally. PLCs are generally well known companies; because of this it is important to understand that within a large company the job role may require more independent work without as much close support. Securing a job within such a prestigious company may also be more difficult but it does mean that the individual has the reassurance and legitimacy of the well-known brand name. By working under such a brand, the employee may feel more determination to work to company standards and maintain their image than if working for a smaller lesser-known business. Morals will also come into play here as an employee is acting representation of their company at all times. Bad press for that individual becomes bad press for the company and this can be a lot of pressure for someone who cannot handle it.

A Limited company, ‘Ltd’ as it is most often referred to, is a smaller company compared to a PLC. A limited company is where the liability of its members and sponsors is reliant on what has been invested into the company. Shares cannot be sold to the public through a stock exchange but they can be sold privately. GGS would be a good example of this, GGS are well known locally but internationally not so much. GGS provide photography, marketing materials such as graphic and web design and also exhibition equipment. These services are mainly aimed at other companies rather than the general public for marketing benefits. A company such as this one demands for closer teamwork and pressure on individuals to handle workloads. It does also mean that there is more support and a closer working team if there are less people working there. However it does have to be considered that smaller Ltds are more at risk of failing as a business. They don’t so much have the comfort of a brand to hide behind and instead have to rely on their teams to keep them afloat. One advantage of working for a smaller team may also mean that there is more room for progression and it could be quicker to advance through the company. You aren’t in such a big competition to get promotions than what there is in larger companies. Progression happens more naturally as people leave the company and leave their work to others who they have worked with for long periods of time.

A small partnership involves a business operation between 2 
 or more people who share managements and profits. There are several types of partnerships but the main two are general partnerships and limited partnerships. For example a dance studio may have one working partner and dance instructor and another silent partner who invests in the studio. This would be marketed for the entertainment sector. GGS could also be used as an example of this as it began with three partners with surnames making the two G’s and S. Again the market for their services is mainly advertising for other businesses that require marketing to boost their success. There is a lot of pressure when it comes to being a partner. The company tends to rely heavily on the individual and is dependent on their funds to get them started. This would not be for the faint hearted, the success of the company is on the shoulders of the partners and it would take a hard working and determined person with leadership skills to carry out this role.

A family owned business is a business, which is influenced by multiple generations of a family. They inspire more trust and generally are more stable as the business is passed from one family member to another. Investments in the company are longer time and so employees are more committed to the company.  An example of a family owned business in the creative industry is Comcast; an American media and technology company that provide TV, Internet and phone services to many people. Comcast is part of the entertainment industry and potentially the Internet based market. The type of person that a business such as this one demands is someone who is knowledgeable on the family and company history as the legacy of the company is very important. Having this knowledge may inspire an individual to live up to the company and work harder to maintain its image. They can also benefit from learning from the family on how things are done but do have the unfortunate drawback that it will only be family members that are the top decision makers in the company. Family members however will work hard to maintain the family legacy and show determination to succeed not only for themselves but for the family.

A government body is a group of people who are responsible for regulating the decisions and products of a company. For example, Ofcom are a regulating body for the TV and film industry that provide authority and help for companies, consumers and customers. The BBC for example may approach Ofcom for advice on a product, where as a consumer will approach Ofcom if they have concerns or complaints about that product. They provide information and advice to companies that allow them to abide by the law and are sensitive to the needs of the public. A person who works at Ofcom for example should be somebody who has a strong interest in morals and wants to make a difference to broadcasting. That person should be sensitive to issues and conscientious of others. In this case knowledge of religion may also help the individual when considering broadcasting on certain networks. The person should be determined to make a difference and work hard towards that goal.

A school or college is an educational establishment where employees specialise in a certain subject and share their knowledge with pupils. Schools will often, almost always have an educational body such as Ofsted who monitor a school’s progress and give insight to pupils needs. A college, Norwich University of Arts for example will have to provide their creative students with an all round education approved by government bodies. Employees of the college or university will not get much freedom in teaching, as it has to comply with colleges across the country. Once again schools or colleges are the providers of information and that is so to speak their product.  It is important for those working in this type of establishment to be passionate about their subject and who also have an interest in teaching and young people. The person should also consider that they have to be an outgoing person who is confident and hard working. They should aim for respect from students and will only get this by being confident and out spoken. I think it’s also important that they consider that they will follow a strict guide on what they are teaching and so remember that they will not get much creative freedom when it comes to their subject.

A charity is an institute that is established for public benefit. It usually means that the employee will not get paid for their work but may be paid minimum wage if they are working for a reward. MediaTrust are a company who believe that through advertising and communications, the lives of people less fortunate will be improved by building awareness. They require companies to volunteer work in order to get a message across. For example, advertising companies who have the means to create an advert create one that will increase awareness of an illness. A charity does not produce a product as such but instead works for a more moral award. A person applying to work for charity should be one who is passionate about helping others, even if that means working without pay. They should have knowledge about their company ethics and perform work to the best of their ability so to help those they need to.

In conclusion, when applying for jobs an individual must consider their strengths and weaknesses and understand that different types of employment and industry call for different skills. This rule is applicable to all types of employment. In order to stay pro active in their work they should pick a career that will interest them but challenge them also.

Evidence 4 - School Meeting Case History

The agenda of the meeting was to discuss the changes that I had made to a school prospectus. The prospectus was having a bit of a revamp in comparison to previous editions and it was important to show the work that I had completed so far, so not to waste time or head off in the wrong direction. The meeting was on a one to one basis and so it was rather informal, this was reflected in my presentation technique and the way I communicated with the client.

There is a range of presentation techniques that I could have used to showcase the prospectus to the client. For example, a presentation without electronic aids; this would mean that instead of electronic aids such as a computer screen or a tablet I could use printed materials to present it. Whether this is simply a printed copy, or in a poster format, this allows the client to physically look through the content themselves while the speaker explains and presents the ideas verbally. An alternative way of presenting work is through a digital format. Either on a computer screen, a projector or even a tablet computer this would allow for greater control in the way that the work is presented and viewed. On a screen, work can be manipulated and you have the ability to zoom in on specific areas to show the finer details.

 For my prospectus I decided that using an electronic aid would be the best way to present it. As the meeting was on a casual basis I decided to use my computer monitor and show her the prospectus in Adobe InDesign; the programme I’d used to edit it. By hitting the tab key this hides all the floating tools and windows so that all is visible is the prospectus on a grey background. The reason that I thought this method would be best is because at this stage I was working on an incomplete prospectus, it still required text and images and so we both decided that the meeting would be a casual affair to see the basic layout and the way things were going so far. By doing this digitally it keeps the costs of printing down (as a prospectus with 50 pages in full colour can be quite expensive to print!) and it also means that I have control over which parts the client will see and when.

The method of presentation does really come down to the product you wish to present, it wouldn’t be much use presenting something dynamic and interactive like an app or even a video using a print presentation as this wont really give much idea of how the product works or what it is like. But with something like an image, a brochure or a logo idea it can be a better idea to present these physically as they can see the product in the environment it was intended. My prospectus was presented on a one to one basis in a small group. It allows for better communication than perhaps email as it allows the individuals to express ideas freely without having to word it too carefully. In my prospectus meeting we were able to explain our ideas thoroughly and reach a compromise quickly when trying to resolve problems.

 It is important when working with clients that those involved communicate their own ideas and decisions clearly. This can be done verbally in a meeting or over the phone, or non-verbally such as through email. When communicating it is essential that it is done constructively and that you keep to the point when discussing ideas. Through email, you have better opportunity to think of appropriate responses and ways to express your decisions; however, by meeting in person this is a better way of getting ideas across as sometimes getting your ideas to paper can prove difficult. A mixture of written and verbal communication should lead to a simpler production process, speaking to someone over the phone to encounter a problem or writing an email when you have important information to get across are methods that benefit all and constructively utilise technology to improve working relationships.

During my meeting regarding the school prospectus, a disagreement arose when it came to selecting images for a particular page of the prospectus. The client had chosen an image that I deemed to be inappropriate for the particular page we were discussing. It was important for me to suggest an alternative option whilst at the same time appreciating her suggestion and negotiating to find a suitable solution. Firstly I had to listen to the client’s opinion and their reasoning’s for choosing that certain image. By listening I could get a better idea of what is was they actually wanted and tailoring a solution in mind to that problem. It is also important that even after pitching my creative solution and communicating my ideas to the client that I again listen to any concerns they may have and use my authority on the subject to reassure the client. It’s mainly about meeting their needs and producing an effective product that they are happy with. In my meeting after discussing the problem of the image and how it wouldn’t suit others on that page, we eventually reached a compromise that we use the image the client had suggested but that I would edit it and change the colour mode in order to make it match the other images. By having this discussion, this helped the production process as we agreed that if the situation were to arise again, we would follow the same solution as before.

After the meeting had ended, I was able to discuss some factors with one of the directors and colleagues. With products such as a prospectus it was important that I work as part of a team to put the prospectus together. Most often it is through face-to-face verbal communication, but occasionally it involves non-verbal communication too as it is convenient to send any thoughts and information through email so that colleagues can see the information at their own convenience. During the process of putting together a prospectus, it is also important to keep colleagues in the loop and give regular progress updates. In our case, we have a weekly morning meeting to discuss ongoing jobs. Here, we can discuss what work has been done on the prospectus since we last spoke, what work will need to be completed by a certain deadline and also the matter of how long is spent on the work. We also discuss whether the work completed so far has been efficient for time and whether a more productive role should be taken for example in contacting the client to receive more content. We also consider how long has been spent on the prospectus so far, and how many hours we have left that were originally quoted for.

The school prospectus contains a mixture of professionally photographed images taken mostly by us, and also images which the school have captured on occasion for themselves. In the original brief for the prospectus, it was agreed that we include full page, large impact images that attract attention. Being the authoritative figures when it comes to image manipulation, we established a technique/process amongst ourselves to meet the brief. Images from our photographer were firstly organized into folders; assigned to a code that is relevant to a particular job. From here, and using our database systems I was able to pull the images onto my own Mac computer and save them under that same job reference. I decided that in order to edit the images, I would use Adobe Photoshop, as it is a programme I am familiar with, it enables complete control over the appearance of an image and I can save images out at the format I need. From here, I selected the images, which I wanted to use, and moved them into a separate folder I named ‘Photography 2014’ on my machine. This allowed me to separate the images I wanted from those which I didn’t, and also by keeping them on my machine is allows my computer to run at optimum speeds rather than having to run files from across networks. From here I began to change the appearances of the images.

Whilst editing the images, I used a fairly systematic way of editing them so to keep them looking as consistent as possible. After opening the image in Photoshop, firstly I would check the general brightness of the image and usually adjust the levels just to boost the contrast between the blacks and the whites. By using the levels histogram you can get a general idea of how much black/white is in the image and adjust it by eye. I would also add a very small amount of brightness and contrast also, just to really give it a good amount of contrast but still keep it looking realistic. Then I would check the colours in the image and usually boost the saturation by about 10%, depending on the image and what the colours are like. Sometimes there will appear to be too much of one colour in an image, for example too much magenta in the pupil’s faces, I would reduce this and in general tweak the colours when necessary to keep them looking realistic. Next I would glance over it and see if there are any finer details that need retouching. For example in one image, a child had rather large red spots on his arms and it was decided by the client and us to remove them. The way that I did this was by using the clone stamp tool at around 70% opacity. This is a more delicate way of retouching and you can layer up the blemishes if necessary. And finally I would crop the image if required and use a smart sharpen on each image. After the image has been retouched, I save the file as a PSD (usually so to keep any retouch layers I may want to adjust), and then I can resize the image to the correct dimensions and at 300dpi before saving as a full resolution JPEG.

While I went through this process when it came to our own photography, we were also supplied images from the school on a CD disc. From the disc, I transferred over all of the files onto my own Mac. Once I have copied over the files, I check the compatibility to make sure that I can use them. Another thing to consider with images supplied to us is at what size they are. For the prospectus, a full-page image has to be sized at around 250 x 160mm at 300dpi. You can also check how an image will display but viewing it at full size on screen. Some images, although they are sized correctly, still appear blurry, as that was how the image was taken. This is where you can decide if an image is useable or not. It is possible to scale up images in terms of resolution, the process involves Photoshop making calculated guesses and putting more pixels into the image. This can cause the image to lose its sharpness; especially if it contains text, but on the other hand, sometimes this process can be helpful if you only need to increase the pixel dimensions slightly. When it comes to low-resolution images, we all follow similar steps to enlarging images; firstly we always ask if a higher resolution is available, as scaling images up is never going to match the quality of an original image. If not, this is where our resampling will come in. When up scaling images, we always select the option that reads ‘Bicubic Smoother (best for enlargement)’, as this keeps the pixels as smooth as possible. We also will only enlarge the image pixels at a time. For example, an image, which is at 72dpi, can be resized to 100dpi without too much issue. The steps we would follow are to increase the dpi a little at a time as it allows Photoshop to insert pixels more accurately. For our example, it may increase from 72 – 80 – 90 – 100. We usually will then sharpen the image to try and insert some of the detail back into the image, but it is not recommended to stretch small images as you do end up with unwanted artifacts in the image. Another step we take with image preparation is making sure that when printing, they are in CMYK mode and not RGB. RGB is for web and the colour ranges are much brighter as a screen can produce almost any colour. CMYK are the four colour inks that printers use to reproduce colours on print. By converting images to CMYK it gives an on-screen accurate representation of what the image will look like in print and it makes things easier for printers who will digitally identify colours in their software.

And so, by following the above processes for pixel dimensions, DPI and setting the colour profiles this allows us to meet the client’s requirements of producing a prospectus with high impact images. They need to be high quality and they also need to have enough editing done to enhance them but not reduce the quality or the realism of the image. It is not only for the client’s benefit, but especially when it comes to enhancing our own images, we take pride in our work as a business - and producing a prospectus filled with dull boring images that are blurry and poorly produced reflects badly on us as much as the client. We have certain standards to follow when it comes to image manipulation and it is something that we regularly collaborate as a team about.

Proofing is the stage that will proceed after the prospectus and the images are complete. With such large files we always make it very clear that the file we send to the client is just a low-resolution proof. This enables us to send the file over quickly and easily, and when the client receives it they can send it amongst themselves without issues. During the proofing stage, I will usually give a clear and concise description of work that has been completed on the images and any specific edits that have been done not following the format. I will also discuss any future improvements I think are necessary and whether the client will need to provide any more material. Mostly the feedback from clients is agreeable on the spot; with simple amends that are completed quickly without discussion. Sometimes if instructions are unclear or cannot be completed this will lead to a phone conversation in which we can resolve the matter more efficiently.

When working on the prospectus is was important to liaise with both the client and with colleagues on any issues that arise. For example, an image chosen by the client, didn’t meet standards set by the rest of the images in the prospectus - the colours were dull as was the brightness of the image. To resolve this, at first I tried increasing the saturation and using levels to bring some whites back into the image but the increase of saturation made the image look unnatural and too garish. After liaising with a colleague, we decided that instead of simply increasing the saturation we would change the depth of field of the image. I blurred just the background of the image just slightly, but kept the students in the foreground looking sharp, and I de-saturated the background so that the attention was on the students. I then proceeded to change the levels of the student layer to bring in more whites and then topped this off with increasing the contrast of the image. When all of the alterations were complete, I saved this file as a second revision, JPEG format, and sent this on to the client explaining why the alterations were necessary and what they were. After showing this revised edition to the client, they agreed that the revisions were a great improvement and so the problem was resolved.

At GGS, we include a copyright notice in all images, which means that the image is owned by GGS. This information is embedded in the image and can be applied to many different images at once. This means that when producing final JPEGs for whatever application, this copyright notice will be attached to the image and will give information about its source and ownership. Others will have to request permission from us to use our images in a professional environment. It is customary to change the title of the image, the description, the author, copyright status and any keywords associated with the image. These settings can be saved as a separate file and applied to many at once if for example you are supplying a batch of photography and not just a single image. Although it should be remembered that when uploading images to the Internet, some sites such as Facebook, delete the embedded copyright notice and so images can be duplicated without this information attached. In these circumstances a watermark can be applied or the information can be entered again in the web application.

The way that we store our image files is considered very important at GGS. Each photography job that we do is assigned a numerical code that is stored on a back up hard drive that we can all access. These original TIFF files are stored here with their embedded copyright settings and at full resolution that enables them to be used for any purpose. When working with these images I will first copy the image onto my own hard drive and any editing that I do from there will be saved as an additional copy. From here I can analyse how large the image will need to be, for example in my prospectus, the images were saved as high resolution JPEGs at 300dpi and 300mm wide. These were intended for print, and so the images will need to stay at 300dpi to allow for maximum quality. This amended version of the image can then be copied over to the archive back up so to keep the file with the original and show what changes were made to the large original.

Copyright infringement is when an individual claims ones work as their own, makes amends to work that is not theirs or not paid for, or simply when copying someone else’s work. With regards to technical adjustment of images, you can only adjust an image if it is one that you have taken yourself, one that is bought through a stock library for example, or if you have permission to use it. If for example you were amending someone else’s work without their permission, i.e. not paying for it, any profits or rewards gained from that image must be shared with the author. Even if you produce an image and do not follow steps above to embed it with a copyright notice, all work produced physically is always protected by a copyright notice. The only factor that may be affected by not physically putting in copyright notices yourself is having to prove that you are actually the author of the product. This can prove more difficult without your own copyright notices. For example, with the school prospectus, I had permission to use the images provided by the school, as these were intended for their own benefits. I could also use any photography that was taken
by GGS as we own the copyright to these and can use and manipulate them as we wish.

When working on the prospectus I also had to consider possible health and safety risks. For example, when using my computer I had to make sure that my posture was correct and my wrists and arms supported to avoid injury, I had to know where the closest fire exit was in case of fire and I also had to be aware of the risks working with electrical equipment; such as avoiding spillages and keeping wires and such up to standards. I also had to know who was appointed as first aider incase of any emergencies and where the first aid kit is situated in relation to my location.

Overall, I was able to compromise with the client when it came to choosing images for the prospectus. We discussed what needed to be changed and I used my expertise in Graphic Design to keep the prospectus looking how we had envisioned. The meeting was a success as it allowed me to continue on with the project knowing that I was on track with the layout and after a few small tweaks it would be almost complete.

My Job Description

My duties include producing artwork for clients, either creative concepts or artwork based on the client’s ideas. In order to do this, it is essential that I liaise with clients and printers to produce a final piece of work to their standards. I also manage emailing and booking in jobs, as well as time frames, costs and raising purchase orders. 

My duties also include retouching images using Adobe Photoshop, both for our own marketing and booked in for clients. I also take in deliveries and help in the exhibition studio during busy periods. And finally I make (average tasting) tea/coffee for clients during meetings. 
 

Evidence 2 - Observation of Image Retouching

Kate was tasked to edit a number of photos for a jewellery company, which will be used for their website. She works with the company photographer and her manager to establish and agree what is needed throughout the project in terms of an overall consistent look including brightness, background colour, size, resolution, sharpness etc. Timescales are also set.

Kate obtains the images from the company shared drive. The images were taking by a photographer and are in TIFF format.

Kate chooses the first image which is a silver watch on a white background. She ensures that she works on a copy of the file rather than the original.

Kate chooses to use a Mac computer with a large monitor, which is company protocol and enables her to work accurately. She will also use Photoshop to edit the image.
 
Q: Why use Photoshop over other image editing software?
A: It's industry standard and there are a range of editing tools that can be applied which makes editing more accurate and you have more control when editing.

She resizes the image to 1500px by 2250px as per the customers requirements and she ticks the best for reduction box as she wants the image to stay as sharp as it can.

She opens the file in Photoshop and has a brief look at the overall quality of the image in order to establish a plan of what needs to be retouched. If the image was unsuitable then she would go back to the photographer to see whether there was another image. In this instance the image is workable, although the image has a lot of unwanted aspects in the background which she wants to remove. She zooms in at 200% in order to work accurately and uses the pen tool to select around the edge of the watch.

Q: Why use the pen tool in this instance instead of other tools?
A: Well, this tool is more accurate than the others and you've got more control than say the magic wand which often selects bits that you don't want.

Kate removes all of the unwanted parts of the background and then creates a new layer with a white background. Part of the agreement with the customer is that all the watches are captured which the watch at exactly the same time. However, that means that this particular watch needs a button popped out on the right hand side of the watch, which the customer would like closed in the final shot. Therefore Kate creates another duplicate layer so that she can compare the original and uses means that she's not working on the actual original. She cuts around the unwanted part and moves the button to make it appear that the button is in. She uses the mask tool.

Kate checks for brightness, colour and contrast and makes some adjustments with the dodge and cloning tool. She ensures that the image has a similiar colour profile to the other watches that have been edited.

Kate notices that there are specks of dust and dirt on the clock face, which she retouches to remove.

This particular watch doesn't have much variation in colour, but if does she would generally increase the saturation.  She does however notice that the silver strap has a yellow tone, so she adjusts so that it is more in line with the actual colour of the watch.

Kate then moves onto to adjust the overall sharpness of the image and uses the unsharp mask.

The customer asked for all watches to have a reflection at the bottom of the image, so she then merges all of the layers and creates a duplicate, uses the transform to flip the image, reduces the opacity and uses a gradient to create the desired effect.

She then saves the image as a JPEG and chooses the maximum quality. The file is saved in the relevant job number folder on the shared drive.

Once all files are retouched they are then sent over to the customer using We Transfer.
 
Feedback:
Great work Kate. You've clearly got a great understanding of the tools in Photoshop in order to effectively adjust images. A really good piece of evidence that can be mapped across many units.

Mapping:
Unit 35: 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 4.1, 4.2


 

Image Retouching

Retouching gives an image a finished high quality look that isn't easily achievable without the use of Photoshop or similar editing programmes. 

A piece of jewellery will go through certain editing techniques before it is considered to be finished. This watch for example, has been cut out, resized and edited to look more presentable. I have used brightness and contrast to adjust the tones of the watch, I have sharpened it to make the clock face more detailed and have also brightened the clock face to bring out the bright whites in the face. 

More details of the process of my retouching can be found in the Evidence section. 

Evidence 1 - Awareness of Employment in the Creative Media Sector

Within the Creative Media sector there are many types of employment. The difference between each status varies from the hours that they work to the contracts that they sign. Some mean that the individual has flexibility in their working hours whilst others mean that they have financial stability and more rights abiding to employment laws. There are three main types of employment, which are most commonly known. I will mention these in detail and make references at the end to other types. 

The first type I will mention is known as a ‘worker’. A worker is somebody who is employed under a contract and who will work flexible hours as determined by the employer. A worker will work for a reward, whether that reward is financial gain, the promise of future work or a contract with the employer. The worker is required to turn up to work even if they do not wish to do so. They have limited rights to ask someone to complete work for them. The employer has to provide work for them for the duration of the contract, and this work is completed for the employer, who is technically the client or customer. An example of this could be agency work. 

Workers mainly benefit from the ‘core’ employment rights. They are entitled to National Minimum wage, which varies with age, and protection from the unlawful deduction of wages. They receive paid holiday and cannot work for longer than 48 hours per week. Workers are also protected from discrimination and ‘whistle blowing’, which means that they can report any wrong doing with peace of mind that they are protected in doing so. They are entitled to maternity or paternity pay and also statutory sick pay. Workers, although with basic employment rights, they are not completely on the same level in terms of protection and security as an employee. They are not entitled to a minimum notice period if their employment will be ending, for example through dismissal. They cannot ask for flexible working hours or time off for emergencies, and they do not receive redundancy pay. 

Workers are considered as ‘casual’ or ‘irregular workers’, usually described as freelancers with ‘zero hours’ contracts. Freelance workers have the option to accept or decline work although companies do not have to offer work to them. The freelancer will agree terms and sign contracts with the company and then proceed to work under supervision and instruction of the manager or director. The business will often be responsible for deducting national insurance (NI) and tax from their wages. Freelancers have the opportunity to take work when they want it, but this of course means, that they are only earning an income when they accept work. Freelancers can enjoy working patterns similar to self-employed individuals but with less security and more risk that they can be dismissed without warning. It can also be a competitive market where people in the same situation are offering to do work for cheaper prices; securing work in the first place can prove quite difficult. 

Next, there are employees. Employees are essentially workers, but with more rights and responsibilities. They will work under an employment contract and tend to work regularly. A manager or director is there to oversee their workload and manage deadlines for the employee. Employees benefit from many things which workers do not, such as redundancy pay, protection against unfair dismissal and more. Like workers, employees must complete work themselves and this work is directly for the company rather than clients or customers.

Employees have all of the same rights as workers plus more. They receive sick pay, maternity, paternity and adoption leave and pay. They receive a minimum notice period if employment ends and also protection against unfair dismissal; an important factor when considering job security. Employees can also request flexible working hours and can take time off for emergencies. An employee is required to work regularly unless on any type of leave. They must do a minimum amount of hours with the required amount of breaks, and be paid for all of the time worked. The manager is responsible for the employee’s workload and how the work should be completed. The employer deducts national insurance and tax from wages and employees also have opportunities to join the company’s business pension. Disciplinary and grievance procedures apply to the employee and the contract sets out any redundancy packages. The employee works at the premises owned by the business and are provided with any relevant tools and equipment. 

An employee has much more job security than what a worker does. It could also be said that they have more responsibility within the company to do well and provide work to the manager’s standard. In an employment such as this one, teamwork is essential in making the company successful. The manager oversees what work is done and makes sure it is to a certain standard, if the standards were to fall the company may not do as well and ultimately it could lead to the loss of jobs. It is equally important that employees work well together and are on good terms to keep efficiency and communication high within the company. The fact that an employee has the reassurance of employee rights and a fixed contract with wages may slightly relieve the stress of a potentially full time demanding job. It will be reassuring to know that if the worst scenario did happen an employee will receive a redundancy package and if they feel that the dismissal was unfair they have the right to question this. 

Then there are self-employed individuals and contractors who are considered a business themselves. The self-employed are responsible for their own work, they can complete it how they like and to their own standards and will manage their own deadlines and ultimately, success. One thing to note is that individuals must inform HM Revenue and Customs immediately once self-employed or they will face a rather hefty fine. Any employment legislation doesn’t cover them, as they are effectively their own bosses. They still have protection for health and safety and usually against types of discrimination too, (depending on the circumstances). The rights and responsibilities of the self-employed and contractors are determined by a contract drawn up between themselves and the client. 

The employment status of the self-employed is determined by a few factors; firstly the individual has to put in bids or a quote to receive work. They have specific work to complete but it can be done how they want and in what hours are suited to them; i.e. they are not under direct supervision. Being self-employed means that they have the ability to hire others to complete work for them. Once the job is complete they will submit an invoice to receive payment. Someone who is self-employed is responsible for their own tax and national insurance, they will usually calculate tax payments at the end of each tax year and will complete a tax return. 

People who are self-employed will obviously only be earning money when they are working, this does allow for flexibility and the ability to accept and reject work at their own convenience but it also means that any unsatisfactory work must also be completed in their own time and at their own expense. They are responsible for their own losses and taking profits, so they are dependent on themselves rather than a team of people. Not only this, but they are reliant on clients needing work done, and if there is no work there is no guaranteed wage. To some extent their working hours are reliant on when a client will need work done. It is up to the individual to decide when they will work to the deadline and when they will take breaks. Being self-dependent means they have a lot of freedom, but also a lot of responsibility and consequences and when things go wrong. 

Apart from these three main employment types there are more. These of which people are less aware of but still exist within businesses. 

Employee shareholders, for example, are rather similar to employees; they work under a contract with fixed hours with the same rights and responsibilities. Shareholders however, must own at least £2,000 worth of shares in that company or the parent company. By having this share in the business, it gives the individual a sense of responsibility within the company and seems to motivate them to be more productive. Shareholders can sell their shares in the company without it changing their employment status. If for example, they are making a profit on the shares some may be exempt from paying capital gains tax when they go to sell. 

Shareholders are protected in the terms and conditions when a business is transferred to a new owner. They do not however, have protection against unfair dismissal apart from on the grounds of discrimination and health and safety. Shareholders do not get redundancy pay or flexible working hours except in two weeks after returning from parental leave. They also do not have the right to take time off for training. Employers do have the option to choose more generous employment rights than these statutory ones but it is not compulsorily. Shareholders can get tax relief on the first £2,000 of shares but they also may have to pay tax on buying and selling of their shares. 

Anyone can apply for a shareholder’s position but people claiming job seekers allowance, whom are required to apply for jobs put forward to them from the Job Centre, do not have to apply for these positions due to their risky nature in losing value of their investments. Existing employees also do not have to take on these positions if they do not want to for similar reasons. 

Directors are another example of an employment type; they run limited companies on the behalf of shareholders. They have different rights and responsibilities to employees and are classed as office holders for tax and NI purposes. 

Office holders are usually appointed by a company or organization; they have no contract or regular payment. Office holders are neither employees nor workers, however it is possible for someone to be an office holder and an employee if they have an employee contract with the same company or organization that meets criteria for employees. Their duties are minimal and are only required under relevant statute. They’re effectively working as an independent office and aren’t under supervision. 

 In conclusion, there are many different types of employment each with their benefits and drawbacks. The self-employed and freelancers rely heavily on themselves to obtain work and if there is none, have the potential to go bankrupt and lose everything. They do however have the freedom to work when they please and have control over their own work and methods. Employees are much more secure by having the protection of an organization hanging over their heads. They receive a reliable income no matter how much profit or loss the company is making and are also paid when they are not working. The downside is that they have little control over what hours they work and are working to someone else’s ideas and plans rather than their own. 

Information source: https://www.gov.uk/employment-status/overview