Common Mistakes you Should Avoid on Photoshop

In my last blog I discussed photoshops basic features, what they do and when to use them. These can be very useful in Public Relations when used correctly but if they are used incorrectly or you "over photoshop" an image, it can look very unprofessional and sloppy. When obvious photoshop mistakes are ignored and printed this leads to embarrassment on you and your company can look like a joke. To avoid ruining your reputation and the reputation of your company take a look at some of the mistakes you should avoid.

Missing Body Parts
When trying to perfect and image and sculpt it sometimes you can go to far and erase and entire limb or body feature. This is a result of not paying enough attention to the project at hand. Always remember to STAY FOCUSED!

Missing leg                                             

Missing bellybutton



















 Proportions
When you're retouching an image and you want to adjust the persons shape it's important you don't move the image too much. If you adjust it too much the person can no longer look human. This is a major flaw because not only does your image lose all it's believability but it also makes it obvious that photoshop was used. The trick to photoshop is to make it look like it was never used.

It's not possible to turn your head like this

Disproportional shoulder

One leg doesn't look right

















Erasing People
When you're erasing people from a photo it can be quite difficult but not impossible but when you start erasing someone from a photo you can't just stop half way. The rule is if you're going to erase someone erase all of them!
People have made the mistake of erasing only parts of people and objects in pictures. This distorts the image and makes it look fake. It always leaves people wondering like "what was so wrong with the person in the first place?" To avoid confusion and unwanted questions be sure to erase everything that should be erased.

Leg?                                                   

  
Hand?














Adding Images
We've looked at the problem of erasing images but adding images can also cause serious problems to an image. By adding images to an original image you need to consider lighting and proportion. You can't an image of a flower in the sun and place it into a night image. Here are some mistakes made:

Moving car placed in still image










People added to train












Laptop Screen in wrong proportion











Now that you know the mistakes you can make on photoshop it'll be easier to avoid them. The most important thing to remember when using to photoshop is to make it look like you never used it. There has to be no traces of obvious editing. You have to enhance an image as much as you can without losing its "realness". If you "overphotoshop" the entire image it looks fake, defeating the purpose of the editing. Most importantly, people don't appreciate fake. By doing this you disgrace your company and not only is it insulting to the model but it insults the people you are advertising to. You don't want them to feel like you're trying to trick them. No one likes to think they're seen as stupid.

Thanks for reading.
Feel free to comment.

What You Need to Know About Photoshop

From studying Public Relations I've learned that Adobe photoshop is needed. It's not as important as some other aspects but if you can understand and use photoshop it gives you an edge which highlights your ability and later could lead to a promotion in PR. Photoshop is used to edit images by touching up flaws and you can design images which can be used as logos and avatars on social networking websites. This is great for Public Relations and Marketing Communication. From my studies of photoshop I've discovered all the things it's capable of doing. If you want to be the best Public Relations professional you can be it's important to understand it's features and also be able to use it. Photoshop is quite complicated so don't worry about learning every little thing. Just get the basics down and it'll give you an advantage in the industry and it could be useful for your clients.

Typography:
Photoshop's Typography feature is very useful. Type is very important in visual communication. The text will say what the image is about. It should be clear and legible. There are many options in photoshop to use different fonts and styles. It also gives you the option to change the size of the type. Type can be used for almost anything. In a previous assignment I created an image on photoshop using only type. I made a picture of Sponge Bob using only O's, C's, I's, full stops and brackets. This was the finished project:

Why don't you try using photoshops type feature? If you open an image into photoshop, create a mask and then add text to resemble the image behind it, you should get something like what I've created.

Brushes and Shapes
On photoshop you can customise brushes and shapes. These are both very usful tools. You can create your own personalised brushes and use unique shapes to create leaflets, posters, logos etc. This feature is useful to PR professionals because you can create your own image. This avoids copyright laws. Here is another previous assignment I did. It was Valentines day themed. I created a background and then added heart shapes and used brushes to created a jagged effect and then I added text and a picture.

Blending Options
There are many blending options that you can choose on photoshop. These bring your image to a whole new level. By adding emboss and bevel or gradient overlay can enhance your image can enhance your image greatly. In press releases you may want to add a picture and by using photoshop you can make your picture stand out. Try using a drop shadow and outer glow. These make your image more striking.

Retouching
When someone mentions photoshop you instantly think of it's retouching ability. Photoshop is famous for retouching images of celebrities to make them look "perfect". Photoshop can be used to erase imperfections, sliming faces and figures, enhancing colour etc. Here are some examples:

All of these features are what make photoshop so essential for Public Relations professionals. In my next blog I will discuss the many mistakes you should avoid making on photoshop.

Thanks for reading.
Feel free to comment.

Everything a PR Professional Needs to Know about Twitter

I've already mentioned Twitter in a previous blog but today I'm going to discuss it again. In recent findings I have learned that over 90% of businesses have a facebook account. This is great for getting your business out there but I've noticed very few have Twitter accounts and I wondered why? I then realised that not everyone understands Twitter. I never saw this as an issue because as part of my syllabus I attend a Twitter lecture once a week in college. This class keeps me informed about the social networking world of Twitter and I learn more about how Twitter works. Not everyone has a Twitter class though and since Twitter is very important in the PR industry I've decided to write a blog to help those who are not very familiar with it.
First of all if any of you have ever tried to use Twitter you will have learned it's completely different to Facebook. You don't add friends and you can't chat. It's basically a series of mini blogs or facebook status's. It's a way to voice your opinion on a particular topic. I'm sure many of you who have tried to use Twitter have been scared off by the constant presence of @ and #. I know it can seem nearly like a foreign language but have no fear because it's actually very simple and I will explain it all here.
This is everything you need to know about Twitter:

•  You have followers. Not friends. You can follow someone which means you have access to their tweet updates but unless they follow you in return they cannot see your tweets.
• A mini blog stating your views on a toptic which uses up to 140 characters is called a tweet.
• The @ symbol is used if you want to direct/connect your tweet to someone you are following.
• You also have the option to favourite and retweet a post. Favouriting a tweet puts the tweet in a folder for you to read when ever you want and retweeting means you post a copy of a tweet. Here is a picture of a conversation on Twitter using the @ symbol which was favourited and retweeted.

• Hashtag (#) is used to mark keywords or topics in a tweet. It's a way to catergorise messages. It's used before a relevant phrase or word (Using no spaces) and it links all similar tweets. If you search a topic using a hashtag all the tweets using that word or phrase will apper. Here is a picture of what is found when you search #HappyDays

• You also have the option to direct message your followers. This is done by clicking the spiral in the top right hand corner. As shown in this picture.

•  You can also click this to change your settings, for help and to sign out.

I hope that this had made Twitter easier to use and you'll now consider becoming a user. As of now Twitter has 288 million active users which is a wide audience you should consider connecting with. From a PR perspective it is advised you join.

Thanks for reading.

iPhone Vs. Blackberry in PR

I've already discussed all the positives of iPhones and that the iPhone 5 is by far the best but how is it compared to other phones? I have a blackberry and I've always wanted an iPhone but are they really that much better? Lets take a look at the black berry:

The Blackberry is a sleek and stylish looking Smart phone which has many desirable features:

• Keypad: Its easy to use keypad is ideal for those who cannot use touch screens. It also has a unique select button which has a touch system. This makes it easy to select applications

• Notification Light: There is a small light situated on the front of the phone in the top corner. It lights when you receive messages and when your battery is dying.

• Blackberry Messenger: This is a unique feature on the Blackberry which allows blackberry users to communicate via a free messaging system on their Blackberries. Its designed to make communicating quick and easy. It also has a feature which allows you to see when your message has been seen, read and when the recipient is writing back.

• Productive: It's been said by all Blackberry users that Blackberry gets things done. Whether is sending emails, messages, pictures or using the internet and making calls the Blackberry will get it done.

•  Choice and Value: Everyone's different and Blackberry understand that. They know that all Blackberry users want something different from their phone which is why they create so many different types of Blackberries at a range of different prices.

Now lets look at the iPhone again:

• Very Fast: The technology in the iphone and with A6 chip in the iPhone 5 makes it the fastest iPhone yet.
• Design: The unique design of the iPhone makes it one of the most attractive phones on the market and its updated annually.
• Camera: There is two great camera's on the iPhone front and back which both have 8 megapixels.
• Ipod: Every iphone has a built in ipod which can hold up to 64GB of songs

Now. Which one is better?

Personally I feel the iphone is better. That is only because of my preference to the features like it's 2 high quality cameras, built in ipod and it's App store.

I have a Blackberry and my favourite features are Blackberry messenger and it's keypad but it's not a great mp3 player and it's camera is only 2 megapixels.

Both phones are useful in Public Relations because they're perfect for staying in touch with people.

If you agree/disagree feel free to comment.

Thanks for reading

iPhones in PR

Apples most popular gadget is the iphone. With its many easy to use features, attractive design and colourful graphics it's the perfect phone and to make it even more appealing it's improved and redesigned annually. It's what every Public Relations professional wants but what most people don't know is being in PR you actually need an iphone.  In this blog I'll talk about the iphones features and why its important to have one in this profession.

In PR you need to stay conected and iphone is the best way to do so. Its undeniable that the iphone is one of the best phones out there with it's large touch screen, large memory space, two cameras, apps and unique display. Since the first release of the iphone in 2007 it has come a long way. It's still possible to purchase the last 4 generations of iphone so I will compare them and you can see the difference over the years.

iPhone 5

• Memory: 16GB/ 32GB/64GB
• Screen size: 5 inch
• Processor: Apple A6
• Camera: x2 (8 megapixels)
• Siri: Yes
• Weight: 3.95 ounces
• Price: From €675

iPhone 4S

• Memory: 16GB/ 32GB/64GB
• Screen size: 4 inch
• Processor: Apple A5
• Camera: x2 (8 megapixels)
• Siri: Yes
• Weight: 4.9 ounces
• Price: €579

iPhone 4

• Memory: 16GB/ 32GB
• Screen size: 4 inch
• Processor: Apple A4
• Camera: x2 (5 megapixels)
• Siri: No
• Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Price: €399

iPhone 3GS

• Memory: 16GB/ 32GB
• Screen size: 4 inch
• Processor: 600 Mhz Samsung ARM Cortex-A8
• Camera: 3 megapixel
• Siri: No
• Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Price: Can only be bought second hand

It's obvious that the iphone 5 is the best so now lets look at the Positives and Negatives of the best iphone ever:

Positives:

• It's very fast
• It's light but still sturdy
• Striking design
• Battery life has improved
• Perfect size screen

Negatives:

• Apple maps have downgraded
• Some Apps are not suitable for iphone 5 because of its new screen size
• The aluminum is susceptible to scratches

After reading about all the iphones and the iphone 5 it's now up to you to for an opinion on the iphone. Comments are encouraged. 

Social Networking in PR

Social Networking. It's safe to say no one living in this day and age doesn't know what social networking is and doesn't have their own account. Facebook, Twitter, YouTube etc. We've all been exposed to a social networking site and for some of us it can be over several times a day. That's why it's vital in Public Relations to have an account on social networking websites. You need to communicate and keep yourself and others informed and up to date.It's also one of the best ways to create an "image" and it's up to you to create that image and show what you want people to see.

It's important to be well known in PR and social networking gives you that opportunity to develop relationships and contacts to make you well known in the industry. However some people can take social networking too far. Privacy is an issue because you expose yourself to friends and strangers and once you click post/tweet/send its released and is always there for people to see. If you're not careful though everything you post can be used against you. Inopportune comments and/or inappropriate photos have consequences and not just in the PR industry but for everyone. In this blog I will give you some examples of what not to do on social networking websites:

1. Don't post anything you would be ashamed of someone seeing. Even if its okay your friends see it. You need to remember even strangers can get access to what you post.

2. Avoid inappropriate comments. Don't post, like or share anything that could be seen as racist, sexist or discriminatory in any way.

3. Remove or untag photos of you that can be seen as inappropriate or shown you in an unfavourable light. You can manage your tags by enabling a tag approval setting which lets you decide what photos you want to be tagged in. You can also report photos to have them removed.

4. Don't join groups, like pages or retweet anything that others could find offensive or inappropriate.

Overall it's important to manage your social networking accounts so people who visit your page will like what they see and be interested in getting to know you or working with you. I hope this blog has helped. Keep and eye out for my next blog which I'll post within the next week.

Important Social Networking Websites in PR

In this blog I will discuss the most popular social networking sites and give you some tips on how to use them.


Facebook
Facebook was launched in February 2004 and since has gained over one billion users. Mark Zuckerberg founded facebook with his college roomates when he was studying in Harvard. The site has been constantly evolving and improving since 2004 and now it's vital for everyone to have an account in order to be recognised as a social being. It is used to post comments, pictures and videos, chat, add friends, play games and apps as well as create events, services and groups. Advertising is on going on facebook and its one of the most simple ways to promote an event, person or company. As a Public Relations professional it's advised that you set up an account if you don't have one because it's a great and easy way to stay in touch with your publics.

Twitter
Twitter is a social networking site which has a microblogging service that lets users created posts up to 140 characters called tweets which can be retweeted. Jack Dorsey created Twitter in March 2006 and was launched later that year in July. Since then it has gained over 500 million members and is increasing daily. The aim of the site is to create mini blogs using Hash tag links (e.g. #) and having your tweets seen and retweeted. This then will promote your page and will increase your followers. Followers are like friends on facebook. The more followers you have the more well known your page is. Celebrities have the most followers so the goal is to get them to retweet and follow you.

YouTube
YouTube is a video sharing website where you can create videos and share them with your friends, family and the world. It was created by three former PalPal emplyees on Valentines Day 14th February 2005 and since then has exploded. Over 4 billion hours of videos are watched every month on youtube. Its a great way to promote PR clients. Many people have become famous through their YouTube videos e.g. Justin Bieber. In PR its advised you create a YouTube so you can promote your clients e.g. Guerilla marketing

Social networks are free to join and easy to set up so in PR its important to take advantage of this and set up accounts on the most popular sites.