Manipulating the sky in photoshop:

I used photoshop to edit and replace the sky of my images by copying sky photographs from google, using free image sites such as 'Pexels.com' and 'Vecteezy.com', selecting and isolating the sky layer in photoshop and pasting in the new image, for the first two images I chose dramatic and powerful sunset skies that are filled with colour and bursts of light and for the third I chose an intense galaxy scene filled with darker purples and blues. when looking at the first image I created I believe that the warm tones of the oranges and yellows allow the image to feel kind and romantic, this paired with the billowing clouds invoke a light and airy atmosphere that I think would cause the viewer to feel free and open, and the lack of ground that can be seen in the image allows the biker to feel as if they are flying through the clouds. To me this piece feels magical, like stepping into a dream or a fantasy book where anything is possible and I think that the orange colour scheme invokes a feeling of confidence and optimism, however, I believe that I could have positioned the the sky better as the bright yellow tones in the clouds line up with the yellow street light and draws attention away from it, I think that overall it was a good first attempt but next time I will choose a photo that's less dramatic as to not draw attention away from the other components of my image.

For my second attempt I chose another sunset image, however, this one was far more natural. I transformed my photo from a gloomy winters evening to a breathtaking sunset. When looking at and comparing this image to my first one I believe that this photo feels more grounded, the warm oranges and yellows are inviting and I think that they pair well with the warm light coming from inside the building, I believe that this image looks more natural and the separate components such as the sky and shop connect to each other and fit together. I believe that this photo invokes a kind and human feeling, as if your mum has taken a quick snapshot of an amazing sunset and shared it on the family group chat, this image is beautiful but not whimsical or out of reach, it's achievable and gentle and I believe that viewer would be able to connect to this image on a more human level.

For my third image I decided to lean more into a magical atmosphere, I chose a galaxy image as I wanted to create something that was otherworldly and mystical. I believe that pairing this sky with my image of the tree was the best house as the intricate branches reaching across the photo are reminiscent of the cosmic web. When looking at the final image I believe that atmosphere of the photo is strong and powerful , the tree in the foreground provides an iconic focal point that immediately draws the eye and the extragalactic background allows the viewer to feel as if they have been transported into the heart of space and travelling to another world. To me the final piece reminded me of 'Yaggdrasil' in norse mythology, also known as the tree of life and I think that this invokes an incredibly powerful atmosphere throughout the entire image, like an ancient magic that has been awoken by the viewer. I enjoyed this process and to develop it further I will experiment using only my own images and look at different compositions.