Image-Manipulation Exercise

In this exercise, you will select and copy a detail from the photograph of the George Mason statue and position your detail for discussion. Source: "Johnson Center Dedication" <http://www.gmu.edu/news/gazette/ulc.html>.

 

George Mason statue

 

  1. Copy this photograph and save it as your working file. You can always return to this exercise for another copy.
  2. Open a new word-processing document and write a title, centered on the page.
  3. Create a table (one column, two rows, occupying 50% of the page and centered).
  4. Using the selection tool in your program, select the head and left hand as your detail. Copy (do not crop) this selection and place it in the upper row of the table. Use the lower row for a label.
  5. Select and copy a different detail (e.g. the positioning of the statue's head against the background of the Johnson Center). Place the cursor at the beginning of a new line and paste in your new detail. Write a sentence or two of observations about the photographer's choice of placement.
  6. You can use this technique in any paper for which you need a visual image.

Alternative exercise:

Select a map or create a chart or spreadsheet and incorporate it into a document. Use the whole map, a detail, or both to emphasize a point. Use the whole chart or spreadsheet.