After learning so much about creative commons, copyright, and playing with fun image modifiers, I not only appreciate how little I knew about image use previously but realize how many cool and useful applications there are for this information. Librarians and schools have so many potential uses for these modifiers from using images to create cool motivational or informational posters to using images to help reinforce a lesson or message. One of the ways that I chose to modify a photo was just to apply a retro filter and I appreciated the result so much that I had to use it as my example. Sometimes just altering a photo’s image helps to make it a little more to style of what you’re looking for. The original image is below.
Photo with retro effect.
It’s a subtle change but can make all of the difference when your goal is a specific feel or effect. For using images in a classroom setting this is a potential use but I am more likely to use modifiers such as adding text or modifying the image into a meme that I think would connect with the students in a meaningful way in order to make my message more effective. This could help me by making images relevant to the students and their current interests or to the current class or lesson.
Below is an image that I find could be potentially useful for a classroom as is, whether for use before a test or a general poster of good will for the classroom or library.
The actual image modifiers are also great tools to use within a lesson itself. Teaching students how to express themselves or to get their message across while teaching them how to properly cite and attribute credit to those who own the images is not just a twofold lesson, but also a great way to include creativity into the academic space. Particularly in middle and high school when expressing oneself is such an important part of the development stage, having tools like these can be useful to students both in their academic and personal lives.
Hi Mary,
I love the retro effect you chose! I also really like your point about why these modification possibilities are so useful – so often there is indeed a desired effect or feel that we are going for when we choose a particular image – and those modifications, even when subtle, can help us achieve that goal.
-Julie
The effect was not obvious to me until after I had chosen and viewed the retro option, which really stood out to me as a helpful realization. Sometimes you don’t know what you’re going for until you see it, I am definitely learning the benefit to playing with your tools until you find what you’re looking for. When it doesn’t work, there’s always the option to undo or restart!
Hi Mary,
I am also amazed with all the tools available to create pictures to transmit a message to the students. As a French teacher, I created assignments in which the students needed to create a poster to express an opinion by hand or using Powerpoint. Now, next year students will have to use BigHugeLabs and I am sure they will have fun to do it.
I am also realizing the potential these sites are offering in the way of education and creative work that also teaches about responsible image use and proper credit. What great, practical applications for our future librarianship!
Hey Mary!
I love your modified images! That would be a fun modification to use when teaching about the mood of a story. Students could create graphic representations of a common theme and then modify them with filters to match the mood.
This assignment also helped me to realize how little I knew about proper image use. It also makes me feel a little bit silly because there are so many free and legal options out that there I could have been using. In all honesty, I just did not take the time to look because Google is so easily accessible.
I understand your dismay as I also had a similar realization. You are certainly not alone. Some things We simply take for granted until they are pointed out to us. At least now we have the knowledge and tools to use appropriate images and citations.