After reading The Language of the New Media by Manovich, I was interested in his idea of numerical representation. Numerical representation is the idea that all media objects are composed of digital code and can be described as a mathematical function. By using various mathematical formulas, we can improve an image or alter its properties. We can change its resolution, quality and type of file. This reminds me of Photoshop; images are uploaded and can be changed by the user. By modifying the pixels and layers, the image will change and adjust accordingly. Manovich also mentions the two steps of digitization, sampling and quantization. Sampling is assigns parts of the image to distinct units such as pixels where as quantization assigns a numerical value from a set range. In Photoshop, the image can be isolated in certain areas using the lasso tool. After reading numerical representation, I began to notice that the lasso tool is using sampling and quantization. The area that is selected is assigned values and when I drag on that area, only identical values are being moved.
Manovich then mentions how modern media uses a language which contains levels of discrete units and how without these units there is no language. I interpreted this in terms of Photoshop. In Photoshop there are layers which an image or images can be edited and modified. The numerous layers represent discrete language where as the one layer does not. If the image was one layer, I would have to edit the entire image but if it was composed of several layers, I would be able to edit specific and discrete parts without changing the entire image
