Why read when you can watch and listen? I've made the first two Photoshop training videos available. These videos are hosted at Smugmug and are available in HD at the links below or you can watch the embedded versions right here. Enjoy!
VIDEO 1: Lighting a Light Bulb in Photoshop
Difficulty: Beginner
Watch in HD!
VIDEO 2: Layer Masking a Photo Background
Difficulty: Beginner/Intermediate
Watch in HD!
Friday, October 30, 2009
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Auto FX Photo / Graphic Edges 7.0 Review
Digital Dingus has published a hands on review of the latest edition of Photo / Graphic Edges by Auto FX Software. The folks over at DD asked to use a few of my images to do their testing on and I was honored to oblige. What are you waiting for? Jump over to DD and read the review.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Retouching Eyes for a Realistic Look (Photoshop CS3/CS4)
It's important to know what to look for when touching up eyes. The best way to do that is to study the eye itself, learn how light works with it. I suggest studying not only photos and anatomical drawings of the eye, but also studying how artists paint eyes to get a good foundation on how light works with it.
In your research you will find that the eye is roughly a sphere, though not a perfect circle. As a result, directional light that comes into the eye causes a highlight near the peak or pupil. It's also wet & lubricated, so bright catch-lights and highlights may be very close to if not pure white. Let’s say we have light hitting the camera-right side of the eye. This will bring more color & brightness to the iris on the opposite side of the catch-light (camera-left in the case of my example.)
The sclera, or white of the eye is rarely ever bright white all the way to the edges of the eye, especially with directional lighting. So when whitening the eyes, they should be brightest by the highlight and gradually fade to a light grey as you move away. The very corners could use a touch of pink or subtle red to add some life and make the transition believable. A bright white sclera from edge to edge will yield a fake glowing eyes look, which is not what we want.
Also remember, colors are relative to the light they are in. For example golden daylight at sunset will not yield a bright white sclera. You will get a yellow/orange tint to the eye. So painting the sclera white in this case would cause the eyes to look out of place with the rest of the image.
{HOW}
I start with a new eye layer containing another brighter exposure of the eye (sometimes from the RAW file) that is usually overlaid, multiplied or soft lighted in and masked to bring out more detail in the iris. Merge the new layer.
First let's tackle the sclera. Clone/heal or paint out any unwanted blood vessels and use the dodge tool at a low opacity to pop the whites near the highlight area only. Don’t go all the way to the edges. On a new layer with white or near white paint I accent the catch-light and highlight area of the sclera. Keep the highlight layer(s) until the end in case you want to change something.
Now let’s concentrate on the iris by 'painting' in exaggerated color lightly. The color is usually a derivation or accent of the iris color painted in the iris opposite the highlight with the paintbrush tool at a low opacity. Sample the color from the iris and brighten it in the color picker. This goes onto its own layer with the blend mode set to overlay, multiply or soft light – whichever looks better. I’ll further adjust this layer’s opacity until I get my desired result. You can enhance the original iris color by using the saturation tool at low opacity on the bottom layer. Merge any iris layers you have created.
Next I darken the very top of the iris into the pupil and slightly around the iris edges to bring more focus to the color, catch-light and highlight. I use the burn tool set at mid-tones on a low strength (maybe 15-30%) for this.
On certain images I will then sample the fleshy pink tone from the corner of the eye and using the color picker and make it slightly more red/pink. On a new layer with a very transparent paintbrush, I'll gently paint in the corner of the eyes and edge where the sclera meets the skin. I'll then adjust the opacity of this layer to get my desired result and merge it down.
Finally I'll revisit my highlight layer(s) and make any adjustments before merging them down.
As you may have guessed, if you're doing two eyes, it's best to work on both eyes at the same time so you can work in steps and concentrate on each step for the sake of consistency.
(Click image to enlarge)
In your research you will find that the eye is roughly a sphere, though not a perfect circle. As a result, directional light that comes into the eye causes a highlight near the peak or pupil. It's also wet & lubricated, so bright catch-lights and highlights may be very close to if not pure white. Let’s say we have light hitting the camera-right side of the eye. This will bring more color & brightness to the iris on the opposite side of the catch-light (camera-left in the case of my example.)
The sclera, or white of the eye is rarely ever bright white all the way to the edges of the eye, especially with directional lighting. So when whitening the eyes, they should be brightest by the highlight and gradually fade to a light grey as you move away. The very corners could use a touch of pink or subtle red to add some life and make the transition believable. A bright white sclera from edge to edge will yield a fake glowing eyes look, which is not what we want.
Also remember, colors are relative to the light they are in. For example golden daylight at sunset will not yield a bright white sclera. You will get a yellow/orange tint to the eye. So painting the sclera white in this case would cause the eyes to look out of place with the rest of the image.
{HOW}
I start with a new eye layer containing another brighter exposure of the eye (sometimes from the RAW file) that is usually overlaid, multiplied or soft lighted in and masked to bring out more detail in the iris. Merge the new layer.
First let's tackle the sclera. Clone/heal or paint out any unwanted blood vessels and use the dodge tool at a low opacity to pop the whites near the highlight area only. Don’t go all the way to the edges. On a new layer with white or near white paint I accent the catch-light and highlight area of the sclera. Keep the highlight layer(s) until the end in case you want to change something.
Now let’s concentrate on the iris by 'painting' in exaggerated color lightly. The color is usually a derivation or accent of the iris color painted in the iris opposite the highlight with the paintbrush tool at a low opacity. Sample the color from the iris and brighten it in the color picker. This goes onto its own layer with the blend mode set to overlay, multiply or soft light – whichever looks better. I’ll further adjust this layer’s opacity until I get my desired result. You can enhance the original iris color by using the saturation tool at low opacity on the bottom layer. Merge any iris layers you have created.
Next I darken the very top of the iris into the pupil and slightly around the iris edges to bring more focus to the color, catch-light and highlight. I use the burn tool set at mid-tones on a low strength (maybe 15-30%) for this.
On certain images I will then sample the fleshy pink tone from the corner of the eye and using the color picker and make it slightly more red/pink. On a new layer with a very transparent paintbrush, I'll gently paint in the corner of the eyes and edge where the sclera meets the skin. I'll then adjust the opacity of this layer to get my desired result and merge it down.
Finally I'll revisit my highlight layer(s) and make any adjustments before merging them down.
As you may have guessed, if you're doing two eyes, it's best to work on both eyes at the same time so you can work in steps and concentrate on each step for the sake of consistency.
(Click image to enlarge)
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Creating a montage template – step by step (Photoshop CS3/CS4)
Happy New Year! I hope everyone is enjoying the holidays.
Well it’s back to work now and I thought I would start things off by documenting how to create a montage layout in the least destructive way using Photoshop. This method will allow you to set up and save templates so you can drop your images in quickly and efficiently.
I’m going to make a montage that simulates a triptych aperture.
First, determine the size of your canvas in Photoshop. From the menu choose File/New and enter in the dimensions you want. For the purposes of this demonstration, I set up my canvas as 7x5” at 300ppi. Your canvas size should be the size of your intended print, so in my case a 7x5” is a little small, but you get the idea. If your intended print is on a standard 16x20” sheet, then make your canvas 20x16” at 300dpi.
Next I want to create a few guides to help me line everything up. In this example, I created two 50% guides, one horizontal and one vertical to show me where the center of the image is. To create a new guide, from the menu choose View/New Guide and enter in the location where you want the guide to appear. You can also drag a guide from the rulers on the left and top by selecting the move tool, clicking the ruler and dragging out onto your image. Guides don’t show up in the image when printed, you can toggle them on or off by clicking PC: Control and semicolon (Ctrl + ;), Mac: Command and semicolon (Command + ;).
Decide on a background color. Select a color and fill the background layer with the paint bucket tool. In my example, I used black, however you can use an image or texture if you want.
Next, make a new (blank) layer by clicking on the new layer icon in the layers palette. Rename this later to “Aperture1”. Choose the rectangular marquee tool and draw a rectangle to be one of your image apertures. Fill this selection with a color using the paint bucket. I chose red because it’s easy to distinguish. Next add a stroke to the layer. Click the fx button on the layers palette and choose stroke. In my example, I chose white, 5 pixels, and inside so I have square edges.
Copy the Aperture1 layer twice by dragging the layer to the new layer icon in the layers palette. Use the move tool to arrange them where you want them. Don’t forget to rename your new layers “Aperture2” and “Aperture3” respectively to stay organized. In my example, I also created a group which is basically a folder to hold the aperture layers. This is just an additional organizational step I use to keep my layers palette from getting too confusing.
(Click to Enlarge Image)
(Click to Enlarge Image)
At this point, save your design as a template for future use as a PSD. It’s important to save it as a PSD to keep the layers intact.
Now let’s add some photos! Drag in an image you want to use for the first aperture and position it directly over the Aperture1 layer. This positioning is very important. Name this layer “Image1”.
Now we’re going to make our Image1 layer a smart object so that we can scale our image without destructively resizing it. Alt-click on Image1 layer (note: make sure you’re clicking on the empty space next to the layer name, and not on the layer name or thumbnail,) and from the dropdown menu, select “Convert to Smart Object”. You can also click the Image1 and choose from the menu Layer/Smart Objects/Convert to Smart Object.
(Click to Enlarge Image)
Before we change the scale of our image, we need to create a clipping mask. A clipping mask is going to limit the viewable area of the photo from the Image1 layer into the rectangle we painted on the Aperture1 layer. Clipping masks only work with the layer directly beneath it, that’s why it’s important to position the Image1 layer directly on top of the Aperture1 layer. Creating a clipping mask is easy. Alt-click the empty space in the Image1 layer and from the dropdown menu, select “Create Clipping Mask”. You can also click on the Image1 layer and from the menu select Layer/Create Clipping Mask. (If you’re into keyboard shortcuts, you can type PC: Alt + Ctrl + G, Mac: Option + Command + G to toggle the clipping mask on or off.) Notice that Image1 layer is now indented with a small down-pointing arrow indicating it's now a clipping mask with the layer beneath. You are now rewarded by seeing your photo fit perfectly into the aperture!
(Click to Enlarge Image)
(Click to Enlarge Image)
You can now scale your photo and move it to fit as you desire by choosing from the menu Edit/Free Transform (PC: Ctrl + T, Mac: Command + T). Be sure to hold SHIFT or click the lock on the adjustment menu to lock the aspect ratio of your photo while you’re scaling it to fit. Remember how we made our image a smart object? If you decide you need to scale your image back up, you can scale it back up to 100% without loss of image quality thanks to it being a smart object.
(Click to Enlarge Image)
Repeat the above process to add in image 2 and image 3 and your montage is done! You can use montages like this for not only prints, but album & book pages or any type of layout. You also aren’t limited to solid colors and rectangles. Use your imagination and see what you can come up with!
(Click to Enlarge Image)
Well it’s back to work now and I thought I would start things off by documenting how to create a montage layout in the least destructive way using Photoshop. This method will allow you to set up and save templates so you can drop your images in quickly and efficiently.
I’m going to make a montage that simulates a triptych aperture.
First, determine the size of your canvas in Photoshop. From the menu choose File/New and enter in the dimensions you want. For the purposes of this demonstration, I set up my canvas as 7x5” at 300ppi. Your canvas size should be the size of your intended print, so in my case a 7x5” is a little small, but you get the idea. If your intended print is on a standard 16x20” sheet, then make your canvas 20x16” at 300dpi.
Next I want to create a few guides to help me line everything up. In this example, I created two 50% guides, one horizontal and one vertical to show me where the center of the image is. To create a new guide, from the menu choose View/New Guide and enter in the location where you want the guide to appear. You can also drag a guide from the rulers on the left and top by selecting the move tool, clicking the ruler and dragging out onto your image. Guides don’t show up in the image when printed, you can toggle them on or off by clicking PC: Control and semicolon (Ctrl + ;), Mac: Command and semicolon (Command + ;).
Decide on a background color. Select a color and fill the background layer with the paint bucket tool. In my example, I used black, however you can use an image or texture if you want.
Next, make a new (blank) layer by clicking on the new layer icon in the layers palette. Rename this later to “Aperture1”. Choose the rectangular marquee tool and draw a rectangle to be one of your image apertures. Fill this selection with a color using the paint bucket. I chose red because it’s easy to distinguish. Next add a stroke to the layer. Click the fx button on the layers palette and choose stroke. In my example, I chose white, 5 pixels, and inside so I have square edges.
Copy the Aperture1 layer twice by dragging the layer to the new layer icon in the layers palette. Use the move tool to arrange them where you want them. Don’t forget to rename your new layers “Aperture2” and “Aperture3” respectively to stay organized. In my example, I also created a group which is basically a folder to hold the aperture layers. This is just an additional organizational step I use to keep my layers palette from getting too confusing.
(Click to Enlarge Image)
(Click to Enlarge Image)
At this point, save your design as a template for future use as a PSD. It’s important to save it as a PSD to keep the layers intact.
Now let’s add some photos! Drag in an image you want to use for the first aperture and position it directly over the Aperture1 layer. This positioning is very important. Name this layer “Image1”.
Now we’re going to make our Image1 layer a smart object so that we can scale our image without destructively resizing it. Alt-click on Image1 layer (note: make sure you’re clicking on the empty space next to the layer name, and not on the layer name or thumbnail,) and from the dropdown menu, select “Convert to Smart Object”. You can also click the Image1 and choose from the menu Layer/Smart Objects/Convert to Smart Object.
(Click to Enlarge Image)
Before we change the scale of our image, we need to create a clipping mask. A clipping mask is going to limit the viewable area of the photo from the Image1 layer into the rectangle we painted on the Aperture1 layer. Clipping masks only work with the layer directly beneath it, that’s why it’s important to position the Image1 layer directly on top of the Aperture1 layer. Creating a clipping mask is easy. Alt-click the empty space in the Image1 layer and from the dropdown menu, select “Create Clipping Mask”. You can also click on the Image1 layer and from the menu select Layer/Create Clipping Mask. (If you’re into keyboard shortcuts, you can type PC: Alt + Ctrl + G, Mac: Option + Command + G to toggle the clipping mask on or off.) Notice that Image1 layer is now indented with a small down-pointing arrow indicating it's now a clipping mask with the layer beneath. You are now rewarded by seeing your photo fit perfectly into the aperture!
(Click to Enlarge Image)
(Click to Enlarge Image)
You can now scale your photo and move it to fit as you desire by choosing from the menu Edit/Free Transform (PC: Ctrl + T, Mac: Command + T). Be sure to hold SHIFT or click the lock on the adjustment menu to lock the aspect ratio of your photo while you’re scaling it to fit. Remember how we made our image a smart object? If you decide you need to scale your image back up, you can scale it back up to 100% without loss of image quality thanks to it being a smart object.
(Click to Enlarge Image)
Repeat the above process to add in image 2 and image 3 and your montage is done! You can use montages like this for not only prints, but album & book pages or any type of layout. You also aren’t limited to solid colors and rectangles. Use your imagination and see what you can come up with!
(Click to Enlarge Image)
Monday, December 15, 2008
In Studio Workshops Now Available!
After many requests from my ACCEP classroom students for personal digital photography or Photoshop training, I can now accommodate you in our new studio space!
That’s right, we have officially moved BBS Photography into the new studio space on Greenbank Road near Kirkwood Highway in Wilmington, DE. Customized personal workshops with up to three students at a time are available immediately.
Everyone is welcome. If you’re new to digital and need help with your ABC’s and RGB’s or if you’re an advanced amateur and want to get more out of your camera gear, this is the place for you. All sessions are customized to your needs. Beginning and advanced techniques in Photoshop CS3 or CS4 are also available. Specialized Photoshop training for working professionals who want to develop an edge in digital processing can also be provided.
Please email me with any questions and for our introductory affordable rates.
That’s right, we have officially moved BBS Photography into the new studio space on Greenbank Road near Kirkwood Highway in Wilmington, DE. Customized personal workshops with up to three students at a time are available immediately.
Everyone is welcome. If you’re new to digital and need help with your ABC’s and RGB’s or if you’re an advanced amateur and want to get more out of your camera gear, this is the place for you. All sessions are customized to your needs. Beginning and advanced techniques in Photoshop CS3 or CS4 are also available. Specialized Photoshop training for working professionals who want to develop an edge in digital processing can also be provided.
Please email me with any questions and for our introductory affordable rates.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Adobe Kuler
Ever found yourself looking for specific color combinations for a photo, website, or design? Adobe Kuler has you covered. Kuler is an Adobe AIR based application that allows you to explore, share and create color themes. Kuler is included and works within all CS4 design applications, allowing you to save themes right into your swatch panel or create and upload them withing an application like Photoshop, Illustrator or InDesign - but it's not limited to CS4. You can install the stand alone desktop AIR application and import themes directly into CS3 or simply browse to the kuler website to view the RGB color formulas or download the adobe swatch exchange file. Best of all, it's very easy to use and oh yeah, it's free.
Setup is quick & easy. All downloads are pretty small.
Get started by visiting the Kuler Website. Check out the News & Features and Welcome to Kuler for more info.
If you don't already have an Adobe ID, sign up! It's free.
If you haven't already, download and install Adobe AIR It's free.
Download Kuler Desktop and have fun browsing and creating your own color themes! Did I mention, it's free?
There is also a Kuler Widget for MAC that you can install from the Kuler Desktop application.
Kuler is already an invaluable tool for my design and photography work. It's well worth the 5 minutes it takes to set up... plus, it's FREE!
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Photoshop ~ Old Color Photo Effect
This tutorial will show you how to get an old faded print look to your color photos. Having attended Dave Cross seminars on more than one occasion, I share a mantra with Dave and that is to work in Photoshop with as little destruction to the final image as possible. We also want to maintain the ability to change our effect properties as each image may require different settings to achieve the look you want. For this reason I chose to tackle this effect by using adjustment layers.
If you are unfamiliar with adjustment layers in Photoshop, they are simply layers containing a fill (pattern, color, etc,) or an adjustment (Levels, Hue/Saturation, Curves, Color Balance, etc.). You can easily create an adjustment layer by clicking on the half-black half-white circle icon on bottom of the Layers palette and selecting a fill or adjustment from the drop down list. Adjustment layers can have their settings changed after they are applied simply by double-clicking on the adjustment layer. Adjustment layers also come with an attached mask allowing you to paint in or out as desired.
First, choose a color photo. The image I chose is one of my clients Abby & Dave – they were married on June 14th and were so much fun to work with, I’m truly sad it’s all over. They were very receptive with letting me experiment a bit while photographing with them so I thought I’d take the opportunity to play with a few of their photos.
Original color image from 5D & 24-70L processed through Lightroom 2 with a slight vignette added.
Start by adding a ‘Color Balance’ adjustment layer. You can click on the circle icon described above on the layers palette or go to the menu and choose Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Color Balance. In the dialogue box enter the following settings;
Shadows: +45, 0, -50
Midtones: 0, -20, -85
Highlights: 0, +15, -5
Make sure the Preserve Luminosity box is checked, then click OK.
Next add a ‘Hue/Saturation’ adjustment layer and enter the following settings;
Saturation -30
Make sure the Colorize box is NOT checked and click OK.
These settings will give you a good starting point; modify them to your taste. You can also set the blending modes on the Color Balance and Hue/Saturation layers to ‘color’ for a tone flattening effect, which is my preference.
Old Color Photo effect with blending modes set to ‘color’
I organize my adjustment layers into a group as shown in the following image. I created an action to make it a 1-click process and tweak what’s necessary with the adjustment layers.
Detail of the layer’s palette showing adjustment layers in a group.
Now you can take your Old Color Photo image and run it through additional effects. I chose to do some local dodging & burning as well as add some textures to complete the look of an old, faded and worn out color photo.
The final image.
Thanks for reading!
If you are unfamiliar with adjustment layers in Photoshop, they are simply layers containing a fill (pattern, color, etc,) or an adjustment (Levels, Hue/Saturation, Curves, Color Balance, etc.). You can easily create an adjustment layer by clicking on the half-black half-white circle icon on bottom of the Layers palette and selecting a fill or adjustment from the drop down list. Adjustment layers can have their settings changed after they are applied simply by double-clicking on the adjustment layer. Adjustment layers also come with an attached mask allowing you to paint in or out as desired.
First, choose a color photo. The image I chose is one of my clients Abby & Dave – they were married on June 14th and were so much fun to work with, I’m truly sad it’s all over. They were very receptive with letting me experiment a bit while photographing with them so I thought I’d take the opportunity to play with a few of their photos.
Original color image from 5D & 24-70L processed through Lightroom 2 with a slight vignette added.
Start by adding a ‘Color Balance’ adjustment layer. You can click on the circle icon described above on the layers palette or go to the menu and choose Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Color Balance. In the dialogue box enter the following settings;
Shadows: +45, 0, -50
Midtones: 0, -20, -85
Highlights: 0, +15, -5
Make sure the Preserve Luminosity box is checked, then click OK.
Next add a ‘Hue/Saturation’ adjustment layer and enter the following settings;
Saturation -30
Make sure the Colorize box is NOT checked and click OK.
These settings will give you a good starting point; modify them to your taste. You can also set the blending modes on the Color Balance and Hue/Saturation layers to ‘color’ for a tone flattening effect, which is my preference.
Old Color Photo effect with blending modes set to ‘color’
I organize my adjustment layers into a group as shown in the following image. I created an action to make it a 1-click process and tweak what’s necessary with the adjustment layers.
Detail of the layer’s palette showing adjustment layers in a group.
Now you can take your Old Color Photo image and run it through additional effects. I chose to do some local dodging & burning as well as add some textures to complete the look of an old, faded and worn out color photo.
The final image.
Thanks for reading!
Friday, July 4, 2008
Shooting For Composite Images
For the first post in the new Photo Blog, I thought I'd share my thoughts, process and photos from a recent assignment for Signature Brandywine Magazine. My assignment was to photograph the owner of the Dilworthtown Inn and a new bistro called the Blue Pear in West Chester, PA. During the photo session & interview, I learned of a wine cellar at Dilworthtown Inn and thought how great a portrait in there would be. I returned the next evening for a fabulous meal at Dilworthtown Inn to photograph both proprietors who we'll call Jim & Bob.
Before I get started, let me drop a plug for these guys. If you live in the area, I highly recommend reserving a table at the Dilworthtown Inn for a superb, 5-star meal in a formal dining experience or the Blue Pear for a few drinks and great food. Visit dilworthtown.com or call 610-399-1390 for reservations.
Ok, back to the job. The thing about wine cellars is that they are, um well… cellars. You know, dark and generally unevenly lit with generously cramped spaces as far as making portraits is concerned. The challenge was to light a flattering yet powerful portrait while maintaining the ambiance and character of the wine cellar.
When photographing people of such importance it’s crucial to have the game plan worked out before they walk into the room for the portrait. It’s generally respectful to take up as little of their time as possible. We didn’t have room to set up more than the one light and I couldn’t get a gel to match the supposedly daylight-balanced fluorescent bulbs in the ceiling. I decided to tackle the image by way of digital composite as I had several exposure times and light temperatures to deal with to get the dynamic tones I wanted.
First step – I made a custom WB (white balance) for the ambient light, (more on how to do this in a future post).
Space was tight so I used a single Nikon SB800 Speedlight at 1/16 power on a stand through a Westcott Bruce Dorn 18x42” strip bank with a 1 stop diffuser. I fired the flash via a pocket wizard from the camera. I used a Canon 5D and 17-40L lens on a tripod for the composite shots. There are a few important things to consider when doing shots for a composite image:
1) Use a good tripod.
2) Focus only once. If you refocus between images the nature of the lens bokeh, (out of focus area,) will change the perceived scale of objects in extreme foreground or background.
I started with a quick reference frame to illustrate how mixing the ambient light with the non-gelled speedlight would give me a very unusable mix of colors not to mention an exposure that would be tough to ensure my subjects stay sharp. This exposure is 1/5 sec. f/8 ISO 800. (For those of you still reading, this is the image that gets tossed.)
The test shot to illustrate messy mixed light (this image gets tossed).
The first good image below is exposed and color balanced for my subjects. I set the focus for the face of the closer of the two subjects and turned my auto focus off to help avoid re-focusing the lens. An aperture of f/8 would ensure good clarity across both faces. WB was set to match the speedlight (sunny on the camera) for a slightly warm tone. The exposure was 1/30sec. f/8 ISO 800. My shutter speed was still pretty slow, so I made multiple frames to ensure sharp subjects.
Exposed for subjects with higher shutter speed to maintain sharpness.
After less than 2 minutes of making exposures, my subjects are excused and I can concentrate on the shots for the room ambience. I switched to my custom white balance I made for the ceiling lights and bracketed several frames. I settled on an exposure of 1/5sec. f/8 ISO 800 for the look I wanted.
Exposed for ambience at low shutter speed & custom WB
Next it’s into the computer. I processed the RAW files in Adobe Lightroom 2 Beta and did the composite and polish work in Photoshop CS3. The final PSD file had close to 30 layers and at least a dozen masks. The resulting image maintains the historic character of the wine cellar yet portrays the subjects in a flattering light several stops brighter to convey their importance.
The final composite image.
I hope this has been informative - Thanks for reading!
Before I get started, let me drop a plug for these guys. If you live in the area, I highly recommend reserving a table at the Dilworthtown Inn for a superb, 5-star meal in a formal dining experience or the Blue Pear for a few drinks and great food. Visit dilworthtown.com or call 610-399-1390 for reservations.
Ok, back to the job. The thing about wine cellars is that they are, um well… cellars. You know, dark and generally unevenly lit with generously cramped spaces as far as making portraits is concerned. The challenge was to light a flattering yet powerful portrait while maintaining the ambiance and character of the wine cellar.
When photographing people of such importance it’s crucial to have the game plan worked out before they walk into the room for the portrait. It’s generally respectful to take up as little of their time as possible. We didn’t have room to set up more than the one light and I couldn’t get a gel to match the supposedly daylight-balanced fluorescent bulbs in the ceiling. I decided to tackle the image by way of digital composite as I had several exposure times and light temperatures to deal with to get the dynamic tones I wanted.
First step – I made a custom WB (white balance) for the ambient light, (more on how to do this in a future post).
Space was tight so I used a single Nikon SB800 Speedlight at 1/16 power on a stand through a Westcott Bruce Dorn 18x42” strip bank with a 1 stop diffuser. I fired the flash via a pocket wizard from the camera. I used a Canon 5D and 17-40L lens on a tripod for the composite shots. There are a few important things to consider when doing shots for a composite image:
1) Use a good tripod.
2) Focus only once. If you refocus between images the nature of the lens bokeh, (out of focus area,) will change the perceived scale of objects in extreme foreground or background.
I started with a quick reference frame to illustrate how mixing the ambient light with the non-gelled speedlight would give me a very unusable mix of colors not to mention an exposure that would be tough to ensure my subjects stay sharp. This exposure is 1/5 sec. f/8 ISO 800. (For those of you still reading, this is the image that gets tossed.)
The test shot to illustrate messy mixed light (this image gets tossed).
The first good image below is exposed and color balanced for my subjects. I set the focus for the face of the closer of the two subjects and turned my auto focus off to help avoid re-focusing the lens. An aperture of f/8 would ensure good clarity across both faces. WB was set to match the speedlight (sunny on the camera) for a slightly warm tone. The exposure was 1/30sec. f/8 ISO 800. My shutter speed was still pretty slow, so I made multiple frames to ensure sharp subjects.
Exposed for subjects with higher shutter speed to maintain sharpness.
After less than 2 minutes of making exposures, my subjects are excused and I can concentrate on the shots for the room ambience. I switched to my custom white balance I made for the ceiling lights and bracketed several frames. I settled on an exposure of 1/5sec. f/8 ISO 800 for the look I wanted.
Exposed for ambience at low shutter speed & custom WB
Next it’s into the computer. I processed the RAW files in Adobe Lightroom 2 Beta and did the composite and polish work in Photoshop CS3. The final PSD file had close to 30 layers and at least a dozen masks. The resulting image maintains the historic character of the wine cellar yet portrays the subjects in a flattering light several stops brighter to convey their importance.
The final composite image.
I hope this has been informative - Thanks for reading!
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