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12/16/2008 09:32:47 AM · #1 |
i am new to photography and i am very interested. i have been browsing flickr and other various websites to learn as much as i can. i bought a 5d and i have some flashes. i want to make my photos more smooth and clean looking like these examples attached.
like this one with the guys laying on the ground. i dont know how to make it have the certain smooth look that i can't explain.
photo 1
the one with the guys on the bench have real smooth faces
photo 2
and the other one just looks real smooth and clean too. any suggestions?
photo 3
thanks!
credit to:
Joe Perri Photography
Brett Arthur Photography
Aaron Van Dike Photography
Message edited by author 2008-12-16 09:36:00. |
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12/16/2008 09:43:19 AM · #2 |
All of the shots you've put up there include off camera flash - which is giving nice diffuse light off the models. This is probably what you're seeing as "smooth". I would recommend going to Strobist where they have in depth explanation of how to achieve this effect, and describe the equipment you need!
J |
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12/16/2008 10:12:56 AM · #3 |
| thanks jimi. i use my canon flashes off camera but i am not getting that smooth surreal look to the images. it seems to be some kind of post process technique that i am not familiar with. |
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12/16/2008 10:38:08 AM · #4 |
It looks like the light to me too.
There could be a tiny bit of a glow, or bloom effect, but I don't think so. There's no haloing around the highlights.
Ask about them around the Strobis flickr group, those guys will probably be able to tell you a lot more about them. |
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12/16/2008 10:43:09 AM · #5 |
Originally posted by ecoairforever:
thanks jimi. i use my canon flashes off camera but i am not getting that smooth surreal look to the images. it seems to be some kind of post process technique that i am not familiar with. |
It's the use of diffusers, softboxes, umbrellas, stuff like that to make the light less harsh that's mostly creating this effect. That and a carefully balanced, diffuse fill light from the front. IMO anyway. Been a while since I did this kind of work. Doesn't look like it is primarily processing to me, though you can get some heightening of the effect by duping the BG layer in Photoshop and then setting that layer's mode to "soft light" and fading it as needed to accentuate local contrast.b Also, in PS shadow/highlight adjustment, used subtly, can be your friend here.
R.
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12/16/2008 01:00:46 PM · #6 |
There might be a little post processing applied to the first two, but the third one looks pretty much straight out of the camera.
It's all about the light. Read, practice, learn. Read some more, practice some more. Strobist is your friend.
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12/16/2008 01:06:31 PM · #7 |
When you guys talk about "off-camera flash" do you mean, taking your speedlight off the camera and holding it with one hand on the side, whilst you hold your camera with the other...?
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12/16/2008 02:39:06 PM · #8 |
Originally posted by BigK:
When you guys talk about "off-camera flash" do you mean, taking your speedlight off the camera and holding it with one hand on the side, whilst you hold your camera with the other...? |
Yes and no - that's the basic idea but there's a lot you can do with your speedlight to get different lighting effects. I'm absolutely by no means an expert - I'm just starting to toy with Strobist and try different things out - but if you get on that link I posted originally, read through everything it'll explain how to achieve this effect. It's neither very easy nor very cheap but Strobist breaks it down into the most understandable and cost effective ways of going about things.
J |
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12/16/2008 02:49:48 PM · #9 |
Off camera flash usually means taking the flashes or strobes which are bigger than flashes and put them on tripods in a differing angle,
check this link for an example //www.flickr.com/photos/davidhobby/2987331479/
Usually the biggest challenge is balancing the flash light with ambient light, ambient here means either sun light or any other source of light that is not coming from the flash,
A good balance between those two will give you a smooth feeling which is enhanced after that by using PS. |
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12/17/2008 03:17:08 PM · #10 |
el-ghool - how is it enhanced after that using photoshop? is there some technique used?
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12/18/2008 01:55:58 PM · #11 |
so on the first one hes got a big softbox camera right, a harder light source back right (look at the shadow) and another softbox/strip light above and camera left (look at the hair/shoulders).
As for PS... nothing amazingly obvious, but its not that big of a job. Probs the usual stuff like levels, curves, clone for the skin, dodge/burn and whatever else. Don't sweat it. |
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12/19/2008 04:28:28 AM · #12 |
| On portraits I use a program called Portrait Professional. On the first two photos software simular to that may have been used on the faces. The majority of the look is from creative lighting though. |
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