High-end digital retoucher in NYC

[grafx]

You know I don't think it is all retouching. Alot seems to be lighting and make-up.

[snook305]

OK, I see you guys (gals) are being difficult. Do not worry , I live with 5 Lady's in my house.
No it is not make-up and Lighting.. Yes that helps.
I'll post some before and after form some sites to see if you think that there is "nothing"
First time coming across people that just don't "see"it..
Sn@@k

[NancyJ]

Originally Posted by snook305

OK, I see you guys (gals) are being difficult. Do not worry , I live with 5 Lady's in my house.
No it is not make-up and Lighting.. Yes that helps.
I'll post some before and after form some sites to see if you think that there is "nothing"
First time coming across people that just don't "see"it..
Sn@@k

You think we're being purposefully difficult? We're trying to help you but we cant see what you're talking about and you cant tell us or give a specific example of what you think is so special about these images.
I looked at the links you gave but there were a vast number and variety of different images, I certainly couldnt pin point any as being special or see any common theme accross all the examples you gave.
It would help us to see 'it' if you told us what 'it' is.

how about this: find 1 good example of the technique you're talking about, with good quality before and after pictures and I'll recreate it with step by step instructions :p I am THAT confident that there is nothing particularly special about any of these pictures.

[snook305]

Will do Nancy. I was not sturring trouble. But I find it hard to believe that you cannot see anything special with those sites. This topic has been and still is on EVERY retouching forum that exist, Or that I have been in. They have gained the most posts of just about any other thread, So for you to say you do not see anything, Really makes me first. Laugh, sorry but true, Second, wondering what kind of photoshopping you are doing. Collages? or Manga art? or Illustration stuff?Meaning from the ground up,Inventing everything you want. Maybe Photography is not your normal setting. Which is totally understandable.
Did you goto the Dragan site. He has a before and after shot there.
I will search now for a good example to post here, But obviuosly the before's are usually posted on the sites.
Thanks again for your interest,
Snook

[snook305]

Check how long this thread went...
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/re...essage=9620399
These people Kind of "see" what I am talking about.

Here are several sites threads..
http://deryk.photopoints.com/main/ph...r.aspx?ID=5286
http://www.retouchpro.com/forums/sho...ghlight=dragan
http://www.retouchpro.com/forums/sho...ghlight=dragan

http://www.retouchpro.com/forums/sho...ghlight=dragan
http://www.retouchpro.com/forums/sho...ghlight=dragan

I just found a bunch in here.. So look at some of the comments made by people in these posts.

AMAZING,INCREDIBLE,HOW DOES HE DO IT, ETC....... Are just a few comments made by fellower retouch pro people.
But You still do not see it




Sn@@k

[snook305]

One more really LONG one I found 30 pages for one thread!!
Another Couple 100 people who kind of see it...
PLEASE, PLEASE,
Do not say you Don't see it... Say Yeh Maybe I see it, But don't get it...

http://photoshoptechniques.com/forum...ghlight=dragan

Sn@@k

Let me know if you have an ideas.
I'll post a picture if you want to try and get a similar tone and color that ALL those other people are trying to do..?

[NancyJ]

Originally Posted by snook305

C

But You still do not see it

and still you do not say what 'it' is. I've looked through all the images on Ragans site but I dont see any before shots...

[heyrad]

Man, you're determined to figure this thing out.. To me, the images you're talking about looked as if they were desaturated and then hand painted... Doesn't sound like rocket science... Make a new group, bottom layer is a 100% desat, then above that add curves adj layers and play with the color using the curve... You can mask in/out what you want. The curves enable you to add color AND contrast to the image. If you place the curve in Color mode, only color will be effected. If Normal, then color and contrast. To me, that's how I'd approach it anyway.... But I'd have to have an image to play with.

Give it a shot and stop pickin on Nancyj

-conrad

[NancyJ]

I looked through the threads you linked and there is no mystery there. No secret technique that no-one can replicate. The links you provided contain links to actions, guides and even a 10 layer PSD on how to achieve the effect.

[snook305]

Takes Two to Tango..
Well I have enough information to play around some more.
I was not picking on Nancy either by the way
Thanks, Will drop it now as there are many other threads and this one is going no where obviously.



Thanks
Sn@@k

[heyrad]

Is this the kind of effect you're looking for? I only spent about 5 minutes on it....

-c

[pixelfinity]

I used to scan loads of images similar to the ones mentioned... the secret...


They were all scanned from 10x8 prints on fuji paper...!



seems we have com full circle, how to re-create traditional techniques in a digital environment.

Long live grainy film and paper...LOL

[cricket1961]

Hey Conrad and Shelby

Sorry it took so long to answer. I have been away from the forums due to getting the studio up and running full time.

Conrad makes a good point about size and all. It really comes down, to me anyway, as to what the Photographer prefers.
All of my images(negs) that are scanned are scanned at 600 dpi and are usually in the 400 - 600 mb range and 16 bit. Any Digital files that I process are done at native resolution and at 400 dpi. So depending on the camera can be pretty big.

While I do a lot of full body images, most of my work seems to be Beauty shots from the chest up. I only use the softlight/gray layer method on skin and patterned fabrics. Also good for burning in hair highlights and such.

A face can take me up to 3-4 hours for a Vogue cover. For a Mario Sorrenti shot of the same image it could take me as little as 45 minutes with the same technique. Editors are not only a Photographers worst enemy, they are hell on retouchers.

No matter how long it takes, or how much you do, it still needs to be transparent. An image that has not gone far enough and looks good is FAR better than a image that is badly retouched and has gone to far.

Chris

Originally Posted by heyrad

Hiya Shel,

Well that depends on the file size, the amount of retouching needed and so forth. On a commercial beauty ad, for instance, it can take a full day to achieve the desired results. Especially when the art director(s) cast a model with really bad skin and expect "transparent perfection" as I like to call it. They throw you a less than perfect subject and want a Rembrandt in return.. Not that it can't be done.. it just takes time. The key here is transparency. you DON'T want it to look like it's been retouched. There are millions of different ways to remove texture and bring it back, to dodge and burn till your eyes bleed and to achieve the perfect blend of detail and color...

Just remember the Triangle theory... fast and good isn't cheap, cheap and good isn't fast and fast and cheap isn't good....

You'll get a feel for where things need to go and with the contrast layers added to help you see the "finer" problems.. you should make it look nice in no time...

Keep it at!

-conrad

Hey Chris! You got anything to add to this?

[snook305]

Sorry But No Paper gonna do that.. Nor any cross processing, Or any processing at all. ONLY photoshop is going to get you that look!
Sorry
Go scan all you want...
Mayybe, I say Maybe, Some old sepia 8X10 polaroids and Some colored ones and some tweaked out lighting by Baptiste or Roversi...
But Not even then.
Wake up Kids, FILM is DEAD
AND No that is not the look I am looking for, Sorry. That looks like some simple desat. and some glow.
Looks like it was done in 5 minutes by the way.
Sn@@k

I guess you all did not check out my site.
I did not start yesterday....

[shellby]

http://photoshoptechniques.com/foru...ighlight=dragan

Great technique. I am going to be trying this out ASAP!