Photo Retouching - - Photographer Erwin Olaf very nice!

superkoax · #1 03-22-2007, 04:39 AM

By accident I came over this photographer! He is the Europes answer to Mr. Fiscus, but yet with a whole different feel! 70's retro style, even back to the 50's on what I can see! He is probably one of my favourties atm and the retouching is very good! Alot of dodge and burn, but at the same time the feel, facial expressions, clothing, everything just fits!

Maybe we can discuss him???

Please visit!!1

LINK:

http://www.hastedhunt.com/photos.php...n_olaf&i=57168

Cheers

Gerry

superkoax · #2 03-23-2007, 03:37 AM

come on!!! 100 views and no replies?!?!

let me kickstart something here...

what technique is used for retouching here?

Lighting? Any comments here please? Light from above, sides or front?

cheers

Gerry

admirer · #3 03-23-2007, 08:22 AM

I like the ones that look like old 1950's style advertising posters, with the even lighting making it look like a stage set.

Mike · #4 03-23-2007, 08:53 AM

For the most part, they are stage sets, if you look there are some of the same props that move from photo to photo.

Lighting is from the side, top, back and front. I would guess that the set was made with the best lighting they could and then the lighting was enhanced in photoshop. Thats the way most of us do things like that, its easier that way and looks better.

My comment would be what he does with this stuff. Its very nice, but is there really a market for it that will support the cost of creating it?

superfrasky · #5 03-23-2007, 04:16 PM

superkoax, do you live here?

superkoax · #6 03-23-2007, 05:23 PM

where? In retouchpro forum? YES !!!

MUAHHAHAHAHAHAHAH!

NO! I work late this past week so I don't start work until 4 o'clock, so I have plenty of time to kill!

I hope my posts haven't been boring or to alike! I just want to have abit more life in here, so my time goes faster!

I work late every third week, so if some of you think I'm a big poster one week, well I'm just working late

Gerry

ikagami · #7 03-28-2007, 02:16 PM

[quote=superkoax]By accident I came over this photographer! He is the Europes answer to Mr. Fiscus, but yet with a whole different feel! 70's retro style, even back to the 50's on what I can see! He is probably one of my favorites atm and the retouching is very good! Alot of dodge and burn, but at the same time the feel, facial expressions, clothing, everything just fits!

Maybe we can discuss him???

he's dutch ....
lol ...the answer to fiscus...he was already there years before anyone ever heard of fiscus. Olaf rules!!
visit his website www.erwinolaf.com

skydog · #8 03-28-2007, 06:07 PM

Give me a little feed back on the following with regards to dodge and burn.
When I look at each tool, you have choices: highlights, midtones, and shadows.

As a general rule for an effect like Fiscus, Dragan or Olaf, what part of the photo does one dodge highlight, dodge midtone, dodge shawdow, burn highlight, burn midtone or burn shadow? I assume if I look at the histogram of the photo, the dark areas at one extreme are the shadows (black), the middle is the midtones and the other end is the highlights (whites).

Again as a general rule to get the above effects would I want to burn the darks and highlight the lights?

I know I can practice and I can play, but as a starter which those who use these tools all the time how do you typically approach a shot?

superkoax · #9 03-29-2007, 04:12 PM

skydog: The difference between Fiscus and olaf are first of all lighting, the d&b effect is more notiable from the fiscus photos, then olaf's photos. But if you see on the pictures from Olaf the shadow lines and areas that have hgilighs and shadows are enhanced. The best thing to do is to enhance the shadows with burn on midtones. The highlights are enhanced maybe with a midton dodge or highlight dodge..

the lighst used in the olaf setting is very light nad there almost no big shado areas, only small shadows...

Gerry

DJSoulglo · #10 03-29-2007, 05:29 PM

Erwin Olaf is a genius in my book, if only for his dead photos.... Search on google for "Diana" and his name...

He's been an art photographer for years and years here in Holland he is quite well known. He is fantastic and uses the best make-up artists and is great with painting with his light, without actually retouching to much on his images.

Another person to look at is Guy Bourdin, his photos are totally unretouched, yet look SO retouched it's almost scart.

The way Olaf usually shoots is indeed in his own studio, which is quite large and has a light system almost on par with a theatre. So that means: footlights, floodlights from back/side, trusses and pars on top and then he uses focus lights. I've been lucky enough to have a theatre at my disposal from some photo shoots as well and I can tell you that the light I've gotten there is just amazing.

I'll get some stuff up on Flickr and then you guys can tell me if you like it

Excellent thread this.

grafx · #11 03-30-2007, 01:09 PM

[quote=ikagami]

Quote:

Originally Posted by superkoax

By accident I came over this photographer! He is the Europes answer to Mr. Fiscus, but yet with a whole different feel! 70's retro style, even back to the 50's on what I can see! He is probably one of my favorites atm and the retouching is very good! Alot of dodge and burn, but at the same time the feel, facial expressions, clothing, everything just fits!

Maybe we can discuss him???

he's dutch ....
lol ...the answer to fiscus...he was already there years before anyone ever heard of fiscus. Olaf rules!!
visit his website www.erwinolaf.com

LOVED the website! I'm at work now and all the designers are looking at it together. FABULOUS!