The demystification of dave hill! let's all help!

[longside1]

Yup. i'd be interested to hear too.

Is it a result of using the Nik Color EfeX filter you mentioned earlier in the thread, a workflow would be great....;-)

[Smoderek.com]

Hi guys. This is my first post here in this topic as well as in the entire forum. I gotta say that Dave's pics are stunning I just sat dawon to my photoshop, took a random pic (i know i know, lighting is most of the success) and ended up with something like that:

http://img503.imageshack.us/img503/4...36131dhps7.jpg

next time i'll try to PP a picture with a good ligting

[rudym]

It came out very good. Hope you share your workflow one day.

[snook305]

The image someone posted from my website has hardly any retouching at all..
It was a Big SoftBox and then I did basic cleaning of the skin then desaturated the skin tones a little then Sponged the clothing or color everywhere.
Then I usually do a Contrast Sharpening with something like 20/40/0 and ease it off a little bit..
I used to have an action that I called Dragan. not the typical one but one I did which was the green or blue channel on an overlay mode or softlight depending on the image and then back it off a little to liking also..:+]
The Nik color efex filter are on the images that look more retouched like the Junkyard pictures which are a mixture of Lucis and Nik color efex Midnight sepia..:+}
Snook

[rudym]

Snook can you comment on this photo:
http://homepage.mac.com/ekphotograph...323%20(1).html

[skydog]

Snook...amazing shots...in fact, I like what you are doing more than DH. Not only do I like the color and texture but I like your composition and you did a great great job in model selection. What camera are you using? What % do you contribute to lights and what% to photoshop? I assume you got your look from bits and pieces you picked up from others and a whole lot of trial and error? Much dodge and burn? Good stuff.

[snook305]

Originally Posted by rudym

Snook can you comment on this photo:
http://homepage.mac.com/ekphotograph...323%20(1).html

That shot has no retouching.. It is a ringflash...:+}
They already give a nice light and poppy colors.
There is just Contrast Sharpening, again I use that a lot...:+]
It is for contrast not sharpening, but it happens to sharpen as sharpen is contrast if that makes sense..:+]
Again a lot of the stuf you guys are looking at is a couple years old atleast...
Technique back then was always desat a little and then Sponge what I wanted more Saturated.. adding a Nice Midnight Sepia Filter and then erasing it where you do not is pretty cool..
I work in steps really and usually can end up going heavy and that is always the where do you stop.. I usually go a little stronger then back off the opacity at the end cuz I usually chicken out b/c the trend really now is less retouching or full composite stuff like "DH" which I prefer Ficus and the such better really.
I really do not know how Dave starting getting so much credit for his look as it has been done by many long before DH was doing it.. Just about 98% of the HipHop stuff has been like that.. Bling Bling and Composite shots with Money and guns and alley ways composited in there..Nothing New...:;+}
I am just learning how to Composite and I am pretty sure 100% of my site has all the original backgrounds...
I have a Godzillion pictures and just try and throw up a variety when I can..
Again this is a Dave Hill thread, not a mine..:+}
Snook

PS.
I have use a Mamiya RZProDII with a Phase One P30 back...
But all the stuff on that site of mine is just about 98% Canon 1DsMII or 1Ds.
Just recently got the Digital Back...:+}

[snook305]

This is another site of Mine with more select images...
May have some stuff you have not seen yet...:+}
Snook

http://www.ericknorpp.com/

And Yes all Pictures and retouching are done by me on these sites...
Thanks!

[CaptainHook]

Originally Posted by snook305

I have use a Mamiya RZProDII with a Phase One P30 back...
But all the stuff on that site of mine is just about 98% Canon 1DsMII or 1Ds.
Just recently got the Digital Back...:+}

It's the stuff done of late on your phase one back that i was referring to.

[islade]

Snook, totally offtopic to what everyone else is asking

I really like your gallery software on ek.com, what gallery is it?

[rudym]

Thank you for the info Snook

[rudym]

Snook this is not a DH thread it's a style thread which you also got in your own way.

[skydog]

Snook..you have some serious money invested...unless you got this stuff used.

[snook305]

Software is photoshop web galleries with flash... really easy.
And yes I have a lot invested..:+]
I have over 100.000 in equipment for sure..:+}
SNook

[Cyberek]

Hi. Now i have some time, to give some tips and howtos ...
here is an easy one, just to try for the begginers :

- create three copies of the same layer (ctrl + j two times)
- make a middle one desaturated, or use black and white adjustments layer (more control)
- make the top one on "soft light" blending mode

looks nice? then go for some more :
- make a "color balance" adjustments layer and try to set colors of image to yours taste (starw with red +80 and blue -80 just to see how it works)
- make the new adjustments layer sof light
- play with opacity to taste

want some more? :
- create another copy of background layer and put it on top in overlay blend mode
starting to looks cool? or maybe to much?
- play with opacities, or better use some of masking to show or hide the effect.

That was some of the easy steps .

Some that requires more practice:
- create luminescence masks from channels R,G,B and use them as masks for previously created layers
- create a new layer and fill from it as luminescence mask (select the best channel ctrl+alt+shift+(1,2,3) - fast shortcut), then play with blending modes (aka Dragan style).
- use levels or curves on masks to get better result and put correction in to highlights or shadows, or anyway U like)

This is just the beggining... combine for best result. When done start d&b.