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

[snook305]

Originally Posted by Quantum3Studio

The problem is that some people here don't admit their arrogance. I already have contributed in this post. I've said that Dave Hill is quite a newbie in photography but good at retouch and many people here wrote that I'm the newbie. You see, it's like some people here admires so much to that guy (who does exactly the same retouch that Tim and I cannot remember the last name, and many others anonimous retouchers that almost have achieved the "Dave Hill" look or similar looks) that any kind of critique to "The Guy" results in sissy retouchers attacking me with lot of stupid things like "Your work sucks" or "Someone kows the Quantum3Stuidio technique?" or that sort of things. That's why I laugh, 'cause I know what I do, 'cause those who say that, never show off what they do. That's why I say that some people here has too much arrogance to take them seriously.
Coming back to the topic, Dave Hill is not a photographer, he's a retoucher who have learnt a very impressive technique. In fact, you can download all his backstage videos (I downloaded around 15 of them) and all the light setup he does is absolutely poor and basic, so there is no need to think about how he sets up the lights (I gave the same answer to a guy and there started talking with arrogance with a couple of sissy retouchers, then appeared other and another. They seems more like sissy hyenas than big brains). The fact is that Dave Hill sucks at photography.
In one of the backstage videos, he put a wide angle lens, in vertical position on the road and the lens falls to the road, making a big noise of CRACK. I mean, every person, photographer or not will always take care of its equipment and it's well known that a wide angle never will stand in any kind of surface.
There is a lot of photomontage in his pics and you can draw many conclusions of what he does by seeing a couple of the backstage videos. The most important thing is trying to look at the retouch taking away the effects and such and trying to back the image to its initial stage by using the mind. The other guy, Joey, he does exactly the same thing that Dave Hill and you can find some DVD's where Joeys explains how he gets the same result than David Hill. However, people believes that Joey is one thing and David is another, but they use the same technique. Those guys have bought the technique, it looks all the same.
It's quite obvious, when you see the way they work in the backstages and such, that they don't have any kind of idea about photoshop. Most people here knows much more about photoshop than those "super" retouchers, indeed, but most of the people here doesn't know how to apply their knowledge. Ask to Dave Hill, Joey or Tim what's a sensel, or how works the DeGrunging or what's really does the HighPass Filter. I don't think they know the answers, but most people here do.
Dave Hill and such just bought a technique and that's all. Just looking at his gallery you will find there is nothing more than the same effect applyed over and over again (which needs, of course, the same lighting set up) and that effect is just one of the huge amount of possibilities achievables inside Photoshop. aIt's pretty obvious that Dave, Joey and Tim only knows what's needed in order to achieve that overrated effect.

Well, be prepared to read a lot of critiques from the sissy retouchers... I'm going for some popcorn XD

I really have to disagree with about everything you have stated..

Although I think Dave Hill is a one trick guy, He does direct the talent he works well quite well and has the whole idea of the shoot obviuosly planned out.
You say retouchers.. Most of the fully professional retouchers are not in these forum asking questions..
I live in a small city and about half the retouchers do the Dave hill and Jill greenberg when ever asked to for campaigns No problem.
I get the look I like when ever I need to as well.
But I also use either plugs or Luminosty masks for highlight and shadow.

Anyways you might want to change your attitude, because the only arrogant
person at the moment sounds like you...

Snook

[skydog]

Snook..nice pics on your site....

[HelloPiccadilly]

Snook, I've just seen your pictures..
I wish I was able to make like this )) (about pictures at the beach..) I suppose, there is a great deal of hard lighting...just because this is a beach ))

Why don't u tell us your method how to achieve this look )
I'd like to know

[zganie]

Lets get a grip 54 pages on this guy,Sorry he is just not that good

[skydog]

To me, it is not a question if he is good or not or whether we like his style or not, but understanding how to achieve the look. Most of us come to this forum to learn and improve our skills...each of us are at a different level. To date, no one on this forum has been able to achieve the look, and many who have come close still share very little.

I too like Snooks beach pics.

[snook305]

HEy Guys yeh alot of hard lighting in Rio on the Beach and it was filled with 2 7B profoto flash heads.. Just bare flash heads.
I do not have any secret recipe just work on every image a little differently.
What I stated a LONG time back is YES I use small increments of Lucis art sometimes but in small amounts and slowly build the effect up...:+}
Then dodging and Burning etc. Cleaning clean.
I have an action that makes 2 curves layers adjustments. One for the Highlights and One for the Shadows and depending on the look I want I adjust them.
But then again I am NOT looking to acheive the Gritty Look of DH as I do not shoot gangster Rap singers...;+}
I shoot more Fashion and Advertising.
Many here are just trying to achieve the DH hill look will out the proper image to do it on and not the proper lighting.

As a side note:
Most the stuff on my site is either a little older or already published.
I have lot's of "New" stuff that I will not publish on my site until it is published in the Media. Too many people where I live try to copy all the time...
I beleive those beach shots were regular retouching and then some contrast masking etc...
I really do not rememeber as those were done like 2-3 years ago.
Contrast Masking if you really read is the way to go.
The article some one posted a million pages back that they copied from Model Meyham (sp) is the way to go.. first you mas for the HL then the SHWDS.
Dave is just adding a couple extra steps of gritty grain at the end which I personally do not like and feel it is OLD.
I guess that is why people like MTmm like to try and copy it for his small country , maybe no one know it is DAve Hill look and Mtmm wants to take the credit for the look, again in his small city. But he like Dave will get plugged into the One look.

Also my current website is just a temporary website while I am picking out images for my final new website to come..:+}
And again I am a Photographer first.

Snook

Snook

[HelloPiccadilly]

(another shit try)
http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/6898/meevxz.jpg

[Tareq]

Also another shit try

http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/4803/i1us0.jpg

[rudym]

Tareq can you comment on your process to get this result.

[snook305]

Originally Posted by Tareq

Also another shit try

http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/4803/i1us0.jpg

Tareq and Hello.. I think you guys are confusing DH with Dragan.
Both of those images look nothing like either really.
The Lighting is all wrong, The background is nothing. You cannot take a point and shoot type picture and make it Dave Hill..
This thread is totally ridiculous and has gone the wrong way.

Last post here.

S>

[HelloPiccadilly]

Cypisek, it's quite nice, but i'm not a big fan of such stuff )
The perspective is unlikely.

[HelloPiccadilly]

Originally Posted by snook305

Tareq and Hello.. I think you guys are confusing DH with Dragan.
Both of those images look nothing like either really.
The Lighting is all wrong, The background is nothing. You cannot take a point and shoot type picture and make it Dave Hill..
This thread is totally ridiculous and has gone the wrong way.

Last post here.

S>

It's your choice..
I'm agree about background and etc.., but it's just a try of postproduction..
Nothing about bit for work of art..

Lighting was smtng like this:
http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/1576/schemas.jpg


Though, I finish posting here unfinishing pictures..
Just when it has the concept and etc, I'll show.

p.s. I agree, that here is serious forum, sorry if it was a little bit irritable..)

[Tareq]

Sorry, but i didn't try to do Dave Hill, and i said another shit try and i know it is far away, just to make this thread to go further more far.
But if you really want to see something closer to Dave Hill, then ask Dave Hill to send one of his Original RAW files of one of his shots posted on his website and then we can see if we can get closer, if we do have wrong lighting and wrong composition and perspective then we will never achieve his look if we can't do it with right great correct shots either.

[Tareq]

And the photo i posted is taken by a Pro body, but if that shot loks crap, then we have to learn lighting hard before shooting anything, and to be honest, i am trying to learn lighting these days alone, but i hope more when i travel to New York then to meet someone to teach my lighting.

[Mtmm]

Originally Posted by snook305

I guess that is why people like MTmm like to try and copy it for his small country , maybe no one know it is DAve Hill look and Mtmm wants to take the credit for the look, again in his small city. But he like Dave will get plugged into the One look.

Try to get over me. This is ridicilous "mtmm this and mtmm that". Do you want my autograph or what? I have made blog entrys about Dave and in every magazine inteview, I have credited Dave. So please, get fucking over it man. You are like some sick stalker.

[Soul_of_Kilik]

Oh God, I've seen enough. I've joined this thread somewhere on page 50.. We're going round in circles.

I think some of you have produced even more effective techniques than ol' DH, and some of you are barking up the wrong tree. I've come to realize that the answer is not in how he does it, but more in the success of his final image. Whatever effect he would put on there, all the images tel a wonderful story. Contrary to to Quantum3Studio's opinion, I think DH is a brilliant tog. It's got nothing to do with how 'simple' your lighting is. If it works, it works. I do see Quantum's (very crudely stated) point, though.

I'm over this thread. I think every thing's been said in the mammoth bible that is this discussion. Print it out... You could sell it as a book.

Thanks peeps. I'll see you on the other threads.

[Tareq]

Originally Posted by cypisek

ok, This is my next shit

http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/4872/pulapka.jpg

Great, amazing!
So what in this shot that is not coming closer or better to DH look? and what this shot missing to have that great effect like it is a video or PC game? If that shot still not good enough as DH then i will say DH is not the best and we shouldn't give him credit that much even he is good and talented, with that then all others will be less than him and others just duplicating him when some can be better than him.

Good shot, now if you wouldn't mind to explain how did that like keeping secret like DH then its fine, but it will be kind of you to do.

[morpheus1870]

HOLY SHIT this thread is still alive...this is some EPIC bollocks!

[HelloPiccadilly]

hehe)
I'd like to hear story about how this shot have been taken behind s.w.a.t.)))

For me, the perespective is again a little bit inorrect..
But I like it)

[Tareq]

Originally Posted by morpheus1870

HOLY SHIT this thread is still alive...this is some EPIC bollocks!

Originally Posted by HelloPiccadilly

hehe)
I'd like to hear story about how this shot have been taken behind s.w.a.t.)))

For me, the perespective is again a little bit inorrect..
But I like it)

Let's be honest, is the perspective? is it the subjects? is it the lighting? or the overall?
Now most here would like to get the effect or the look even all the perspective is bad and incorrect, i, myself, would prefer to have that look over the perspective of the subjects from foreground to background in the frame, so let's be more specific, when i try on shots here i try to get the look not the perspective, i saw many shots perspective much much more better than Dave Hill shots himself, so let's not be so critical and we always try to find missing things in all attempts and show that we are still much far from Dave Hill or others styles, so does most trials or attempts here are not good in getting that DH cartoonish or HDR or smoothy skin look?

And again, watching all Dave Hill shots, they are all not in the same look or results, so be more fair and don't just judge that all attempts here will fail without doubt.

[HelloPiccadilly]

Personally, I don't mind to rename this thread )) We all together have brought enough fame to Dave ))

[JONTHELENS]

Originally Posted by HelloPiccadilly

Personally, I don't mind to rename this thread )) We all together have brought enough fame to Dave ))

Call It the Dave Hill Fan Club.

By the time you lot figure out how to get the look, It will be dated.

So don't get dated, get creative. and find your own look.

[Quantum3Studio]

Originally Posted by cypisek

ok, This is my next shit

http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/4872/pulapka.jpg

I saw it. really nice! I would preffer to desmitify your technique than the DH one

[Edvard-F]

Yes, very interesting thread. I can understand some got a little bit of frustrated. I tried to learn that very sharp look (no succes yet)... i was just wondering how will these pictures look at 100 %. Any crop?

Here is my sharpening test

[Quantum3Studio]

Originally Posted by Edvard-F

Yes, very interesting thread. I can understand some got a little bit of frustrated. I tried to learn that very sharp look (no succes yet)... i was just wondering how will these pictures look at 100 %. Any crop?

Here is my sharpening test

Good point, mate. I also have asked for a 100% crop

Ah, btw, very nice post processing as well!!!

[Quantum3Studio]

Originally Posted by cypisek

Hi, This is my next test:

http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/345...sta800x600.jpg

and

http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/8730/...nakibluba7.jpg

JAjajAJjJA... The last one is damn funny XD

[rudym]

http://www.modelmayhem.com/po.php?th...=4#post6516764

[AfroGato]

Hello All!

I am a graphic designer/photographer working in Bolivia and I am also very interested in the technique by hill/fiscus/. First I started with lucis, using it at 10% or 20% then erasing the pixeled parts and sharpening it all at the end. I dont use lucis much anymore what I do is mostly dodging and burning plus levels, desat and color balance.

I do not have a website at the moment but I have a deviant gallery:
http://snackt.deviantart.com/gallery

[skydog]

AfroGato...I like the graphics of your posters and great job on the story line photos.

Per the last article, how do I make a highlight mask?

[AfroGato]

Thanks Skydog!
For the lighting I used two lamps and a mirror. I also had to use the ambient light as the place was way too dark for which I had to bump the iso at 1600 (MAX). Thankfully the noise isnt too noticeable on most of the photos. I am looking for some flash lights, do you know of an affordable brand which you would personally recommend?