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

[superkoax]

subx: hmmm...looks good, the skin is a bit flat...no good details of skin there...if you get that and some small color adjustments this is going somewhere...by not using background you get good results as well...remember if adding background let it be IN FOCUS...

any chance to see the original as well

[pellepiano]

subxaero ... this I really like. The soft illustration look. Looks really great in my eyes. If you get consistent results like that its a great technique , whatever you did.

[subxaero]

Originally Posted by superkoax

subx: hmmm...looks good, the skin is a bit flat...no good details of skin there...if you get that and some small color adjustments this is going somewhere...by not using background you get good results as well...remember if adding background let it be IN FOCUS...

any chance to see the original as well

sure. has been my first ever light setup (i only got my 400d few weeks ago), so i'm pretty much a n00b on this...and well...there were no skin details just a lot of mush

Originally Posted by pellepiano

subxaero ... this I really like. The soft illustration look. Looks really great in my eyes. If you get consistent results like that its a great technique , whatever you did.

it's my second try to combine a few techniques me and a friend of mine came across the last weeks. and this second try now is a huge step for me.
(just for the record: took me about 3-4 hours plain retouching)

[NimfabebeAida]

@ subxaero

nice painting :P
study some anatomy first because the shadows on the neck are invented by u if there wasn't any skin detail, it doesn't mean u can't add it. There are some errors on the hand and face too, the way u placed light. And don't exagerate painting over the photo, especially if u are not sure of what to add and remove. This technique requires a real painter's view, something like Amy Dresser has in retouch. Just my opinion. Hope it helps u .

[subxaero]

Originally Posted by NimfabebeAida

@ subxaero

nice painting :P
study some anatomy first because the shadows on the neck are invented by u if there wasn't any skin detail, it doesn't mean u can't add it. There are some errors on the hand and face too, the way u placed light. And don't exagerate painting over the photo, especially if u are not sure of what to add and remove. This technique requires a real painter's view, something like Amy Dresser has in retouch. Just my opinion. Hope it helps u .

i'm jsut a starter so i'm glad for any opinion and advice.

so how do i enhance detail in the skin (the basic texture is really just mush. no way to recover). and what errors are there exactly (i know about the jaw bone tho).

and that do you mean with the exegerated over-painting?

cheers!

ps_ i just discovered that youre the one that posted the different retouch-styles. could you maybe give some hints how you d&b those, cause on devart you just post the pictures. i esp like the purple dress one...well i know it's always some kind of secret, but i just helped some random peep that pmd me btw - nice composings on y0ur other devid

[thumbslinger]

From a tutorial I picked up somewhere. I made this into an action with stops.

It sometimes works out pretty good:

Make sure the levels and color are fixed on the original before you start.

Duplicate the layer on the LAYER pallette
Go to FILTER - OTHER - HIGH PASS type 4.0 for RADIUS
on the LAYERS pallette choose vivid light for the blending mode
Now flatten the image.
step1


Second Step
Duplicate the layer on the LAYER pallette
Go to FILTER - OTHER - HIGH PASS type 6.9 for RADIUS
on the LAYERS pallette choose color for the blending mode
Set opacity to 40%
Now flatten the image.
step2


For this step you need to do the following
DUPLICATE LAYER on layer pallette
FILTER - BLUR - GAUSSIAN BLUR 9.4 pixels
FILTER - NOISE - ADD NOISE 3%
from the top menu select LAYER - ADD LAYER MASK - HIDE ALL
using the lasso tool select only the eyes and choose SELECT - FEATHER about 6pixels
Choose SELECT - INVERSE
now use the brush on the tool pallette and set the brush opacity to 30% - brush over the entire image
Now FLATTEN the image
step3


the final step is to sharpen the image.

Go to FILTER - SHARPEN - UNSHARP MASK

use the following settings:
AMOUNT 100%
RADIUS 30.0 pixels
THRESHOLD 0
step4

Most of the look is due to the multiple lights used to create highlights. To get that Shiny skin apply lotion on the person before taking the picture.

edit: This tutorial is for High Resolution images. If you are working on a low res photo you'll have to decrease the suggested amount on most of the steps.

[NimfabebeAida]

@ subxaero
I'm glad u liked my works , but I always try to explain that there is not secret. I dodge and burn just like everyone else does. The difference is I'm an art student, I know anatomy, painting , drawing and that helps me alot in retouch.
I've attached a file with writing so u can see what I mean.


U should check her out. She is one of the best and u can see what I'm talking about with adding texture and detail ( even if there isn't originally in the photo ) . http://www.amydresser.com/retouch.html

[ProjectLam]

NimfabebeAida, love what you have done in the retouched photo with the CG 300 look. what are the main tools you used? any tips for a beginner???

[NimfabebeAida]

@ ProjectLam
Hi!
I'm really glad u liked that style.
As I always say , there is no secret. I use the dodge and burn technique. In the forum you can find great tutorials. I've learned cool tips from there. I started working in PS two years ago, inspired by pop art and I did artworks using brushes and my friend's photos. ^^ Check the first link from my signature( my photomanipulation profile) ,there are my artworks posted cronologically . Browse for the last ones and see from where I started. As u will see photomanipulations are a good practice.
So my advice would be to experiment and search for tutorials, especially the ones that have video so u understand the program better.
Have fun in the Photoshop world !

[ProjectLam]

thanks for the info. i guess my specific question is how did you get that skintone color on the model in the pic? i do see a hint of desaturation, but the skintone is changed drastically to become extreme smooth w/ that change of color? (referring specifically to the CG 300 photo)...

[subxaero]

@thumbslinger:yeah seems like you read one of the same tutorials as i did...only that i forgot all the specific stuff like step 3. have to try this again tho!

@Nimfabebe: thanks for your effort on this. and yeah i truely do need practice on anatomy (i had nude drawing in my studies too. practice practice practice) and montages. cheers!

ps: is there a place for a tutorial, where i can learn how to alter the shape of the anatomy of a person, without destroying the texture and the general natural noise of the image (smudging really cripples any image and stamping is kinda redundant for the creation of "new" bodyparts)...

[ProjectLam]

here's my attempt. not perfect but just my first try.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2232/...1d4a7545_o.jpg
and the original
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2110/...793ec5bb_o.jpg

[touchmeup]

Hey guys, my first post on the site and it may come across as a controversial post. Ive been in the photography business now for a few years, looking, listening and learning.

I could probably 100% say that the Dave Hill style is most likely down to his ability with studio lights. If you look at his work, he lights the subject and dials down the backgrounds. He probably lights every subject individually to prevent light fall off.

It does look like HDR in many cases but lighting your subject correctly is basically what we try to achieve with HDR in the first place.

Sure you can get close with Lucis and Photomatix but without control over the lighting, your never going to nail it like Dave Hill and the like.

Gav

[marclile]

hey everyone... i think i might be getting close. what do you think?

http://www.lilephotos.com/album_phot..._5452-Edit.jpg

and

http://www.lilephotos.com/album_phot..._5443-Edit.jpg

[ProjectLam]

very cool! what kind of methods are you using?

[marclile]

Originally Posted by ProjectLam

very cool! what kind of methods are you using?

1. open in photoshop and create a duplicate layer.
2. on the copied layer, run "NeatImage" plugin to smooth out the skin.
3. then run "LucisArts" plugin and use the "sculpture" effect.
4. turn the opacity of the top layer down until i get a good balance between the "cartoon" look and the "real" look

I must say though... everyone keeps saying that the lighting is what it's all about and that is definitely true. I've tried the same technique on numerous photos and some of them turn out horrible. i think the only reason that the ones that i did of the people in the pool turned out ok is because i was getting some extra lighting bouncing off of the water in the pool.

[ProjectLam]

i agree. the lighting certainly does make a big difference. i can't imagine the same effect on a photo that's not well lit. thanks for the tips, i've been trying it forever. even the tutorial on flickr from the strobist group didn't work well for me...

[ProjectLam]

my try at it, but not perfect. it's ok, i'm always trying to improve..

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2329/...c34bc612_o.jpg

[marclile]

here's another one i did... i think this one turned out pretty good too. what do you think?

http://www.lilephotos.com/album_phot..._5427-Edit.jpg

[ProjectLam]

it's awesome. the only difference is dave hill has light foregrounds on darker backgrounds, but that's just how he sets up the shoots...

[superkoax]

lucis art isn't close...if you compare the dave hill effect and the lucis art effect...it's fragments of similarities, but the dave hill effect is much, much,much cleaner...

[marclile]

Originally Posted by superkoax

lucis art isn't close...if you compare the dave hill effect and the lucis art effect...it's fragments of similarities, but the dave hill effect is much, much,much cleaner...

i wouldn't say that it isn't close... plus, I'm pretty sure that i heard someone in one of Dave's videos say "it's amazing what you can do with HDR and a little LucisArts". so i think he is using it, at least for some stuff.

[tetragramaton]

Hi guys ,there is some good examples here,yesterday i went out and i have tryed on one of the photos i took
http://www.flickr.com/photos/menandar/1847078571/

[Calvinhollywood]

Belive me my friends..... its more than just LucisArt or HDR.

You have to paint with light.... dodge and burn.

lg Calvin

I dont like to say its the Dave Hill Look.... its just a Look that will be the Result of dodge and burn
Prince.jpg

[superkoax]

calvinize? hehe...nice on....your style is getting there,man! Marclile: Don't even think he works with lucis art! give me the video where you heard it and I'll believe you!


Gerry

[marclile]

Originally Posted by superkoax

calvinize? hehe...nice on....your style is getting there,man! Marclile: Don't even think he works with lucis art! give me the video where you heard it and I'll believe you!

Gerry

here is the video... granted the guy might just be joking but he definitely says it. it's toward the end if i remember right. right before the guy that jumps with the balloons and popcorn.

http://www.davehillphoto.com/behind_...nationwide.mov

[prizo]

Originally Posted by superkoax

lucis art isn't close...if you compare the dave hill effect and the lucis art effect...it's fragments of similarities, but the dave hill effect is much, much,much cleaner...

Exactly.
That Lucis stuff isnt even close.


Here is my latest work... its not all that Hill-esque, IMO, but some people have said it is.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2393/...9d1816cf8d.jpg


______________
iHartPhotos.com
http://www.flickr.com/photos/1colin/

[superkoax]

Prizo: care to share high res of the pictures you posted? I think everyone can benefit to work on these...the feel is awesome, but the technique could be better...but this is what people should get to know and work with if they want to feel the dave hill effect...

I beer is sent trough mind control to your fridge! maybe it's there!

Cheers


gerry

[transoptic]

prizo: I think the main light you used high camera left presents a problem. It seems it needs to be closer and larger, to eliminate shadows.

Dave Hill uses a huuuuuge brollybox or octobox lookin thing, and often a hard hair light... Not to forget the ringflash.

I mean good start trying to get the wrap-around lighting, but your main light needs correction.

[Sistere]

Hi Folks,

Great thread!

Last year we were shooting some Green Screen shots for commercial use. Here is a candid I snapped in between the actual shots. I played around with it a few months ago not really trying to look like Dave Hill, but experimenting with the D&Bing and using contrast and sharpening. Just my little contribution to the conversation.

From what I can tell by studying DH's work...it really is in the lighting and the post work is only used to accentuate and 'edge up' the lighting.

So this photo will look flat when compared to Hill's. But I think he uses some of the same techniques. Or maybe not

Damien

Link to larger Version