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

[Mtmm]

What is to demystify anymore? The fact is that if you want to achieve same style, you need the whole package, not just some retouching.

[vapour]

To demystify...

This is RetouchPro, a site/forum dedicate to learning the art of photo-retouching. That is what brought most of us here.

I think we all understand, at this point, to create an end result similar to what Dave Hill is getting we must have a solid original concept and well lit photograph. This should be the case with any project no matter what style. You need headroom to develop.

What clarification is needed (or demystification) is how Dave Hill uses his well lit, great concept photographs in Adobe Photoshop (or whatever program(s) he uses)...

• how does he go about compositing he's collected photographs
• what color correction method is he using
• to what extent is he localizing that color correction
• how does he modify his luminosity levels
• how much and how does he dodge and burn
• etc.

While there may not be specific answers to these questions, knowing the bigger picture to how he is going about using digital tools in the post production is where clarity and light is achieved on the subject of demystifying Dave Hill.

If you are any sort of an artist you will strive to be original no matter what. So knowing how Dave Hill retouches, I do not believe equates to being a "copy cat". It's merely knowing how to better utilize what resources and digital tools you have.

[snook305]

Originally Posted by Mtmm

What is to demystify anymore? The fact is that if you want to achieve same style, you need the whole package, not just some retouching.

Boy is that like the Pot calling the Kettle black.

Or like yourself just copy Dave Hill even with the idea of Body Builders.
He used wrestlers same theory.
It is and always will be the Dave Hill style and you ARE and Always will be copying Dave Hill.
That is not my opinion but a fact.
Funny How you come in telling people to shut up and calling them fags etc..
Your the little weasle that was in here everyday asking everybody and anybody for information about how to copy Dave Hill.

Again you might want to leave your little immature comments to yourself.

You not helping anybody, your not demystifying anything but demystifying what a little Moron you are. LOL

You have one fan here which is cypisek, who for sure is a little 12 year living in poland with no clue. He does not even have lights for christ sake but wants to be like Dave Hill and oops Mtmm.

This is very comical indeed..
Snook

[snook305]

Cypisek, Mtmm is not going to help you so all the ass kissing is not getting anywhere.
He has Copied everything from in here. EVERYTHING you need is in this long ass thread if you would take time to read it.
That is where I and many helped Mtmm in the beginning of this thread.
He is copying another photographer so he is not doing anything new.
I suggest you do what he did and read this thread and go shoot something like we have told you 1000 times already but you want someone to explain to you something that you cannot do.
Go rent some lights or use hot lights and try the technique on one of YOUR pictures.
What is the BIG deal.
Did you go watch Calvins tutorial the other day? He did exactly what Mtmm and alot of people are doing. Nothing special or new.
What do you want. for mtmm or someone to say here is te trick press this button then that button, which they have done, and you think you can do it with an image to do it on.
Also I have told you MANY times that your picture of the Raiders of the Lost Ark was WAY better than Mtmm's and from then you have back tracked to nothing.
What is your problem, really?
what do you want? I do not think you even know what you want.
Go get some Polish BodyBulders which is not hard, try the lighting. the ringflash is BS by the way and you could use anything to fill the light. even a silver reflector.
The idea is to not have such a harsh transition from shadows to highlights.. BASIC photography 101...
Yeh get the body builders, dress them in Ballet clothing so they look ridiculous and then follow your own posted technique..
Jeeeeez you are hard head!!!

Once you do that, then come back and maybe YOU can teach Mtmm something new..
That is what it is all about. Must be an age thing but the older I get the more I get joy out of helping people.

He is the only one in here that has gone out and tried to shoot something. and apply all the wisdom from in here.
Your trying to grasp the idea with no basis of your own, which will lead you to no- where.


Understand?

Your sneering yourself, not me.

Snook

PS. I never asked Mtmm for help. I asked him to help others here who want to know or needed help. I work atleast 3-4 times a week on big campaigns and make more money than Dave Hill by far, so I am quite happy with what I do.I have been shooting for over 20 years now, I do not need to copy him and he does a good job at it.
And again I have more respect for veteran shooters. Although Dave is very talented he needs to grow a lot to have variety in his lighting and work.
His model shoot was hilariuos by the way, I got quite the laugh.
Also I do not think Dave is even doing his retouching.

[TimeActor]

Hey guy´s whats the problem?
Ask DH to copy the Mtmm Style or the great Style from Calvin. I´m sure he couldn´t do that!
So lets go to topic and demystification DH

Greets
Martin

[Quantum3Studio]

Originally Posted by Mtmm

Then go for it. I am 100% sure, that even with Dave taking photos, you could not make those images, sorry.

There are lots of folks who just dont see the difference between shitty photoshop and Dave Hill. You can see that just by browsing this thread. Calvin and Pelle has their own styles, but not even close Dave. Dave just raised a bar so fucking high that we all can just shut up. We dont ever get to that level, sorry.

[/end thread]

Sorry to disagree with you, Mtmm but Calvin have a much better/neat technique and much better ideas to do with camera, also with composition and the like. His photography is not so ad-like, but more artistic. DH has no heart/feeling in his shots, and there is the difference between people, the feel is something that cannot be learnt.

[Quantum3Studio]

Originally Posted by Mtmm

That is just so stupid. Dave has pretty many tricks to achieve his style, and that style sells. Any of you don´t have even one trick to do anything, so shut up.

Or should Dave say to his customers "I want do do this experiment, lets do this overkill with high pass filter and make your album cover look like shit".

One pony trick, my god, this thread is getting to a state of total idiotism.

I would really don't buy anything crunched by the DH technique, seriously, it looks funny, just that. I like real art, not stereotypes ad-like stuff.

[Mtmm]

Originally Posted by snook305

I work atleast 3-4 times a week on big campaigns and make more money than Dave Hill by far, so I am quite happy with what I do.............................
Again you might want to leave your little immature comments to yourself.

Good for you. Do you really think that it matters how much income you get? Really? That is just lame.

If you have issues, go get some professional help, but man, relax already! Go make money, you are the man, money maker!

[waffeliron]

This thread is reeeeeeeeeaally funny, I just looked at Dave Hills new site, I like the new stuff, his style is deffinatly progressing....

And seriously, why is everyone so bemused by how he composites and shit? If you know your photoshop its not hard to work out what he does.

take inspiration from what the man does and do your own thing jeeeeeeeeez.

Because he has improved his style a bit does that mean there will be another 1000 pages of crap? :-)

[Benny Profane]

1998, baby! two more!

[Mtmm]

2000, yeah baby!

[/end]

[Quantum3Studio]

Originally Posted by waffeliron

This thread is reeeeeeeeeaally funny, I just looked at Dave Hills new site, I like the new stuff, his style is deffinatly progressing....

And seriously, why is everyone so bemused by how he composites and shit? If you know your photoshop its not hard to work out what he does.

take inspiration from what the man does and do your own thing jeeeeeeeeez.

Because he has improved his style a bit does that mean there will be another 1000 pages of crap? :-)

You're right!

[Benny Profane]

I'm proud of you guys. Now, take a chill pill, relax and celebrate the fourth with family and friends, and get it on to 3000 come Monday. New goals are fun!

[vapour]

What do you think Dave Hill uses to composite/mask?

-Pen tool
-Air brush (mask)
-Polygonal Tool
-Lasso

Thoughts?

[snook305]

Originally Posted by Mtmm

2000, yeah baby!

[/end]

That is the most helpful you have been to this forum..
hahahah
congradulations...

LOL
Snook

[Mtmm]

Originally Posted by snook305

That is the most helpful you have been to this

Girlie snookie again, funny

[mort3]

67 pages is too much to read everything,
but check http://www.augustbradley.com/ he has something like Dave.
here he explains how he is doing that
http://www.imaginginfo.com/publicati...2299&pageNum=2
in other interview he said that 80% of that look is from light and 20% from postproces

[Tareq]

Originally Posted by mort3

67 pages is too much to read everything,
but check http://www.augustbradley.com/ he has something like Dave.
here he explains how he is doing that
http://www.imaginginfo.com/publicati...2299&pageNum=2
in other interview he said that 80% of that look is from light and 20% from postproces

With Hasselblad or 1Ds MarkIII or 1Ds MarkII?

[ananaiasa]

David hill doesnt use HDR because it would be impossible to HDR humans as we move too much (Causing ghosting i guess)......I think his work is somewhat similar to Jill Greenberg......Funny thing is shes been using this effect since the first edition of photoshop so no special effects of the CS series was used..maybe they manually paint on the photo?
(my first post )

[julianmarsalis]

All updated with behind the scenes VIDEOS and Finished Photos http://www.davehillphoto.com/

http://www.davehillphoto.com/bts/

http://strobist.blogspot.com/2009/07...ts-videos.html

Wow he is the king of the ringlight that's for sure....

[Quantum3Studio]

great links!

[julianmarsalis]

Man his B&W work is beyond my expectations I was totally blown away with his personal work just made me think damn lucy I got some work to do........

[snook305]

This guys stuff is pretty dar good. I like it much more so than Dave Hill. But now I get where dave copied his style from.
Snook

PS.
Sorry was shooting all day today and could not post it earlier.

Check this guys out.

http://www.garylandphotography.com/

[julianmarsalis]

Originally Posted by snook305

Well I just discovered the guy that Dave Hill has copied from day one even with his website. His stuff is great, much more so than Dave Hill. But now I get where dave copied his style from.
Snook

If so then share and stop the hating if this guy Dave Hill copied is so great I am sure a de-thread will be created about him as well. So show me the money I love to see people taking photography and digital art into many different directions we all are inspired by someone....

[ilbm]

Originally Posted by snook305

Well I just discovered the guy that Dave Hill has copied from day one even with his website. His stuff is great, much more so than Dave Hill. But now I get where dave copied his style from.
Snook

Are you referring to Jim Fiscus? His work is amazing. www.fiscusphoto.com

[ilbm]

Originally Posted by snook305

Well I just discovered the guy that Dave Hill has copied from day one even with his website. His stuff is great, much more so than Dave Hill. But now I get where dave copied his style from.
Snook

Are you referring to Jim Fiscus? His work is amazing. www.fiscusphoto.com

He was one of the first that I've seen do that composite style of post production work.

[mikedimples]

Here's my Dave Hill attempt (minus the compositing or lighting the background), photo taken by me.

[Flashtones]

Originally Posted by mikedimples

Here's my Dave Hill attempt (minus the compositing or lighting the background), photo taken by me.

I don't know if it's "Dave Hill" but it's one of the few attempts that actually beautifies the subject. I like that you smoothed the skin while also sharpening it.

How'dja do it?

[DJSoulglo]

Originally Posted by snook305

This guys stuff is pretty dar good. I like it much more so than Dave Hill. But now I get where dave copied his style from.
Snook

PS.
Sorry was shooting all day today and could not post it earlier.

Check this guys out.

http://www.garylandphotography.com/

Funny, just retouched a campaign that he shot. He's a nice guy. He's also really into post himself, which makes it nice to work with him.

Attached something from the campaign.

[snook305]

Cool.. His stuff looks nice, even though a little dated now. Too bad he did not get a lot of the Dave Hill credit. Funny how many have done this effect and Dave Copied and then get's/got credit for it..
Not to mention Fiscus who was doing WAY before. But that is the way the cookie crumbles.
You images looks pretty good but lacks the grungy grainy look that Garys images have.. looks like a lot of smoothing goig on..
Congrats
Snook