How to: "Christian Schmidt" Look - Page 11

gradux · #**301** 10-18-2009, 05:44 PM

Thanks so much ShadowLight. I appreciate it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShadowLight

try: http://www.mediafire.com/?amaraaahaza
or you can find it attached here: http://www.retouchpro.com/forums/pho...dt-look-8.html

Gee · #**302** 10-19-2009, 04:24 AM

OK CHECK THIS OUT.

ive been trying out a lot of things and all.
what can i say is i don't look out the Schmidt portfolio.

im lookin on that:
http://lekoil.carbonmade.com/

(CHECK IT OUT , really, its ACE)

basically:
start with a "right exposed histogram"
kill a lil bit the contrast in LR/CR or something...
then it's ALL about MASKING. with Channels/Calculations.

This is what i know so far.

about the schmidt, don't be fooled:
it's shooted with wicked middle format cameras who got a pretty dope dynamic.
... COMPOSITES, BRACKETS... and then... ALL ABOUT MASKING.

i dunno that much more things...
but i'll say it's all about CALCULATIONS...
"THE" thing to make step things up...

Gee · #**303** 10-19-2009, 04:28 AM

seriously its all about making killer masks.
its all about building dope masks.

play with them as LAYERS, crank them/contrast them/wacom them ...
its serioulsy all about masks.

i gave a try with one mate who came from switzerland all week-end, we really wanna push our postproduction further and we figured it out its all about that...

courage · #**304** 10-19-2009, 09:27 AM

and his work isnt normally distorted. Very tilt-shifty

jamesbateman · #**305** 10-22-2009, 04:21 AM

Gee, do you have any examples? Dont leave us high and dry.

I have tried a new type of edit to my usual 'Urbex' shots using the AIM conversion:

http://bighugelabs.com/onblack.php?i...large&bg=white

I really like where this thread is going, lets keep it up

KarimNassar · #**306** 10-23-2009, 02:31 AM

looks great James

mariopires · #**307** 10-24-2009, 02:33 AM

great James, how you do it?

http://bighugelabs.com/onblack.php?i...large&bg=white

Tom_Tom · #**308** 10-24-2009, 11:35 AM

I was wondering if anyone had a link to the AIM profile. The original link posted on the AIM profile post is broken as the website is changing servers it seems.

many thanks

Tom

Der_W · #**309** 10-25-2009, 01:52 PM

@Tom_Tom: Look at this ;-): http://www.retouchpro.com/forums/pho...tml#post246343

manzneri · #**310** 10-26-2009, 06:41 AM

James, looks great! Can you give more detailed description of the workflow you have used? And maybe some pictures?

Offtopic:

After all, it think this thread (also) is nowdays mainly for 'my new photo, check it out' -links

It would be fantastic if everyone who has really achieved something on photoshop/lightroom etc. would share the techniques or at least give some proper instructions if they don't want to tell everything...

jamesbateman · #**311** 10-26-2009, 08:02 AM

Manzneri, that's not exactly the best way to ask for instructions... you are supposed to massage the ego without the ambiguous criticisms in the same comment

I assume enough people care enough to ask, so I'll reveal all:

1. Quite a simple HDR conversion using Photoshop and Photomatix. This is to ensure you have a photo with a wider dynamic range to stretch. (A few previous posts in this thread have mentioned the use of, and I quote "wicked middle format cameras who got a pretty dope dynamic"). By trying to emulate this with a tonemapped image, you should have much more perceived detail. Making several exposures and merging in PS gives a much tighter HDR file which can be tonemapped in Photomatix. A 16bit TIFF has more data to play with and will withstand the battering of the AIM conversion much better than 8bit.

2. The AIM conversion (that I assume you all have go the hang of now) is just a simple action that I found whilst reading through this thread. The tone curve had a very steep reverse C shape to ensure the shadows were more defined.

3. The final process includes using the levels sliders and d&b to make sure you have maxed your black and white points.

Obviously the HDR conversion techniques in No.1 are vague and I appologise, but at the risk of being 'off topic' I would prefer to leave this out in case the thread police decide to take another crack! I'm just playing

manzneri · #**312** 10-26-2009, 08:16 AM

jamesbateman, my english isn't too good so i dont fully understand the first sentence of your latest post, but i did not mean to be rude or anything. That 'offtopic' thing was for everyone and maybe i chose some wrong words.

Now that i look your detailed instructions i feel satisfied

Keep up the good work!

jamesbateman · #**313** 10-26-2009, 08:52 AM

Hey, no worries. I just hope everyone on here can play nice

We should all help each other out, as I myself have learned a great deal from this forum.

If anyone needs further details on the technique I touched on, I would be more than happy to help

Tom_Tom · #**314** 10-27-2009, 12:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Der_W

@Tom_Tom: Look at this ;-): http://www.retouchpro.com/forums/pho...tml#post246343

Thanks A Million!!!

Tom_Tom

SeagramPearce · #**315** 11-08-2009, 10:17 AM

So I've gone through this thread twice, and finally decided to give this 'look' a go:

http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/9...caradvert2.jpg

Alex Retoucher · #**316** 11-08-2009, 10:28 AM

SeagramPearce, would you show original?

SeagramPearce · #**317** 11-08-2009, 12:16 PM

Sorry, forgot to post original.

http://img266.imageshack.us/img266/3...dvert2orig.jpg

jarabmx · #**318** 11-08-2009, 12:51 PM

Wow, I returned after some time and you seem to progress a lot. I will have to catch up with you.

Seagram - what was your workflow? How did you manage to make those people at balcony stand out that well?

SeagramPearce · #**319** 11-08-2009, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jarabmx

Seagram - what was your workflow? How did you manage to make those people at balcony stand out that well?

To be honest, I don't think I did that great a job, compared to some of the other stuff I've seen here. I'm a photographer, not a full time retoucher, so thats my excuse. :P

Um, workflow. I tried the AIM way, which worked ok, but it kind of made all my images look 'damaged'. It made some nasty jagged edges in my darks.

So I tried the most recent way mentioned in the thread: Screen mode & painting white. It seemed to give the same end result (as using the AIM method), but it didn't damage my shadows.

I was probably able to get detail out of the people on the balcony because I worked from a RAW 16bit file. Not some low-res 8bit sRGB jpg.

But seriously, I'm here to learn. I'm probably super amateur compared to the people on this forum.

7890 · #**320** 11-14-2009, 03:22 AM

Thanks for this and to all who contributed.

LightFantastic · #**321** 11-14-2009, 04:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by saby

after U got the light picture duplicate the bckgrnd blending mode multiply

Saby, I concur; thank you SO MUCH for this! It's very kind of you, and I'll be keen on learning this technique as well! Thanks again.

7890 · #**322** 11-14-2009, 06:50 PM

One lil problem. The results in CS4 looks great, but after saving and uploading to either here or any other we-server, the image seems to revert to about 50% of it's original appearance. What would cause that?

domididom · #**323** 11-14-2009, 07:17 PM

your not calibrated screen or bad color space set-up for example

Flashtones · #**324** 11-14-2009, 07:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 7890

One lil problem. The results in CS4 looks great, but after saving and uploading to either here or any other we-server, the image seems to revert to about 50% of it's original appearance. What would cause that?

Make sure you convert the image to sRGB and use a color managed web browser like Safari.

7890 · #**325** 11-14-2009, 08:16 PM

Convert to sRGB? Is that sRGB IEC61966-2.1? I've never changed or converted profiles, so excuse my newb~ness. I'm using opera. All of the images on this thread appear the same in opera and when I copy them to CS4. hmmm.

Flashtones · #**326** 11-14-2009, 09:37 PM

Yup, that sRGB.

It's very possible you're doing everything right. However, in that your images change upon upload -IOW, when you stop viewing it in your imaging editing app and start viewing it in a browser- it's an indication that there's a broken link in your internet color management.

Might not be that, but that's where I'd begin.

Spend some time with this page and see if it turns up any clues:

http://www.gballard.net/psd/go_live_...Gprofiles.html

7890 · #**327** 11-14-2009, 11:10 PM

Thanks Flash, converting to the sRGB did it.

Here's my go on it:

Original
Schmidt

SeagramPearce · #**328** 11-15-2009, 12:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 7890

Thanks Flash, converting to the sRGB did it.

Here's my go on it:

Original
Schmidt

You've lost all your detail in your shadows. What was grey is now a bottomless pit of blackness. Try work on select areas instead of applying global adjustments.

7890 · #**329** 11-15-2009, 09:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SeagramPearce

You've lost all your detail in your shadows. What was grey is now a bottomless pit of blackness. Try work on select areas instead of applying global adjustments.

Well I'm at a loss now: I thought it rocked!

SeagramPearce · #**330** 11-16-2009, 12:30 AM

Sorry, I should have added that besides the blacks having no detail, your skin area rocks! You nailed that one quite nicely.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 7890

Well I'm at a loss now: I thought it rocked!