workflow for these exceptional kids portraits

[knarfi]

http://marktucker.com/Artist.asp?Art...&Akey=MPEGN7AE

see the portrait series called ICS (international community school)

Incredible.

Small softbox with tungsten light and wide open aperture.

Have tried in PS:
Mild USM (20,50,0) to get some 'pop'.
Col bal to remove red & blue.
Desaturate.
Levels.

- Can't even come close.

Any idea ?

Knarfi

[sterlinimages]

no ideas but that work is superb, thanks for the link

[crazyfly1]

Sterlinimages, agreed, makes me think about hanging up my camera.
knarfi, from the images in that group I'm not able to make sence of your list of what you've tried. Sounds more like your trying to make the black and whites in another group.
Stay away from desat. Try the black and white control, even if your not trying ror bw and just want to manipulate saturation. Use it on another layer set to luminance blend mode to adjust contrast. I think the colors come from the vibrance tool in photoshop cs4 and lightroom.

[knarfi]

Thanks for replying.
I am very surprised that this question did not elicit more response from the group.
I assume everyone thinks it's straightforward and easy as 1 2 3 - but it's definitely not. Because it doesn't look gimmicky or 'effectsy' everyone thinks they can do it.
Until they try.........

[Wolfman]

Originally Posted by knarfi

http://marktucker.com/Artist.asp?Art...&Akey=MPEGN7AE

see the portrait series called ICS (international community school)

Incredible.

Small softbox with tungsten light and wide open aperture.

Have tried in PS:
Mild USM (20,50,0) to get some 'pop'.
Col bal to remove red & blue.
Desaturate.
Levels.

- Can't even come close.

Any idea ?

Knarfi

I have always thought Mark Tucker's work was superb. It looks like he's using strobe in an Octabank (very large octaganol softbox ) and a side reflector. Simple and beautiful.

[Ron_H]

To me, those pics popped.

[knarfi]

They sure do pop.

And you're right about the octabank (a small one positioned close) & reflector, but you can do that all you want and try every variable of distance from subject and diffuser, and still not get the right col, contrast etc. - there's something almost 3D about them, and soooo smoth, and the skin col is like a porcelain china doll - note the lack of red in the skin.

[holgaman]

Those are really great, they look to be the least manipulated of all his work. I think the basis is just very careful color balance and exposure/lighting to begin with. He's also dealing with the perfect skin of kids. I'm always amazed at how great kids photograph (at least technically), a lot less work than adults. All that goes along way before you even get to PS. I'm not saying anyone can do it, just that his technique and expertise in the photographing process is probably the major factor here, rather than post work. I would bet he did quite a bit of testing before beginning the project. They all look very consistent, not like he was figuring things out as he went along. He has a lot of amazing photos.

[knarfi]

....and probably the larger format of a hasselblad or rollei accounts for much of the superior tonal / dynamic range - as compared to what is achievable on even a full-frame 35 camera

[holgaman]

Knarfi,
Looking at the portraits again, I was thinking the same thing, especially considering the format of the photos.

[Tareq]

One day i will try to be closer, just i have to experiment more and more

http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/9200/a00004042.jpg

http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/6083/a00008362.jpg

http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/4397/a00013022.jpg

[Tareq]

Here is the first shot above in color, it is really one of my best shot ever i did of portraits [i said one of the best, and the best ever or top best], i will work with kids more later.

http://img528.imageshack.us/img528/9331/a00004041.jpg


From the catchlight in his eye you can guess what i used as lighting.

[Wolfman]

Originally Posted by Tareq

Here is the first shot above in color, it is really one of my best shot ever i did of portraits [i said one of the best, and the best ever or top best], i will work with kids more later.

http://img528.imageshack.us/img528/9331/a00004041.jpg


From the catchlight in his eye you can guess what i used as lighting.

Looks like the Octabank or Octa clone, like Photoflex Octa.

[Tareq]

Originally Posted by Wolfman

Looks like the Octabank or Octa clone, like Photoflex Octa.

Hensel Octabox

[jarabmx]

I think I know part of the trick. It is the sam method Platon used on his infamous Gwyneth Paltrow portrait. Usually small softbox on camera axis or sligtly from the side, above the camera and now importantly - with long flags on both sides. That way, you can precisely control fall-off of the light and that is what he did. He used the flag on the right side so you can see the light rapidly weaker at kids right side. That makes it more 3D. There is definitely some post processing though. Really good work, amazing.

[jarabmx]

BTW the same 3D quality is in the Joey Lawrence pics, Strobist internet celebrity, google his name, most of his work was done with Canon 5D - he recently switched to medium format with digital back. He was still able to get this lively look with full frame 35mm format.

[_ManWithNoName_]

To me, which is I suppose what you are supposed to use PS for.

To me and Im far from an expert. This looks like it could be acheived just using natural light and maybe a bit of trickery with saturation. Obviously it probably isn't but thats what the shots to me look like...

Thats my 2 cents.

[Algarve Images]

Impressive, faultless portraiture and as somebody said above, consistent, the white balance of course is spot on with all these differing skin tones, i don't see anything really that is rocket science, the IQ of the camera/lens is very high...
Octabank / clone / umbrella, the catchlights are clearer in the Ethiopean girls image plus reflector to soften the shadow.. easy tutorial here
His other photography is simply stunning and employs so many diverse techniques and styles... i love it!
Gary...

[jarabmx]

I am still that there is something more than just perfect exposures. I myself have been working on this simple setup for long time and have seen loads of pictures on Flickr and you can not see this high IQ very often. Definitely some very delicate colour balancing.

[Flashtones]

I think you guys are over thinking this one. He might do a a little cleaning up and tweaking, but for the most part what you see there was being similarly done before the age of photoshop. They may be shot digitally, but they have the look of a Hasselblad shot with portrait negative film (lower contrast and saturation, color balanced for pleasant skin tones) and C-printed. This was common practice 10 years ago.

1 large light, minimal fill, good lenses with a wide aperture (shallow depth of field). Good, honest photography.