I share my photoshop techniques

[TreesOfMyTime]

Originally Posted by Calvinhollywood

In my browser it looks like that
Attachment 78076

Its ugly green and i saw it from the beginning.

Maybe you have a other color?

lg Calvin

Thanks! It was ugly green, but the font WAS very light and I could not see it. Anyway, Each step is as Punctum, above reported.

[anarchyjim]

Originally Posted by Caesium

Keep in mind that green and blue screen were both developed for video. Ok, now read that last sentence again. Video, that is what green/blue screen is intended to address.

Actually, many types of photography require shooting hundreds or thousands of photographs. School photography, little league sports, event photography, etc. In many of those cases Greenscreen provides a good way of removing backgrounds from a large number of images.

True, if you just shoot the occasional image that needs a background removed greenscreen is overkill. But if you're doing a LOT of images it really helps.

cheers,
Jim Tierney
Digital Anarchy

[Caesium]

Jim, did you read my whole reply? I never said green/blue did not have a use in photography, just that we are not tied to them.

Secondly, green/blue is no more helpful in multiple images than white, black, aqua, or any other color. The only thing that makes one color better suited than another is the forethought and planning of the photographer (and the compliance of the subject).

I had this arise just last week. A good friend is a school photographer and his regular second shooter was going to be out so I went along to help. We were shooting on green this day and sure enough, we had a kid show up in a bright green shirt. Had the kid been wearing khaki's and had blond hair, I would have been happy shooting him on black.

Again, green and blue were selected as they were the furthest tones from that of skin, theoretically making it easiest to key. However, fringing can easily counter this theory in many circumstances. And up steps the real problem in keying, fringe.

Anyone can drop out the bulk of a background with simple tools in photoshop, but what about the fringes? Assuming you have a fairly smooth lined object and a very well lit background, fringing is not that big of a deal. In the real world, you have talent that wont stay on their marks, assistants that meter a half stop off or screw up entirely, blowing hair, etc. that all will muck up any planning you did prior to the shoot.

My point, ya, green and blue will work. But if you are shooting a blond with blowing hair in a white dress thats even going into a dark background in the composite, why make it harder?? Shoot it on black.

Finally, Jim, if you are of the "Digital Anarchy" that is THE Digital Anarchy in the post prod industry, your comment really surprises me. You should better than I that Primatte will pull a key on yellow, orange, black, white, pink, or any other color as well as it will on green or blue, again providing that your have opposing colors.

[Caesium]

Oh, and sorry Calvin for the brief thread hijack.

[_Steve_]

Guten Tag mein herr!!

...i know i should have read the whole thread...but..but...ok i admit..i'm a lazy SOB
so just a quick question..is the DVD 100% ready for purshasing?..so i can order to get the actuall DVD in a package to my house in norway....or do i need to take my car, and drive to Heidelberg to get it??...

ps: looking so forward to this DVD....

[Quantum3]

Gutent Tag... lol... The first time I red some german was when I was 7yo, in a comic book based in the Juio Verne's travel to the center of the earth. Thanks for the memory recall

[Calvinhollywood]

Hi
Its not a real dvd.
After you purchase the "training" you will get the login datas.
Then you can watch the training online or you can download it (to burn it on a dvd)
So not travel to germany.
But hey... you are welcome... you can also come to germany:-)

lg calvin

[_Steve_]

quantum: my pleasure
I had a great german teacher...i kept saying:"ich kann dich nicht verstheen..so just stop it"

..in fact Calvin..my first german teachingbook was actuall about...u guessed it...Heidelberg ). it was called "Die Brücke"(the bridge)...and it had this beautiful picure of a huge bridge that crossed the river Neckar, called Carl Theodor or something. There were also stories about a spactacular church...and an old castle if i'm not mistaking..i loved it...and it's a lovely lovely town...

Ah ok i see...well guess i need to get my card and start shopping ))...or do u prefere monopol-money

so, purchase the training and start dl...love it..brilliant!!
thx so much for your effort C.

[anarchyjim]

Originally Posted by Caesium

Secondly, green/blue is no more helpful in multiple images than white, black, aqua, or any other color.

It matters if you assume you're shooting lots of images of different people. Yes, Primatte (or Photokey or whatever keying software of choice) can key any color. But as you pointed out, not any color works with people. And that really becomes true if you're trying to automate the process.

The goal of most keying software is to allow batch processing. So you don't have to manually go through each image. So if you are shooting hundreds of people and want a reasonable success rate at removing the backgrounds automatically, you're usually stuck with green or blue. Green being the better choice because it's a less common clothing color.

Yes, fringing can be a problem and no solution is going to be 100% automatic, for sure. But if you are trying to automate at least part of the process, green screen has some benefits. Of course, I'm somewhat biased... but I have yet to see any Photoshop Action or plugin that successfully automates the removal of a black (or gray) background from different images.

cheers,
Jim Tierney
Digital Anarchy

[Caesium]

Jim, what point are you trying to make here? Are you offended that I asked everyone to think their shots through and make an appropriate background choice? This makes 2 times that you have taken one sentence of my posts and acted as if I am trying to hoodoo people into believing some fairy tale of compositing, which personally, I do take some offense to.

I have already said that green and blue screens were made for batch processing (I.E. video moving at 24p). I know you are really hung up on the batch issue but the whole point of my first post is for those who are shooting for a specific end goal. If you were familiar with Calvin and his work you would understand that this is in no way a batch scenario.

I did not wake up yesterday and start doing this. As you pointed out, you are biased. You like people who need to do tons of images or frames (or do you guys even do video at DA after the Red Giant merger?). If you want a plug, Primatte is great software, whether you are doing one image or one thousand.

The truth is that I know far more commercial photographers that shoot their composites on white and black than green or blue. That may not jive with what you have been taught but that is just the facts my friend.

And on a side note, there is a new process that is in testing that allows the capture of a near perfect knockout at the time the image is taken. There are 2 companies that are working on it that I know of, one being Lifetouch (which of course will keep their system in house). The primary application is for school and event photography but the process would be great for anyone that regularly shoots for composites. I would expect to see retail availability it in about a year to two years.

Edit: Forgot to add that the new process uses white backgrounds.

[Quantum3]

if green screen works, then works. What's the problem with that?

[anarchyjim]

I was just trying to clarify a point in your post. There's a lot of misinformation out there about green screen and sometimes people know what they're talking about and sometimes not. Obviously you do, and no offense was meant. I apologize if any was taken.

Jim

[Caesium]

Geez.... I need to say I am sorry. I am reading my last post and I think my schizophrenia was kicking in yesterday and one of my evil A-hole alts was coming out to type replies. Please forgive the grumpy butt as I did not mean to come off like that.

So now then... Thank you for you compliment (in spite of me being a grumpy bu... well, you know), and don't get me wrong, I love green screen! It's the same as how I love both Canon and Nikon. I want just the best tool for the job, whatever it may be. I think many new photographers often believe that green and blue are their only options.

Finally, reading it again, I think my previous words sounded backhanded. I honestly do want to plug Primatte. I own a couple different plugins from a couple different manufacturers but I will say that I like Primatte the best by far (and for those who don't know, Jim's company makes it... at least if he is with THAT Digital Anarchy... And it's still theirs and not Red Giant... But Red Giant is cool in my book too if they own it now...).

[Caesium]

Calvin, sorry again for the hijack....

BUY CALVIN"S VIDEO! Seriously! It's awesome stuff.

[Calvinhollywood]

No problem Caesium :-)

lg Calvin

[Quantum3]

Wow, that's a declaration of love!

[TreesOfMyTime]

I am loving it! Thumbs up!

[gamedonechanged]

Is anyone able to comment on how much detail Calvin talks about this image?

http://www.calvinhollywood-blog.com/...cotty%20II.jpg

It says he explains the layers so does that mean this particular pic isn't done from start to finish? How much time is spent on this one and each layer in the explanation?

Thanks

[Aether]

Sorry if this is a dumb question, but how much does the training go into how to create that commercial looking Dave Hill-Jill Greenberg-pseudo illustrated look?

[Calvinhollywood]

Hi
Maybe 0,1 % :-)

lg Calvin

[Aether]

Well obviously I just mean the retouching part, not the lighting or set up.
But does the "0,1%" mean that you don't go into that style of processing very much on the training (I only ask because some of your work has a bit of that look), or are you just saying that there's a lot more to that style than just photoshop?

For the point of clarification, if I had an unprocessed shot that was lit just like Greenberg, Hill, etc (sorry, I really need a better name for this look, since they're not the only ones doing it, and you see it all over commercial advertising), could I use what you teach in the tutorials, along with some practice and skill, and achieve that look?

[Calvinhollywood]

I explain 100 % my techniques in Photoshop what i use to create MY kind of look.
Look at my pictures

0.1 % means that Dave and Jill use Photoshop and i also use Photoshop. :-)

lg Calvin

[Aether]

Thanks, I'm looking forward to buying it, I just wanted to make sure what kind of training it was. And I think Dave and Jill may be bad examples, but I have no idea what the style is actually called, they were just the closest examples I could think of.

Maybe I should just call it Calvinized.

[Caesium]

I have not found any video that teaches Dave Hill or Jill Greenberg. I will say that unless you are very far down the road toward understanding what goes into these styles, Calvin's video is a great starting point for getting a highly stylized post look.

[Calvinhollywood]

Hi all
Maybe you are interested in my guest post on scott kelbys site
http://www.scottkelby.com/blog/2010/archives/8691
You will find (not much) some tipps there too.

lg Calvin

[Aether]

That was brilliant, thanks so much for posting that.

[Dork Knight]

Hi Calvin,

I look forward to checking out the blog when I return from work later today.

I would also like to thank you for putting together your latest tutorial in English, I purchased it on the weekend and I've slowly been making my way through the videos.

Very enjoyable and some fantastic techniques so far, I hope that we’ll see more tutorials in English from you in the future.

Thank You,

Jason

[longside1]

Originally Posted by Calvinhollywood

Hi all
Maybe you are interested in my guest post on scott kelbys site
http://www.scottkelby.com/blog/2010/archives/8691
You will find (not much) some tipps there too.

lg Calvin

Freaky contrast, I think your should be called 'Mr Contrast'!! Brilliant blog and kudos for the recognition, I think you really deserve it Calvin!

I can't wait to watch your Calvinize at the weekend!

[bimbo]

Originally Posted by Aether

For the point of clarification, if I had an unprocessed shot that was lit just like Greenberg, Hill, etc (sorry, I really need a better name for this look, since they're not the only ones doing it, and you see it all over commercial advertising), could I use what you teach in the tutorials, along with some practice and skill, and achieve that look?

Simple answer: YES you can!

I bought Calvin Hollywood's Calvinized, and I have watched about 1/3 of the tutorials. I already found so many great techinques that I had to stop watching the tutorials and try them out on my own pictures. I must watch the rest as well, 'cause this training material is absolutely FULL of great and useful stuff. And the best part is, it's real easy too!

I usually do not spend money on Photoshop tutorials, but Calvinized is worth every single penny. If you want to be able to achieve the illustrated look that resembles DH/Greenberg this is the best help you can get.

I do some freelance photography/retouch jobs on occation, and I actually used the techniques from Calvinized yesterday as a suggestion on how to improve the look on a bunch of kinda boring pictures of industrial workers in a workshop to be used in their advertising. The lighting and the quality of the pictures was good, but the advertising agency thought the pictures looked kind of dull. I did a test retouch on a few pictures and they really liked it. I used the "Amazing details with blurring" tutorial, among other things, so these techniques are useful for real.

[Quantum3]

Originally Posted by cypisek

show me your pictures

HAha bro! Put some "Would you like to"! "Show me your pictures" sounds like you are holding a gun! =D