On-camera flash retouch - help please

[shikuro]

Hi,

Thanks for looking at my post and I hope one of you pros could help me out.

I've been trying to achieve this look with on camera flash, but i can't seem to get it right, especially the skin tone and the overall vibrant desaturated color.

1) I tried using a gradient mask for skin toning but i can seem to get it right. Is there a good tutorial for this? or does anyone know how to achieve this?

2) The skin looks 3D even though there's hard flash that covers the frame almost evenly.

3) Are the components of the image (i.e. clothes, face, limbs) individually masked and retouched independently?

4) A gaussian blur is applied to give it a slight lo-fi look?

Thanks in advance!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...at105947PM.png

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...at105837PM.png

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...at105722PM.png

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...at113050AM.png

[insmac]

Post a sample of your shots if you can. That would be helpful

[skoobey]

I am interested in this also. PLEASE pro's, give us a hint.

Highlights have been pained with white and curve has been used to reduce blues, but I am more interested in the way they processed the RAW/Scan in order to get that even lighting(completely flat skin apart from the areas that contain highlights, but at he same time it retains so much texture).

Great selection!

[shikuro]

hi Skoobey,

These images were taken with a digital camera with on camera flash and a mid zoom lens.

The skin is awesome, I think it might be a gradient map with really good painting.

[ItsOscar]

I don't think these were taken with an on-camera flash.

[shikuro]

yup they are absolutely taken with on camera flash

[ItsOscar]

So the photos on your 4 links are absolutely taken with an on camera flash? Or are you trying to achieve the same look using on camera flash? Just judging by the shadows on a couple of them, I can tell its not an on camera flash.

[skoobey]

I'm interested in the PP of these shots, it's obvious there was a beauty dish with a grid involved in the process.

[ItsOscar]

Exactly Skoobey, that's what I'm thinking. There's no way that was a popup on camera flash. I'm guess beauty dish or octabox. Shikuro obviously didn't know what he was talking about.

[shikuro]

This photographer uses a speedlight mounted on his camera....that's on camera flash to me I did not mean pop up...

no gride nor beauty dish

so anyone knows how to get this treatment on PS?

[Tony W]

There does not appear to be any 'special' treatment applied to the images you posted and as you say they do appear to be taken with on camera flash which has been mounted a lot higher than a pop up would be.

The most important thing in deciding how to treat an image to replicate an effect is that we need to see your starting point - so could you post one of your originals straight from camera without processing

[skoobey]

Well, If we're going that direction, that it's just a on-camera flash set to shoot upwards with the diffuser on, which softens the light and redirects it towards the subject.

And all the shots have blue curve adjusted and black introduced through curves.

But, why on earth would you like to have all that assembly/weight on your camera which is already weighs 6+ pounds.

[Tony W]

By the shadows and catchlight where seen the effect of a flash mounted in the hotshoe is to throw the shadow downwards due to the distance of the flash head above the lens axis and can give slightly more modelling than a pop up flash which will be much closer to the lens.

Many pros (wedding and press photographers comes to mind) will use a flash bracket which can give a greater distance of flash head from the lens thus moving the shadows further away and offer the chance to position the flash either in line with the lens axis or off to one side either right or left.

There is little indication that a diffuser has been used and if it has been it has not proved effective due to the still harsh shadows.

[ItsOscar]

Shikuro, how do you know he uses a Speedlite?

[shikuro]

Tony, you're right, he does not use a diffuser. I can't publish any photos that I've taken as this is public forum and the local magazine and model agency might not like it.

But in terms of treatment it should be about the same since it's consistently a flash on the camera. I'm still figuring out if he painted the skin with gradient map and do smoothening with split frequency. Finally adding grain.

Anyways, here's his website http://www.maciekkobielski.com/opener.html

Oscar - He's pretty well know in the industry to use on-camera flash.

you can get a glimpse of him at work here

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CC5Na4ldtZI

[shikuro]

here's an image we can use as a starting point.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...3at25913PM.png

[Tony W]

shikuro, as I said in my first post there does not appear to be anything special about the image processing in your links.

The main differences in your posted image vs the first three is your subject is closer to the background and the flash appears to be mounted a little closer to the lens and more to camera left. Apart from the background differences and pp I cannot see anything else

So it may be that I am missing something, but my quick attempt I just used curves layers to add back a little colour and contrast and also decided to soften the highlight on the forehead. I may have gone a little too far but is this anything like you are looking for?

[shikuro]

Hey Tony,

Thanks but it's not what i'm looking for. There's a certain patina to his images. There is a certain softness to the images...could be a slight gaussian blur.

[Tony W]

shikuro, I certainly agree with you about the softness none of the images looked 'bitingly' sharp. Perhaps his lenses do not have good resolving power or more likely a small amount of blur pp as you say.

As to the patina well I assume you are referring to the skin colour balance in particular?

In 'average' Caucasian skin the Magenta and Yellow values should be fairly close with usually slightly more yellow than magenta. Cyan is usually between 1/3 to 1/5 of the Y and M numbers. Of course these numbers vary between subjects and skin type and your own interpretation.

Taking the first two images as an example and looking just at skin values the Yellow value is around twice that of the Magenta and the Cyan values are between 0 and 3 (trying to find an area without makeup). So it looks like the values have been altered pp to boost the Yellow value in particular.

This may have been done by numerous methods including curves. Try one perhaps using curves and bring the values on the dark haired girl to Y & M equal and C about 1/3 in value. How does it compare to the original? Does the skin value look right but background 'off' is so then it is possible that curve done selectively.

[ShadowLight]

1)original,

2)lum correction / (curves, blend mode lum)

3)adjust reds and yellows towards warmer, lower brightness
(+ slight contrast increase)

[skoobey]

No diffuser... yeah right. Pretty obvious that a diffuser is used.


http://www.maciekkobielski.com/women...009_page07.jpg

[Tony W]

Really, and just how exactly have you come to that conclusion?
Why do you feel the need to revisit this and post different images to the OP's original links?

[skoobey]

It's the same photographer, that's why.

By the reflection in the glasses. I've seen a lot of flashes and none of them have a square outlet.

I didn't mean to offend anyone. I think these shots look great.

[Tony W]

skoobey, it is the same photographer but if you look through his portfolio you will see the tell tale signs of an on camera flashgun on a great many of his images. The clue is in the way the shadows are generally very close to the lens axis and are pretty harsh and relatively small on that axis enlarging as the subject distance increases.

Shikuro stated this to be the case and I certainly believe it to be so. I also believe the ones you posted were done in the same manner.

On the left hand image look at the very slight shadow under the arm and shoes - typical of on camera flash and the rather flat lighting lacking modelling of the subject.

The right hand image reflection. Flash heads are rectangular but this does not mean that the shape of a caught highlight mimics this. The light is too intense and basically it clips well before any shape is revealed - the angle of the sunglass lens also effects shape with slight distortion.

Once again this image has traits of on camera flash, in this case flash mounted camera right above the lens axis. Models left shoulder throwing a small well defined shadow on the neck and small nose shadow. IMO this a much better image as the photographer has been able to use the natural reflector in the wash bowl which has thrown a little light back giving some added fill.

I do not think you have offended anyone, certainly not me and your opinion and views as welcome as the next person.

[shikuro]

hi guys,

Thanks for all your response.

The other thing i'm learning as well is to do D&B on skin so that the hotspots on the skin are much smoother. The other thing i noticed is that his shots don't look like on-camera flash to some people because his hot spots are very smooth.

Am i correct on this Tony?

[Tony W]

I believe you are correct.

D&B can be very helpful to tame the hotspots. In the image I posted once I had adjusted the contrast the hot spot on the forehead was to me too much so I took the easy way out and used the patch tool to tone it down .

Skin types vary and of course direct flash can give a shiny skin unpleasant hot spots. He may use a pro. make up artist to help with this prior to the shoot and also work in post processing.

[capice]

Don't think it is D&B you mean but just filling the hotspots on the skin with skinstructure.
Here is a nice tut on howto
http://www.sproutphotography.co.uk/b...shop-tutorial/

[diegoo.luna]

i reminds me some of the work of Terry Richardson...try a custom bracket to separate the flash from the camera...use a 50mm lens...

[shikuro]

thanks all. That link is useful.

I am using a custom bracket it's awesome!