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Technique I found in PhotoShop User magazine

published by Shooter5150 on Mon, 02/25/2008 - 9:40am

In the March issue of PhotoShop User magazine they have an article showing how to get the look like in the movie "300" in high contrast images.

So I grabbed one of my shots of the Salvia guitarist and tried it out.

Before:
Photobucket

After:

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It's all explained in a three page article with screen caps etc. I may keep this little trick in my bag as I kind of like the effect. Gonna play with it some more, that's for sure.

"Shooter"

Forums: 
Taking & Processing Photographs

Submitted by walter rowe on Mon, 02/25/2008 - 12:43pm.

Can you articulate in more detail what you like about this technique? What about the results attracts you? Other than the sepia-toned skin of the artist, I don't see any difference.

Walter Rowe - Rowe Images
Professional Photographer
Columbia, Maryland - USA

Founder, MusicPhotographers.net
www.WalterRowePhotography.com
Columbia, Maryland - USA

Submitted by Nick Brownrigg on Mon, 02/25/2008 - 3:53pm.

This look isn't too hard to get. It's basically a high contrast low saturation thing. I would be interested to read a bit more about it to understand what makes this different then a simple lightroom levels adjustment.

Kallé has this look locked down... http://www.bjorklid.net/portfolio .... actually most of our Finnish friends are extremely good at this. I really like the look when it's a hard core band.

Canon 20D, 350D, 35mm 1.4, 85mm 1.8, 430 EX and 580EX flash.

Submitted by Shooter5150 on Tue, 02/26/2008 - 10:19am.

The example they used in the magazine was on a portrait of some model shot with a sword and very high contrast lighting. The effect was much more pronounced in that shot. I just happened to have finished working on some shots of this band and liked this shot so I gave it a whirl.

Next time I have some more high contrast shots open (this was shot in late afternoon at an open air festival so the stage lighting isn't as pronounced) I'll try it again.

The effect as done in the magazine gives you the look of the rotoscoped animation in the movie 300. I guess it would work really well in portraits shot high contrast. It isn't as pronounced as the "fake HDR" that is all the rage right now.

I love PhotoShop User magazine because they toss this little tricks at you all the time. One of these days I'm gonna spring for the $100 a year to take full advantage of the NAPP.

Jamie Taylor
"How about you come back to my place and I'll show you my man-size manicotti?" -- Grampa Gustafson, "Grumpier Old Men"
http://www.myspace.com/tailwindimaging
http://tradewindima

Jamie "Shooter" Taylor
TailWind Imaging
"Away you will go sailin/In a race among the ruins/If you plan to face tomorrow/Do it soon." -- Gordon Lightfoot
http://www.myspace.com/tailwindimaging
http://tradewindimaging.photoreflect.com

Submitted by DwightMcCann on Tue, 03/04/2008 - 3:31pm.

going to start trying to do a bit more PP on some of my images! With this type of heavy PP you don't need good images to start with (no, no, mine are excellent taken with the best equipment ... I was just saying ...) Obviously there is a great appeal to some of this work and the results are very dramatic. Although I don't think my Johnny Mathis or Liza Minnelli images would benefit from it much.

Dwight McCann