How is this look achieved?

[DanH]

On another photo forum a chap was asking how these shots were achived. Especially in terms of light + post production to get this ethereal cleanness. Sadly all he got was a load of camera fetishists slagging them off for not being a realistic representation of life. Is anyone here able to explain how its done?









original thread with largely useless replies is here : http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readflat.asp?for...

The original poster put up a picture he'd taken and wanted to achieve this result with, but I'm thinking it is so wrong it can't feasibly made to look like these as the flash has made the skin look blemished and brought through the blood vessels etc. Also nasty yellow background undermining the cool white/blue tonality of the target style.

Anyway thoughts appreciated on how these were done?

[DanH]

p.s. can we get the backdrop to the photography forum made black. This white really screws up how photos look. Have a look at the original thread I linked to see them looking better.

[Bingo Brian]

Whites are pretty clipped out to maximum level. Also I think he has cut out the kids and defocussed the background with a 'lens blur'. I like the effect thiz gives on Photoshop, but wish I knew how to soften the transition between normal and defocussed layers. It's always a hard edge on mine. BB

[nightfever]

Bingo Brian said:

Whites are pretty clipped out to maximum level. Also I think he has cut out the kids and defocussed the background with a 'lens blur'. I like the effect thiz gives on Photoshop, but wish I knew how to soften the transition between normal and defocussed layers. It's always a hard edge on mine. BB

I might be telling you something you already know, but when you select an area (i.e. cutting the kid out) you can feather the selection which softens the edge.

[DanH]

You sure that isn't dof with the lens + fullframe sensor? Exif info from bottom shot is :

[Image]
Make = Canon
Model = Canon EOS 5D
Orientation = top/left
X Resolution = 72
Y Resolution = 72
Resolution Unit = inch
Software = andoWKS15
Date Time = 2007-05-30 00:22:18
YCbCr Positioning = co-sited
Exif IFD Pointer = Offset: 216

[Camera]
Exposure Time = 1/125"
F Number = F2.5
Exposure Program = Manual
ISO Speed Ratings = 200
Exif Version = Version 2.21
Date Time Original = 2007-04-28 18:25:04
Date Time Digitized = 2007-04-28 18:25:04
Components Configuration = YCbcr
Shutter Speed Value = 7 TV
Aperture Value = 2.63 AV
Exposure Bias Value = ±0EV
Metering Mode = Pattern
Flash = Flash fired, compulsory flash mode
Focal Length = 85mm
User Comment =
Flashpix Version = Version 1.0
Color Space = sRGB
Exif Image Width = 896
Exif Image Height = 597
Interoperability IFD Pointer = Offset: 916
Focal Plane X Resolution = 2238.869
Focal Plane Y Resolution = 2242.038
Focal Plane Resolution Unit = inch
Custom Rendered = Normal process
Exposure Mode = Manual exposure
White Balance = Auto white balance
Scene Capture Type = Normal

[Interoperability]
Interoperability Index = ExifR98
Interoperability Version = Version 1.0

[Thumbnail Info]
Compression = JPEG Compressed (Thumbnail)
X Resolution = 72
Y Resolution = 72
Resolution Unit = inch
JPEG Interchange Format = Offset: 1042
JPEG Interchange Format Length = Length: 5717

[Thumbnail]
Thumbnail = 160 x 107

[DanH]

Bingo Brian said:

Whites are pretty clipped out to maximum level. Also I think he has cut out the kids and defocussed the background with a 'lens blur'. I like the effect thiz gives on Photoshop, but wish I knew how to soften the transition between normal and defocussed layers. It's always a hard edge on mine. BB

How has he clipped the whites like that though? I'm probably being bad here, but I'm going to post a link to the example by the OP who wanted his shot to look like the above. I tried to recreate adjusting whites + saturation etc and it looks nothing like these shots. The kids skin is poor which is a bad start, but even so I can't get it close :



There was mention of a diffuse glow filter?

I've got a feeling this shot above just doesn't have what it takes to look good as the flash has mullered her skin.

[V6GTO]

DanH said:

Anyway thoughts appreciated on how these were done?

Dan,
In Photoshop click Image>Adjustments>Levels, then grab the right hand slider and start dragging it to the left...somewhere there you should start getting the look you're after. Then, as said allready, blur the background.

Martin.

[DanH]

V6GTO said:

DanH said:

Anyway thoughts appreciated on how these were done?

Dan,
In Photoshop click Image>Adjustments>Levels, then grab the right hand slider and start dragging it to the left...somewhere there you should start getting the look you're after. Then, as said allready, blur the background.

Martin.

I've been playing with that with the above shot I just linked. Its not working! The white balance is right in this shot (see lace), but the skin isn't white. Somehow the skilled guy has got that whiteness to the skin matching the white of the tablecloths.

Specifically how is the flash done in the good shots. Its got a front catchlight in the eyes but its very diffuse and not unflattering.

Edited by DanH on Sunday 20th January 01:01

[RobDickinson]

WHole load of options to do these shots.

1st there on a fast prime on a full frame camera, spearates the subject from the background & gives excelent bokeh.

Rest is PS skills, selective desaturation, sharpening, levels etc, once you know what your doing some stuff in PS doesnt take that long, but mebe he spent a while doing it.

[Whoozit]

Bugger, wrote a long post and then closed the tab

Summary: 85mm @ f 2.8 will have narrow DOF. Maybe a tiny bit of postprocessing to blur objects right beside the kids. Flash was bounced off wall/ceiling to give a soft even light over the whole scene. Flash is well balanced with ambient light which was probably only daylight.

[Gemm]

Looks like Diffuse Glow to me?

[kiwisr]

I think they are also using very good flash diffusion or even studio quality flash - Lumedynes or something with a big softbox on.

[_dobbo_]

I'd say Kiwisr is right - there is off camera lighting going on there, and that achieving the same in post processing will be difficult.

You could maybe selectively use curves on the skin areas in a new layer to get the colour close to this, and some dodging/burning to even out any uneven lighting and shadows, but I suspect there is no substitute for getting it right in camera.

Seems to be backed up by the complete inability of anyone in that dpreview thread to get even close to the same result whatever they try.

[Jack Blag]

The effect might be tweaked in Photoshop, but essentially the photographer has used a diffuser to give a "white glow" rather than a harsh flash. You can see a slight shadow underneath the boy's fringe which confirms that a flash has been used.

[DanH]

So maybe 2 flashes. Front fill from on camera with a diffuser and a remote off to the side?

[tog]

I'd agree - big, soft light with tele and a wide aperture. Minimal if any PS work.

[GetCarter]

Can all be done pp (as mentioned) by selecting subject and sharpening, then invert and soften (a lot!).

[peterguk]

DanH said:

So maybe 2 flashes. Front fill from on camera with a diffuser and a remote off to the side?

Check out picture 3. Look closely at ribbons around the box and trouser legs. The shadows created indicate totally different angles of light, so unless i'm mistaken there are at lease two light sources..

[GetCarter]

peterguk said:

DanH said:

So maybe 2 flashes. Front fill from on camera with a diffuser and a remote off to the side?

Check out picture 3. Look closely at ribbons around the box and trouser legs. The shadows created indicate totally different angles of light, so unless i'm mistaken there are at lease two light sources..

Yea... but as seen here many, many, many times before, can all be done pp.

[DanH]

GetCarter said:

peterguk said:

DanH said:

So maybe 2 flashes. Front fill from on camera with a diffuser and a remote off to the side?

Check out picture 3. Look closely at ribbons around the box and trouser legs. The shadows created indicate totally different angles of light, so unless i'm mistaken there are at lease two light sources..

Yea... but as seen here many, many, many times before, can all be done pp.

Anything can be done in PP although it gets close to just drawing the scene if taken too far!

I'm interested in how this chap managed it though as he's an event photographer and I seriously doubt he spent hours removing shadows + softening etc. Would love to get these results out of camera.

Is it necessary to gel the flashes to go with what we are guessing is ambient natural light?

Edited by DanH on Sunday 20th January 16:35