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Help making this effect


ThirstyDursty

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i was hoping the smart people here might have some idea as to how to create photos in Photoshop that have a slight illustrative quality to them

like a hyper realistic drawing

the best example of this I know of is Andrew Zuckerman
120809AZ-flower.jpg

Not sure where to start in making this effect
 
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IamSam

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Hey, I have been trying to figure out the best way to accomplish this effect. Don't give up just yet.
 

Tom Mann

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The 1st attached image is a photo of a flower that I took a couple of years ago. This version has minimal processing.

The 2nd attached image is the same photo after I processed it to bring out structural detail, weak colors, etc. If this is the sort of thing you mean by "hyper-realistic" and are interested, let me know. I'll see if I still have the PSD file around and walk you through it.

Cheers,

Tom M

PS - The originals of these images are several thousand pixels wide. I down-rez'ed them to < 700 px wide for in-line display in the forum.
 

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ThirstyDursty

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If this is the sort of thing you mean by "hyper-realistic" and are interested, let me know.

thank you...but not quite.

The photo I've attached, looks like a realistic drawing done with pencil crayons or something...an amazing illustration. Rather then your example which is more like a hyper detailed and colored photo...cool...but not quite the effect I'm looking for.
 

Tom Mann

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Ahh - that's why I asked. I now understand a bit better. Let me see what else I have. I'll try to get back to you late tonight (USA east coast time).

Cheers,

Tom M
 
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Tom Mann

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Hi Thirsty -

When viewing the oeuvre of Zuckerman and reading discussions of his technique, one thing stands out to me: His best known images always use lighting techniques which tremendously reduce shadows in the subject, specifically shadows cast by one part of the subject on a different area in the subject (self-shadowing). In addition, he just about always blows out his backgrounds with other dedicated lights.

Some examples of this can be seen here:
http://www.thefstopmag.com/wp-content/uploads/080121ss_andrew_wyeth_00077.jpg
http://cdn.creativejournal.com/images/attachments/000/003/872/main.png?1368171595
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/6e/33/70/6e33705d88c28727365791ec40333ed3.jpg

One of his favorite lighting configurations to reduce self-shadowing is a beauty dish directly above the camera and a ring light below:
http://jcowiephoto.blogspot.com/2010/09/quest-for-light-andrew-zuckerman.html

Unfortunately, IMHO, if one does not start with an image lit as described above, it's going to be impossible to re-create his signature "look", using only post-processing of normally lit subjects.

OTOH, if one does not have the same lighting equipment as he uses, one can get reasonably close using a simple, inexpensive light tent, e.g., http://www.boostyourphotography.com/2014/03/light-tent.html .

high-key-flowers_1061-tjm01-acr-ps02b_690px_plus_keyline-00_just_light_tent.jpg

Of course, the difference is that in his typical setup, the light is coming from the front of the subject, whereas in a light tent, one typically has to leave the side facing the camera open (so the camera can see the subject) this means that in a light tent, the light is coming from all sides of the tent, EXCEPT from the front, so it's not perfect.

Post-processing can maybe get one a bit closer to Zuckerman's "look" by enhancing detail to compensate for the flat lighting, e.g., by reducing the lowest spatial frequencies in the image using SW such as Topaz Adjust and Topaz Detail.

high-key-flowers_1061-tjm01-acr-ps02b_690px_plus_keyline-01_add_processing.jpg

Just my $0.02,

Tom M

PS - In your 2nd post, you described the look of the example image as pencil-crayon-like. To be honest, I wouldn't describe his signature look in those terms. Rather, I think you are just seeing the lack of self-shadowing.
 

ThirstyDursty

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Thanks Tom. Much appreciated. I saw his set up for creature (animals) and it was much as you describe. He used a longish lens, presumably for safety and animal comfort.

While I don't have a ring Light, I do have a beauty dish and some softboxs, so should be able to get close.

Another forum suggested the same topaz apps and/or tone mapping to smooth gradients between.

Not sure I need to replicate it 100%...just liked it and then when I tried to do a shot...got stumped.

Here is my attempt at his style8ce8c9977bfdd0d26134dc7bd54e0aca.jpg


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Tom Mann

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Excellent!

Yes, I'm sure you will be able to get close using your beauty dish and softbox. In fact, IMHO, if you have some extra softboxes, you might want to try putting them on either side of the camera, just not for subjects (like faces) that need some shadowing on their sides to give a sensation of depth.

In addition to the advantages of a long lens that you mentioned, there is another major advantage: At a fixed f-number and fixed magnification, as one increases the focal length, the depth of field increases. Since his signature look always has a large depth of field to preserve the appearance of a traditional illustration, the long lens definitely helps in this.

BTW, one normally thinks of long lenses as throwing the background wildly out of focus (ie, much larger blur circles than shorter FL lenses). This is not a contradiction with the property I mentioned in the previous paragraph. The depth of field is measured along the optical axis whereas the diameter of blur circles are measured perpendicular to the optical axis, so they are distinct properties. Basically, with a longer lens (at constant magnification and f#) the blur circle stays small for longer as one goes to either side of the plane of best focus, but then once out of the region of best focus, the blur circles expand more quickly than those of a short FL lens (at the same mag and f#).

Let's stay in touch.

Best regards,

Tom M
 

ThirstyDursty

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Awesome! Learn something everyday...today I learned a few from you. Thank you. I'll post back my results later this week.


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Tom Mann

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We would love to see them!

Also, stop by whenever u get a chance - I'm sure there are plenty of things u could teach us!

Thanks,

Tom M
 

ThirstyDursty

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Ok
- improved lighting set-up. Think I really need 1 or two more strobe to get shadow less. Especially if I plan to expand this beyond a tiny flower. 1 beauty dish and 1 soft box on subject. One on background with barn doors.
- took 7 images and averaged them to nearly eliminate noise
- used frequency separation to smooth tones
- used Nik HDR to manipulate tone mapping
dc6c5b195bccb78a6e3916e604173e55.jpg



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ThirstyDursty

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Another attempt.

Touch up using frequency separation seems critical. Mostly in the high frequency layer as flowers are usually full of slight imperfections, hairs, dust, bugs, speculation highlights of the crystalline pedal structures.

Feel like I'm getting closer...and a realisation that Andrew Zuckerman's work must include many many hours of work on each image....and probably a few things I'm missing.
fc1fc00cb47a660bf4f730cc070b6280.jpg


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