How to get this effect?

[ASC]

Hey people, I recently came across a picture that was taking in Birmingham (UK) town centre, I love the PP work thats been done in this image, and I was wondering if anyone could possibly give me links to tutorials (or make 1) on how to get the same PP effect done in this image:

Image 1


Image 2



I love the PP work that's been done im them pictures, I'm guessing the 1st one is done def in Photoshop, and 2nd maybe even done in Lightroom with a preset?

Also I LOVE!!! Photography Adam Alex's PP work on his images, I have no idea how long he or his editor must spend on applying effects to their images but check them out on this link:

Image gallery | Xsight

The 1st image is amazing!!! I went to a Photography event (Focus On Imaging) where he showed the before and after, and that 1st picture in his gallery with the woman standing infront of the building with arches, and the building was actually a bright Yellow colour so obv alot of PP has been done. But tutorials on similar PP style to Adam Alex would be great..

Links/Tips/Tutorials/Video's

Anything would be great guys

Thanks in advance.


p.s. If there is a particular type of name for any of the effects you see whether its from the pictures i uploaded, or Adam Alex website, I would really appreciate if you could name them so I can do abit more research into them. Thank you!

 

[Steve]

It looks like HDR but with additional manipulation. not straight HDR.

 

[ASC]

Are there any decent tutorials you know of which can accomplish similar effects ?

 

[iDad]

I think you may find interest in this
Topaz Photoshop Plug-In Bundle

 

[ASC]

Thanks iDad, I'll look into that... Have you ever done anything similar to the images posted above?

 

[iDad]

yes I have using that same program along with CS3/4 maybe 5, well not a city overview but this photo depicts the detail in a similar way

 

[ASC]

Do you think the second image is also been done with HDR effects? Or possibly a standard preset in Lightroom maybe.

 

[iDad]

looking at it in it's present form it's impossible to tell what was used topaz and hrd about 1 minute apiece
bottom one original there are hundreds of setting these are very minimum

 

[Tony Giap]

wow you guys are good

 

[ASC]

Thanks again for the info iDad appreciate it

 

[iDad]

your welcome, seriously give that program a shot it's worth every penny and what I just showed you can have the look of what your looking for If you spend more time on them..Good luck

 

[ASC]

Yeah, I will do

I'll probs post some pictures from Adam Alex's website. His PP on his images are some of the best i've ever seen!! I'll post some images from there tomorrow, would love to know what type of effects, plug-in's etc u guys think he has used.

 

[ASC]

I know this is a Photoshop forum but do you think: Photomatix Pro, is a good software to use for HDR photo's? Check this youtube video out the end result is very very similar to the 1st pic i uploaded in this thread:

 

[Steve]

Photomatrix is an excellent tone mapping program.

Photoshop finally did something to address tone mapping in PS_CS5 with it's version of HDR Pro.
It's pretty good but Photomatrix is considered better.

 

[ASC]

Thanks Steve, I think I might give Photomatrix a try.. I think i read somewhere that it can be used as a plug-in within Photoshop.. Is that so?

EDIT: I'll be posting the picture's I want to know more about from Adam Alex website tomorrow

 

[Steve]

I think i read somewhere that it can be used as a plug-in within Photoshop.. Is that so?

Yes, that's true but you need to understand the difference between HDR and Tonal Mapping.
An hdr image is an image processed in such a way as to to combine usually 3 or more exposures into a 32 bit, (sometimes) 16 bit image that combines all of the shadow and highlight data of all of the images, in one hdr image.

This hdr image by itself is useless without tonal mapping which compresses the extremes of the hdr image into a merged LDR image.

PS has long been able to create an HDR image, that is combine the highlight and shadow data of 3 or 5 or more exposures into 1 HDR 32 bit document.

What PS couldn't do until CS5 was tonal mapping, which is combine the highlight and shadow detail back into a Low Dynamic Range image, an extremely compressed image where the shadows and highlights are all seen in the same image.

This is what we commonly refer to as an HDR image, which is a very misleading term.

Photomatrix Pro does it all.
It combines the multiple exposures and then lets you do the tonal mapping.
With the plug in you use PS to perform the HDR process and then use the plug-in for the tone mapping.

I don't do much HDR so I have the plug-in.
If I were to do it again I would get Photomatrix Pro but either one works.

 

[ASC]

Thanks for clearing that up Steve appreciate it

Here's a few of Adam Alex's pictures that i LOVE! The PP work on some of them are amazing!!! If anyone would give an idea to how he edited each picture that'd be great!

Image 1


Image 2


Image 3


Image 4


Image 5


Sorry about posting so many lol, can't help it when u see his images you can't stop wondering "how" he does it! lol. I had a quick word with him at a recent photography event here in the UK, and he mentioned that he has some links in India who process his images for him for $1!!!!! lol

 

[ASC]

Anyone...?

 

[Steve]

That's some beautiful work.
The way you pose the question implies a simple 4 or 5 step answer
Do this, that, and that and that's how it's done.
Also they're not all processed the same either.

First of all these photos were posed and composed with to look the way they do.
Dramatic lighting, wide angle lens shooting up on the buildings, etc., were all planned out in advance.

In Photoshop these images like the first ones you posted were tinted to some degree, and darkened for effect.
Some are desaturated slightly.

I found an image and played around a bit.
Here's before and after.
I used Curves, Selective Color, Hue & Saturation, and Photo Filter adjustment layers.

 

[Renee Nobles Fender]

Looks like a straight HDR in my opinion, the first one at least with curves manipulated to make it a little more subtle than some HDRs I've seen.