Kato Posted February 28, 2016 Report Share Posted February 28, 2016 People are asking for advice, tips, tricks, etc., so here we go with all of that. Rather than ramble on, the best thing to do is for someone to ask a question or questions, and I'll answer them. Makes it easier for me, and directly answers the questions. It'll also save me the pain of my arthritis, I won't have to do a lot of typing all at once. First off, the simplest thing to explain...camera choice. There's no such thing as "good" or "bad", if the desired result is a photo, then anything called "camera" will perform. Even a cell phone camera can produce good results if you have the right settings, environment, light, etc.. Canon-v-Nikon...don't buy into that nonsense debate. Both brands do exactly what the other does, they technical stuff may be different but they both produce great photos. Raw-v-jpg...don't buy into that debate either. You've seen some of my photos, and if I do say so myself they're excellent. I shoot primarily jpg, and have never had any issues doing so. I shoot raw occasionally, when I feel the urge, but it's not a necessity. If the camera has a lens, and a shutter button, that's all you need. I have a lot of photographer friends, and we all shoot different brands. Sony, Canon, Nikon, etc., and we all produce photographs. Some aren't as good as others, but that could be simply a matter of experience and skill. The camera doesn't have anything to do with that. Editing is important, you can take a mediocre photo and make it better with the right kind of processing. Clarity, lighting, color, sharpness, etc., are all things that you want to "get right' in-camera, but they're also things that can be created in processing. You should be able to cruise through programs like Photoshop, Paint Shop Pro, Zoner Photo Studio, Lightroom, etc.. I have a lot of photo editing software and I can use all of it easily. They all do basically the same thing, Paint Shop Pro will do the same things as Photoshop, but Photoshop will allow you a greater depth. Lightroom will do the same things, but it can also do a lot more if you use it right. Lighting is very important. With the proper lighting you can do a lot with your photos. Take for example the recent "low-light" drill photos. The low-light effect was achieved, but it would have been better and easier to shoot the subject against a black background with good lighting, and make adjustments in editing for achieve the low-light effect. Better detail and clarity would have been seen, and the color tones would be better. Not saying the photos aren't nice, but in my perspective regardless of the desired effect, I still want to see the true colors and details of the tools. Low-key as well as high-key photography takes the right kind of light, the right kind of environment, to be pulled off good. If I was going to do this type of photo I'd do it where I had the best lighting, maybe the bathroom. The bathroom typically has brighter lighting, and it's more uniform lighting because it's in a confined space. Unless you're a millionaire and you have one of those bathrooms that's the size of my house. I posted this photo in the chat... December 20 003 by Edward Durbin, on Flickr ...to show what a low-key photo can look like. This was shot with a single flash, which filled the room with light. All I did was shoot a typical product shot, on a black background, and then make simple adjustments in processing to give the effect of low light. This is anther example, although not as "dark" it still gives off the effect of having dimmer light... December 13 001 by Edward Durbin, on Flickr As a comparison, here is another shot on the same type of background, only it's "brighter"... April 13 004 by Edward Durbin, on Flickr Same type of background, same exact one-flash method, but different results due to processing adjustments. Stuff like this is easy, and even if you don't have equipment you can still get the same results. Let's say you're using your cell phone, turn the flash on if it has one, and put a spoon under it to direct the light into the room instead of at the subject. I'm going to grab my cameras and cell phone and do some "test" shots to show you what kind of results you can get with a spoon and cell phone. Okay, that's it for now, my hands are getting numb. Please ask questions, I love babbling about photography. Well, I actually like babbling about anything that I know a lot about, photography, astronomy, martial arts, knives, etc.. But we're talking photography here, so ask away. I will answer as many questions as I can, if I don't know an answer I'll research the question. Hopefully this can develop into a good resource for anyone looking for photo advice, tips, tricks, etc.. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comp56 Posted February 28, 2016 Report Share Posted February 28, 2016 thanks for this I am sure it will help many people....with their photography endeavors....I have always dabbled in photography for many years but usually not much better than entry level. The biggest achievement for me with photography was having a camera or 2 around and one of my kids getting the bug early and has become quite the photographer. Although she grew up and became a dentist her love of photography has grown from her asking me questions when she was 8 years old to me asking her questions......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kato Posted February 28, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2016 You and everyone else is welcome. If you have any questions let me know. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KnarlyCarl Posted February 28, 2016 Report Share Posted February 28, 2016 This is generous of you, very cool! Do you have an example of before and after processing and the explanation of what you did to the photo? Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kato Posted February 28, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2016 I can dig out the original photos and show a before/after, just give me a little time to find the photos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unclebud Posted February 28, 2016 Report Share Posted February 28, 2016 Thanks for all your time staring this thread Kato Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kato Posted February 28, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2016 I have to assume that most of the gibberish coming out of me is stuff that people already know. How to use photo editing software to make adjustments. If not, if my terminology evades please say so, I can explain what editing steps are and how to use them. I will be using Paint Shop Pro X2 for most of the photo stuff, but if you need specifics in Photoshop, Lightroom, etc., just let me know. I can run those and do screenshots no problem, I'm very well-versed in most of the editing software that exists these days. The Mustang was basically created that way in-camera. I adjusted the flash output lower and lower until I got the effect I wanted. But, the same results can be had by shooting a bright photo and adjusting it in processing. The easiest thing to do is duplicate the layer and change the layer properties to "multiply", this will drop the overall exposure of the shot. From there you can adjust the opacity of the duplicate layer to suit your needs. I raised the exposure of this example to show what the results will look like. Stating with the original, you duplicate the layer by going to "Layers" then "Duplicate". You then go to the layer properties drop-down and choose "Multiply". If it's too dark you can fine-tune by using the opacity slider. These steps can be enough to create a low-key effect, but you may want to fine-tune the brightness of the subject or change the color saturation or clarity. And...this would all be way easier for me if I had a "preview' so I could see what the stuff I'm typing looks like. But for now, I'll suffer through... 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kato Posted February 28, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2016 To do more fine-tuning, or to get a different effect, you can use the Histogram. This will allow a greater amount of adjustment, and give you the ability to fine-tune different areas of the photo. Again, duplicate the layer, then select the Histogram. To make the background darker, grab the slider on the left and drag it to the right... There is a broad range of adjustment with the Histogram, you can move the sliders around to see what happens. Plus, with the duplicate layer, you can make the Histogram adjustments, then change the opacity of the layer to get even more fine-tuning. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kato Posted February 28, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2016 I was using Photoshop before it was Photoshop, so I have a tiny bit of skill with it. I prefer Paint Shop Pro though, it has a much better interface, you can customize the workspace to suit your needs. My workspace is designed so that the tools I use the most are on the toolbar, so everything is one click away. Streamlines the whole process. I use Photoshop from time to time, when necessity calls for it. I also use Lightroom, Elements, Zoner, etc.. I have enough photo programs to choke a horse Layers are handy because you're creating non-destructive edits, you can delete a layer any time you want without harming the original file. Plus, you can toggle the layers so you can see what effects are happening, instead of constantly going to the "undo" feature. Brightness/contrast adjustments are nice but they won't accomplish the same effects as the Histogram or what "multiply" will do. Plus, you can get a better brightness adjustment by using a duplicate layer then changing the layer properties to "screen". It gives you basically the same effect as raising the exposure. Plus, again, with the opacity slider you can fine-tune the effect a ton. To achieve a black background without an actual black background, just use a dark room and keep your subject farther away from anything in the background. This will make it easier to darken things in processing. What your subject sits on, in your case the carpet, isn't a big deal, if it shows it shows. But, keeping the subject farther from anything in the background will make it easier to edit that stuff out and make the background cleaner. You don't want everything to disappear, you don't want your subject to appear to be floating. Having some foreground/background is good just to show placement. With your shots it's not so much the overall lighting but also the color tones and noise. Having better light means you can control other aspects better. Using actual low light introduces issues, when you try to up the ISO or drag the exposure you add more noise to the photo, and the camera won't see true color. Give me a few minutes to find a suitable subject and I'll take a few example photos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kato Posted February 28, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2016 To start off, here is the difference when using on-board flash. Without any assistance the flash will "blind" the subject, this is why you get red eye, and why you get a photo flooded with light. It's not uniform and it's too bright. Doing something silly, and simple, like adding a spoon into the equation, and your light is much better. Here is an example using a paracord keychain I made... No spoon, direct light from on-board flash... Adding a spoon under the flash to direct the light into the room instead of at the subject... Now, the one thing needed is to boost the exposure, because when you direct the light it creates a dimmer photo. This is easy to fix by duplicating the layer and changing the layer properties to "screen". it'll boost the overall exposure without killing detail or blowing highlights. You can also add fill light or adjust clarity to give a more pleasing subject. With this example all I did was duplicate the layer and change the layer properties to "screen" twice, then add a little bit of fill light. After these initial adjustments, I can do anything I want, like adjust color or saturation, adjust sharpness, etc.. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kato Posted February 28, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2016 Another way to edit is to use the Histogram to make lighting adjustments. This is done with a simple Histogram adjustment... Basically the same results, improving the exposure, but a different method. It needs more adjustment if you want it brighter, but you can get the idea. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kato Posted February 28, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2016 Knowing the principles of good lighting, you can create virtually any effect in-camera. "Get it right in camera" and it's much easier to edit the photo the way you want it. So, I take a shot with nice, even lighting, and I can do what I want in processing after that. For this example I use the Histogram, making a "brightness" adjustment. The colors change slightly, but with a finished photo you wouldn't know the difference. Plus, you can make it look how you want with other processing 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kato Posted February 28, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2016 Replacing the background is dependent on what's in the background. You can use Topaz ReMask or just use the paint tool. If you don't mind spending the time doing it that is, sometimes it's a tedious job. And, depending on what type of background you have, methods are fairly easy. For a plain background, like black or white, you can use the Histogram to get true black or true white. For black, you're grabbing the left slider and moving it to the right, then using the middle point you're going to bring your subject back up. For white, it's the opposite, you use the right slider, then the middle. Either way you get true white or true black without hurting the subject. Everything either slides to the left or to the right. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kato Posted February 28, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2016 For an actual background, it's harder depending on what the background is. Typically instead of removing it just try to isolate it. Give me a few minutes to put something together for an example Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kato Posted February 28, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2016 So, a rough example using a car photo. If I wanted to showcase the car, I'd just separate it from the background instead of trying to remove the background. It makes a better portrayal if you know the car is in a shop. Anyhoo, To separate the background the first thing I do is work on getting the car to look the way I want it to. I do a simple Histogram adjustment to brighten the car and give the background a little boost, so that lighting looks uniform. Then I duplicate the layer and apply Gaussian blur. This example is at 100% to show the results, but I'd adjust layer opacity and work the photo a bit more so that the background looked blended out instead of dropped out. The good thing about this photo is that I can low-key it easily, by duplicating the layer and changing the layer properties to "multiply" or by using Histogram adjustments. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Logan Posted February 28, 2016 Report Share Posted February 28, 2016 Thanks for the good tips Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kato Posted February 28, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2016 Background tricks. Shot this one in my backyard. Had to clone out the fence, isolate the subject, sharpen, etc.. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kato Posted February 28, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2016 You can do that type of "blur" on any photo, but it's better to use a wide aperture, it gives a better transition. These were shot with a wide aperture, so even close-up or with other objects close to the subject, the subject stands out... July 03 2015 003 by Edward Durbin, on Flickr July 12 2015 004 by Edward Durbin, on Flickr 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kato Posted February 28, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2016 I won't lie, it takes a fair amount of skill and a good eye, it's not all camera and lens. You can take a great photo and have it ruined by not having the right elements in focus. Shoot a beautiful portrait of a beautiful woman, but her eyes are out of focus...blows the whole thing But, the right gear can make a difference, so it's part gear and part person behind the gear 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kato Posted February 28, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2016 Okay, shoebox photo. I didn't edit the results when I did this, it's all lighting. I used an external flash, but with the right angle you can use the on-board flash and a spoon (or other shiny reflector). All I did was shoot the subject, then crop the photo to eliminate the shoebox. Same thing can be accomplished with a larger box and white paper, or a larger box and using white spray paint to coat the inside. And, if you want dark backgrounds, spray it black. Shoebox 002 by Edward Durbin, on Flickr Shoebox 001 by Edward Durbin, on Flickr 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimboS1ice Posted February 29, 2016 Report Share Posted February 29, 2016 Should send you a picture of mine to play with it has a little wear on it you might be able to have fun eith Jimbo Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KnarlyCarl Posted February 29, 2016 Report Share Posted February 29, 2016 This is very cool protool, I like how it turned out! You got your low light look! Kato I hope this in return brings you more photography work, I'm highly enjoying this thread. Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimboS1ice Posted February 29, 2016 Report Share Posted February 29, 2016 Hello Jimbo! My brother is pretty much the king when it comes to fixing damage on photo's. The kind of work I am doing with photoshop is enhancing, tweaking photo's. The most complicated thing I've ever done with photoshop was take the picture of my xbox360 when it was brand new, and I placed it onto a picture of clouds in the sky. Then placed the controllers on each side, and had a message on it saying, your prayers answered. lol Maybe I should post that here so you can see what I did with Photoshop 10 years ago I wasn't thinking of correcting damage but more of highlighting the wear if that makes sense. Jimbo Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimboS1ice Posted February 29, 2016 Report Share Posted February 29, 2016 OK, well PM me your picture and tell me what you want and I will see if I can handle that for you. Nah I don't want anything dude just seeing if you wanted something to mess around with that's all dude, is rather your efforts go to some sexy tattooed chick pictures! Jimbo Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stercorarius Posted February 29, 2016 Report Share Posted February 29, 2016 Loving the pics Protool and Kato 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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