Make Light Real

Neil November 5th, 2009

There are many facets of guided imagery. Much of it comes from how much you surround yourself with your art. That is, doing your morning pages each day, doing your artist date each week and taking your creative walks three times a week. When you constantly do this, all of a sudden, you start to hear whispers in your heart (no, not the schizo type of voices) and all of these inspirations start to naturally come to you. These are the things that will make you pick up your camera simply for the pure joy of clicking the shutter.

Get something that is near and dear to your heart: A teacup from your grandmother, a clay artpiece from your kid’s secong grade class, anything. Grasp it in your hands and sit in a quiet space in your home. Close your eyes and relax. Things will go through your mind, things not even related to what you are holding. Let all things pass through your consciousness. What you will be searching for are the stories that come in relation to that piece you are holding. The stories may not be necessarily true! It could be a story from a far off place.

The key is to write down what you saw when you are done (it only takes about 5-10 minutes, but if you can go longer… You want to remember those fantasies and then the magic begins. You start creating what’s in your heart, not someone else’s.

The Artist’s Way - Julia Cameron

The Artist’s Way Workbook - Julia Cameron

Walking in this World - Julia Cameron

Finding Water - Julia Cameron

• Comments(0)
• Creativity , Inspiration , Self Assignment , learning

Neil February 22nd, 2009

Totally funny video by Zeke

I mean Deke

Really – don’t fear the LAB Colorspace – it’s Zen beauty!!

• Comments(2)
• Color Theory , Inspiration , Photoshop Retouching , Technical , Tutorials , learning

Neil January 15th, 2009

A quick comparative set using LAB color mode and the ONE ACTION set: starting with the original file just out of raw conversion….

First we retouch the skin to taste, consider the light when you do (opensextensive skin retouch tutorial)!

After skin retouch we have a richer and more directional feel to the light.

A Black and white conversion using L*A*B* color mode for luminosity.  A very classy B+W conversion.  Once we’ve shown the client the expected results we can easily proof them something more artistic, and unexpected using Beautiful Blurs, or Lighting Overlays.

Here a basic texture file from the Bleautiful Blur Overlays – Volume 2 gives the picture a little blue juice which contrasts the warmth of the skin with a Photoshop layer mode of soft light.

the Lighting Overlays Disk 1 streaky image, gives the image a funky modern splash on the left side when I used a Photoshop Layer mode of screen.

There are two answers to why to be creative – one is from your own motivation, the other is to sell more to your clients.  With the ONE ACTION workflow you could complete this whole series in less than 3min simply saving out a JPEG at each stage.

 .  . 

• Comments(0)
• Inspiration , ONE Action , Photoshop Retouching , Real-light Overlays , Textures , Workflow , learning

Neil December 23rd, 2008

Carlos Baez “See The Light” trailer and purchase page

Just for fun for you to watch – but what I picked up in the trailer, was the speach Carlos uses in the trailer.  Catching it at 1:29 Carlos says enough to show you that it’s NOT ABOUT LIGHTING.  Too bad his DVD title is cliche, seems his approach is genuinely creative.  At 1:35 – that’s powerful relationship Carlos is using to empower his model, and is what really impressed me.  Don’t ever forget that the relationship trumps the lighting and if your subject relationship comes before anything technical you have to do.  I also found a talk-through by Carlos on the livebooks site on lighting topics – so you can get a deeper dose of his work:

liveBooks – See the Light: Fashion, Passion, and Inspiration

• Comments(2)
• Creativity , Free stuff , Inspiration , Photography Lighting , Video , audio/podcast , learning

Neil September 28th, 2008

Before flash:
 

After Flash:

• Comments Off
• Exposure , Hear the Shadows , Inspiration , Photographic Flash , Photography Lighting , Photoshop Retouching , Real-light Overlays , learning

Neil September 17th, 2008

Let me just show you a big, bold wedding ceremony entrance:

Read more to think outside the box in lighting large spaces for maximum creative impact…

• Comments(1)
• Inspiration , Photographic Flash , Photography Lighting , learning

Neil August 23rd, 2008

John Reuter shows us a basic screen-cast exploring Photoshop documents layer blending options.  As you’re learning to apply textures, or vignettes to an image for artistic or tonal effects – you should understand these options intuitively.  The best way to learn after watching this image would be to work over a couple images and utilize these different techniques to modify different portions of the tonal range.  Work on targeting the highlights, mid-tones and shadows independently as you build up your awareness and control in photoshop.

If you don’t have any files to use to mix together download one from our Free Stuff Category, or try this one.

YouTube – Layer Styles Blending with John Reuter

• Comments(0)
• Photoshop Retouching , Tutorials , Video , learning

Neil August 21st, 2008

Hi Neil, I am a wedding photographer based in Tunbridge Wells, England and have just had the pleasure of looking through some of your amazing photography! I really loved the images from the above wedding and was interested to find out what software you use to get that unique look on some of your images.  I am looking for a good ‘filters’ package to give my images some individuality and so would really appreciate your feedback.

I’m grateful for you interest in my work. I was teaching in the UK back in June and joined the BPPA.  I hope my work continues to take me around the world. I’m disappointed to tell you that no filter set will help you achieve a unique look – in fact quite the opposite will occur….I’ve a strong opinion on this, so sorry if I come off well – opinionated!

You can listen to some of my theories from my creative journal, try out: http://makelightreal.com/blue-photoshop-tutorial/ as a start.

You’ll find that my philosophy is to approach each image as a blank canvas, respond to the elements and develop the picture to the highest emotional state I feel possible. Some images receive careful raw conversion for color and contrast, but no more alteration:

Some receive a greater amount of attention, usually to help get at the emotion/effect I’m feeling:

Much of it simply has to do with basic doge and burn, which accomplish with a simple workflow that operates in lab color mode: http://makelightreal.com/one-action-photoshop-workflow-tutorial/ So the premise of my action set is to make the basics of art theory/color theory as close to possible to my fingertips to be able to reach for the tool, and have it as close to my subconscious artistic mind as possible.

The trouble with filters are they encourage you to push a button instead of stretch your inner vision abilities

The goal I reach for in my photoshop workflow actions, is the quickness to achieve the look that resonates with my heart – but also avoid the pitfall of escaping from true artistic resonance.  Let me just type out the inner dialog that might occur when I open an image into my workflow.  First off as I open an image, I’m often distracted from the focal point and emotional resonance by some feature in the photo, most often the response is to doge down (darken that element) – this is one of the biggest reasons I work in L*A*B* as you need to dodge to color.  Removing a distracting element is a negative action, so I will often look next at what needs to come out – or be highlighted – in positive response.  The automated adjustment layers in the ONE Actionset are not the solution, they are a starting point that is at my fingertip to customize.  As I open the layer I seek the specific curve that blends with the rest of the picture and resonates with the artistic vibe in that picture. Or I do one of a number of advanced curve adjustments that do everything from smoothing freckles to polarizing areas of the tonal scale.  This pause is not bad, it’s cause for careful reflection.  The adjustment layers can interact with texture layers, vignette layers, and be re-ordered to refine and define your intended result.  

The goal for the ONE Actionset is to put reflection without distraction at your fingertips.

Tao 46
There is no greater calamity

Than not knowing what is enough.

• Comments(0)
• How To: , Motivation , ONE Action , Photoshop Retouching , Technical , Tutorials , learning

Neil July 31st, 2008

Howard Gardner, who developed the theory of multiple intelligences, joins Kurt and Sarah on stage for a session of free advice. He analyzes audience members’ big life-changing moments, and gets Sarah to fess up about how her impersonation skills came in handy when playing hooky from high school.  Tell your story about life change decision on the Studio 360 website.

The theory of multiple intelligences was what empowered me to change my life – it was thrilling to hear the interview with Howard Gardner.  I was studying Biology: Systems Ecology when I realized I couldn’t force myself to pass chemistry.  I was also doing more rock climbing than studying.  When I was exposed to the theory of multiple intelligences it gave me the freedom to realize that I was visually oriented to the world, as well as kinetically.  It made way more sense than trying to force myself to study something for a career.  It felt so natural, when I heard complements like ‘your climbing looks like a ballerina!’ and I could accept as intelligence the compulsion to make things beautiful.  The simple truth of it fit like a glove.

So I dropped the Bio major and went to declare an art major.  Despite the skepticism of the art professor taking my application to start an art major in my Junior year of college - I had been shooting and printing my own black and white prints in the Science department’s unused darkroom – and I got in.  

It kinda proves the theory – that I could shoot and print my work without being taught.

So thanks Mr. Gardner – it was really fun to hear your voice and discernment.

• Comments(0)
• Inspiration , learning

Neil July 18th, 2008

My thanks go out to the Professional Photographers of Ontario for hosting a wonderful half day workshop for their members with me as their speaker at the Ashbridges Bay Yacht club in Toronto.

I was able to present to the group a motivational lecture, an on-location shoot, and an image review and quick post processing example after dinner.  However to extend your experience, I’m going to provide you with some original Canon 1Ds raw files shot that day to try your hand at lab color mode post processing, as well as altering the mood of the photo with a lighting overlay image you can download from the Create Cart:

Have a brand new free texture from me as you check out from the cart – there are a few more free ones and several sets of high resolution texture and lighting files if you are interested.

Now on to the full raw file downloads:

Download Test file one (13mb Canon CR2 raw file): Blue background accentuated by a tungsten gelled main flash, if you weren’t there you can download this screen cast movie file to learn to process your files for rich and vibrant blues : or view this post page on photoshop manipulating the blue in images.  This image would be a fun one to try out the texture – if you try it – post a link in the comments to your blog page, flickr page, or other way to see your results. In this image we use the principles of Make Light Real:

• provide a clear subject – by making the subject brighter than the background
• create compelling color and contrast – by altering the flash color temperature with a gel to warm it
• compose the unexpected – I waited until the boat was in the right place to add the added ’story line’ to the photo

Download Test file two (13mb Canon CR2 raw file): another gelled image of the model on the rock, this is would be a great candidate for the lighting overlay you downloaded from above.

Download Test file three (13mb Canon CR2 raw file): a strong test of balancing the very dark nigerian model with the bright summer sky on the lakefront.

Have your fun with these images and post your versions to the comments and I’ll do my photoshop edits and post back in about a week.

• Comments(2)
• Free stuff , Hear the Shadows , Inspiration , Motivation , Photography Lighting , Photoshop Retouching , Real-light Overlays , Tutorials , Workshop , learning