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.
. 
. 
Neil December 19th, 2008
Here’s a personal introduction for the Golden Touch Series
The Golden Touch package of products is my contribution to a holistic method of thinking and experimenting with a particular style of images/imagery. The core training piece is a 720p HD training video that is my creative brainstorm + technical tips + workflow tricks + guided meditation. I think it’s a unique experience and tremendous value at a running time of 1h. The video training is my most hardcore advice on powerful color correcting tips that push color theory to the max; daily workflow advice from a guy who processes a few thousand images a week; to heartfelt searching and receiving inspiration. I believe this set of tools will pay you back 10 times your investment as you incorporate the golden look into your artistry.
The Golden Touch Series:
Coming soon as a followup – the Vintage package
Neil December 4th, 2008
Following in the footsteps of my retouching tutorials:
I know these are written to a more abstract level and so today I’d like to provide a more hands-on experience and so I have posted this L*A*B* colorspace photoshop file for you to download. There are eleven layers in this file, from the starting image, on up through the finished look.
Let’s dig in
…illuminate your understanding with more…
- Creativity , Hear the Shadows , How To: , Inspiration , ONE Action , Photoshop Retouching , Real-light Overlays , Self Assignment , Technical , Textures , Tutorials
Neil September 23rd, 2008
ONE LIGHTROOM: preset for core workflow
Use the backbone single preset/calibration/baseline starting point for Neil’s custom ONE ACTION workflow, and don’t bother going all the way to Photoshop. Custom dodging and burning can now be done in Lightroom, so if you’re just working in Lightroom start out with the color clarity and expression of Neil’s preset.
The Lightroom preset package includes an XMP file for use with Camera Raw as a preset template or camera calibration to save as a Camera Raw default – which is the same way it should be used in Lightroom.
For best results, apply this preset to all your images, and then progress to standard color correction adjustments of exposure, white balance, and curves. The preset will not alter your color temperature or exposure, but will tweak the host of other settings to bring clarity and a finer balance to your images.
Neil May 23rd, 2008
I’m posting a friendly notice that I’ll be starting a reading discussion on Josef Alber’s “Interaction of Color” a masterwork of twentieth -century art education. If you’ve been missing the smell of rubber cement since art-school, or would like to struggle through some experiential learning about color buy the book through amazon or your local store. You’ll also need a set of colored papers you’ll need for the excercises, here’s a set of colors we can all work from as a group and you can pick up while you’re at amazon.
We’ll start the posts in the second week of June.
I look forward to gaining some understanding with you.
fan this site
