DSS #24 - Could really use some feedback

anonymouscubananonymouscuban Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 4,586 Major grins
edited May 1, 2009 in The Dgrin Challenges
So based on my previous post, I am trying to emulate Andrzej Dragan's very dark and moody style of portraiture, which over the past week or so I have found to be an impossible task.

I first tried shooting a few self portraits, which really helped to practice the PP technique but really failed at getting the context of his images. I hoping this picture has capture the essence of Dragan's work but with a bit of me in it as well.

I'd really appreciate any feedback that you can give me. Here is the final image and the original I started with for comparison.

EDIT...

I did some more work on the image based on some of the feedback you guys have provided. I brought out some of detail in his clothing and I also cut back just a bit on the facial highlights.

So which one, the first or the second?

524564527_VC6uR-XL.jpg525270955_yYGBy-XL.jpg

Original Image:

523925435_vH8FH-XL.jpg
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Comments

  • KatmitchellKatmitchell Banned Posts: 1,548 Major grins
    edited April 29, 2009
    Super
    This looks like you hand painted it.......

    This is a winner in my opinion..clap.gif You sure have been busy... I remember your original posts and they were good, but this one blows those away..

    You would be crazy not to enter this work. It is awesome.. you simply must share how you pulled this off after the voting is closed..please...

    Is this mostly light work? I mean it looks like a painting and it has superb 3-d depth to it.. Your choice of colors here are in perfect contrast..

    I immediately thought of Doug Lindstrand.. I own a lot of his print work.
    He is a photographer who sketches what he shoots..He works on Alaskan culture and wildlife and

    if you go to this link and scroll down to

    "First Snow"

    http://douglindstrand.com/alaskan_sketches.htm

    this is what your Photo brought to my mind immediately.. He used to photograph and sketch old miners in Alaska..

    Awesome Job..

    Kat
  • dlplumerdlplumer Registered Users Posts: 8,081 Major grins
    edited April 30, 2009
    I can't comment on how well it emulates Dragan, but I can say that I absolutely love it. iloveyou.gifclap.gifclap.gifclap.gif It looks like an HDR; is it.

    Dan
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  • anonymouscubananonymouscuban Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 4,586 Major grins
    edited April 30, 2009
    Thanks guys. I will definitely share how I did this at the close of voting. This was my third attempt with this image and I am happy how it turned out. It is not lighting and also not HDR. I did this using some actions in PS and layer masks.

    I posted the original image in my first post so you can compare.
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  • CWSkopecCWSkopec Registered Users Posts: 1,325 Major grins
    edited April 30, 2009
    Nice job on the processing, Cuban!! thumb.gif

    Only nit I have, the highlights on the nose, cheekbones and over the eyes look a little too bright. I've looked at Dragan's work before, but not closely enough to know if that's a distinct characteristic of his work. They are a bit distracting at the moment... if you could tone them down just a bit, I think it would really help!
    Chris
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  • anonymouscubananonymouscuban Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 4,586 Major grins
    edited April 30, 2009
    Thanks. Good feedback. I still have time to work on it so I will try toning those highlights down. I aslo did no work on his vest so there is no detail showing. I need to pull some of the detail from his vest out.
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  • FlyingginaFlyinggina Registered Users Posts: 2,639 Major grins
    edited April 30, 2009
    Great job turning a nice portrait into a show stopper. I absolutely love the PP.

    Virginia
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  • AngryRedAngryRed Registered Users Posts: 56 Big grins
    edited April 30, 2009
    Great job. I'd love to know more about your technique when the contest is over. Please share.
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  • anonymouscubananonymouscuban Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 4,586 Major grins
    edited April 30, 2009
    Everyone... thanks for the feedback. I have incorporated it into my latest revision of the image. I edited my original post to make it easier to look at both images side by side.

    Let me know which one of the two images you like best and if there is anything else I can do to improve it. One thing that would be helpful is to check on your monitor if you see any artifacts in the background. I don't see any on mine but you may on yours.

    Thanks.

    Alex
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  • dlplumerdlplumer Registered Users Posts: 8,081 Major grins
    edited April 30, 2009
    Even better. thumb.gif Now, you might as well blacken out the rest of the chair.
    Dan
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  • anonymouscubananonymouscuban Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 4,586 Major grins
    edited May 1, 2009
    dlplumer wrote:
    Even better. thumb.gif Now, you might as well blacken out the rest of the chair.

    You mean the plastic chair doesn't add interest to the picture? headscratch.gif
    "I'm not yelling. I'm Cuban. That's how we talk."

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  • KatmitchellKatmitchell Banned Posts: 1,548 Major grins
    edited May 1, 2009
    Great Job
    Love the new vest work, it adds depth and texture; and nice job on the face and brightening up those eyes. I was worried that by toning down the face it would make it too flat,, but you left just enough highlight and pulled it off nicely... great job and very competitive.thumb.gifthumb

    Kat
  • KevXmanKevXman Registered Users Posts: 945 Major grins
    edited May 1, 2009
    Wow! Absolutely fabulous. The second try with the detail in the vest is the one I'd go with. Don't really have any coments other than agreeing about working on the chair some. Then again, if there is no chair at all be sure to make sure that he doesn't look like he's just floating. Fade the edge of the pant to black some? Don't know without seeing it. Nice work!
    — Kevin
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