Eyes: DSS #120 Selective Color

Troy RaymondTroy Raymond Registered Users Posts: 171 Major grins
edited January 15, 2013 in The Dgrin Challenges
I cannot express how much I love these challenges. With my busy work schedule its about the only time I pick up a camera... when I do get the chance. I have missed many that I really wanted to participate in.

Finally able to talk my wife into modeling again, she wrapped a fur scarf around her head. :rofl Also gave me a chance to try a new reflector. This is the result.

IMG_6632_bw-XL.jpg

Comments

  • dniednie Users Awaiting Email Confirmation Posts: 1,351 Major grins
    edited January 13, 2013
    Gorgeous....
    I like the detail of the fur wrap, the fact that I can see the shimmer of her makeup around her eye... which helps to pull me into the color of the eyes. I love it.
    Donna

    My SmugMug
  • billseyebillseye Registered Users Posts: 847 Major grins
    edited January 13, 2013
    What I like about this, Troy, is how the B&W plus the cool tones of the blue eyes really emphasizes the impression that it's really cold outside. I suspect the full color image might not convey "cold" nearly so well. Nice work!
    Bill Banning

    Check out billseye photos on SmugMug
  • JennJenn Registered Users Posts: 1,009 Major grins
    edited January 13, 2013
    Troy Raymond wrote: »
    I cannot express how much I love these challenges. With my busy work schedule its about the only time I pick up a camera... when I do get the chance. I have missed many that I really wanted to participate in.

    Finally able to talk my wife into modeling again, she wrapped a fur scarf around her head. rolleyes1.gif Also gave me a chance to try a new reflector. This is the result.

    That fur scarf looks so warm! Nice photo, like always. :)
    Jenn (from Oklahoma)
    Panasonic Lumix 10x DMC-TZ3 :photo
    Leica Mega O.I.S./28mm WIDE :smile6
  • PedalGirlPedalGirl Registered Users Posts: 794 Major grins
    edited January 14, 2013
    This is awesome, Troy.
    Pho-tog-ra-pher (n) 1. One who practices photography 2. one obsessed with capturing life with their camera. 3. One who eats, sleeps and breathes photographs. 4. One who sees the world in 4x6.
    www.lisaspeakmanphotography.com
  • cbbrcbbr Registered Users Posts: 755 Major grins
    edited January 14, 2013
    Beautiful shot - very well done.
    Chad - www.brberrys.com
    If I post it, please tell me how to make it better. My fragile ego can take it.
  • kentwallerkentwaller Registered Users Posts: 158 Major grins
    edited January 14, 2013
    like it very much - nice comp!
    http://kentwaller.smugmug.com
  • PhilD41PhilD41 Registered Users Posts: 171 Major grins
    edited January 14, 2013
    Wow, I am thinking you should pick up your camera a little more often. This is fabulous!! Well done!!
    -~= Philip =~-
    Go Shoot Something Already! - Flickr Photostream
    Have you performed a few Random Acts of Parenting today? :)
  • Troy RaymondTroy Raymond Registered Users Posts: 171 Major grins
    edited January 14, 2013
    Thank You everyone for the compliments! I've been finishing up a few projects so I can play with my camera more this year. I've been studying and adapting my techniques for photographing people the last couple of years. Still need a few more tools... but things are looking positive. Maybe someday I'll make money at this...

    As far as being cold, we're back in the teens again today. My wife wears the scarf around the house too, guess she likes it. :D I really like how the editing worked out on the fur, so I'll be buying several yards to play with.

    Here is the color image.

    IMG_6632_-L.jpg
  • PhilD41PhilD41 Registered Users Posts: 171 Major grins
    edited January 14, 2013
    With results like that I am sure you will be able to. I hope to one day as well, but I have a long road to travel to get there. I would love to hear about some of the changes you are making. Who knows, it may save me from falling into the same things.
    -~= Philip =~-
    Go Shoot Something Already! - Flickr Photostream
    Have you performed a few Random Acts of Parenting today? :)
  • Troy RaymondTroy Raymond Registered Users Posts: 171 Major grins
    edited January 15, 2013
    PhilD41 wrote: »
    I would love to hear about some of the changes you are making. Who knows, it may save me from falling into the same things.
    Adapting my techniques? I've been editing photos for a very long time, knowing how I am expecting to edit determines how I create the photo. I shoot only with a single flash and reflectors for now, but would like to have 3 flashes, does that make me a strobist?

    It's taken a long time to learn to control the light and how each texture, such as fur, will look using different light. Getting the most from the fur and an evenly light face was a little tricky to say the least. Envisioning the image, understanding the light and knowing my editing limits help in post processing.

    I have never limited myself to just one program, even though photoshop can do it all, there are other programs that can do certain things more efficiently, it's up to you to explore. This image is one photo edited many different ways, all various edits combined in photoshop with layer blending.

    For those of you that may understand and would like to know how it was created, I've detailed the process below.

    Converted RAW with Digital Photo Professional (to me this does a better job converting and allows batch processing), and slightly increase the sharpening under the RGB tab (found about 140 to be good all around) then open in Photoshop. Photoshop CS3 plugin Portrait Professional Studio to smooth skin and enhance eyes/lips, keeping face manipulation very low... I highlighted the fur and used 'hair smoothing' in the same program. Then... saved the image and opened it in Dynamic Photo HDR to enhance the fur to be more dramatic. Then saved (saturation and vivid must be kept at the bottom or it will not look real, also, upon opening a single image you can choose Real or Pseudo, Real has more options and less noise). Copy and paste the HDR file over the other still open in photoshop and layer blend so the edited face shows through using a larger blurry brush. (making the HDR face invisible) The blurry brush is most useful for not having to select areas to edit, the soft blend makes the transition invisible and is a great time saver. Save the full color version, then used plugin Topaz Labs B/W Effects to convert to Black and White. Once back in photoshop click the box next to the previous edit in the History window, this will activate the History brush, (one edit back the image is still full color) Then simply use the History Brush to paint the blue back in the eyes, using a blurry brush of course.

    I may have lost many of you in the last paragraph. eek7.gif:D

    This would be my normal editing for most photos, and doesn't take very long once you get the hang of it. I should also note, the plugins used are available as stand along programs too.

    EDIT: I forgot to add more detail on the lighting. Two 42" reflectors. I shot the flash through a translucent reflector camera upper left and reflected bottom right of the camera with a silver reflector. Shooting through created a weird almost star effect in the eye reflection. Flash was about 4' behind the translucent so it would also have a direct shot to the silver reflector.
  • PhilD41PhilD41 Registered Users Posts: 171 Major grins
    edited January 15, 2013
    Thank you for the detail. That isn't too far from some of my own edits... except that I am a Linux fanatic so my software choices are MUCH more limited, and in some cases, less helpful :) I am just starting to work on lighting using flashes and reflectors. It brings in a whole new level of complexity that is enjoyable if not also frustrating at times. Then again, what fun would it be if it always worked right and did take some time to learn! Thanks again for sharing the details of this shot!
    -~= Philip =~-
    Go Shoot Something Already! - Flickr Photostream
    Have you performed a few Random Acts of Parenting today? :)
  • GretaPicsGretaPics Registered Users Posts: 373 Major grins
    edited January 15, 2013
    Just tuning in here Troy - Beautiful image that really caught my eye and I so appreciate your post processing workflow. I agree too with Bill about the eye's and I think the overall tone making the image really depict "cold". Love the way the metallic makeup is picked up too. Nice texture on that fur.
    www.GretaPics.com
  • Troy RaymondTroy Raymond Registered Users Posts: 171 Major grins
    edited January 15, 2013
    Thank You, and You're Welcome!
  • SystemSystem Registered Users Posts: 8,186 moderator
    edited January 15, 2013
    Very nice portrait clap.gif
  • DsrtVWDsrtVW Registered Users Posts: 1,991 Major grins
    edited January 15, 2013
    Very Nice work. no improvements I can see
    Chris K. NANPA Member
    http://kadvantage.smugmug.com/
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