The New Deal with the Spiderwoman

AlexShark

This started as an advanced exercise in selecting and masking dark hair and other dark hanging things. Sounds easy until you drop a different background, and then notice the lovely white halos and missing pieces of wardrobe. Anyway:



REMAIN IN LIGHT

Hackbone

Very nice capture. Did you use Topaz Remask? There is a new video out on how to do something like this in a different way that works great.

AlexShark

Thanks, Charles,

No, I don't use Topaz. It's all done by hand, mostly by selecting two channels as a base (usually B+G) and then blending them (Multiply, Add, or Subtract) to increase contrast, applying levels to the result -- and you got yourself a preliminary mask. That's where the real job begins. This is also where most plug-ins leave.

Since you are into masking and composing (as I saw in some of your posts), check out Deke's techniques for it. Of course, Katrin Eismann (http://www.photoshopmasking.com) is still super work.

alaios

what a great shot! Somethink very very different and thanks for sharing. Can you explain how you shot that one?
Alex

AlexShark

alaios wrote: »

what a great shot! Somethink very very different and thanks for sharing. Can you explain how you shot that one?
Alex

Thanks!

The following items need to be present:

1. A top class professional dancer
2. Broncolor powerpacks (2 or more)
3. Flash duration 1/2000 or faster
4. Beauty dish pointing at the dancer
5. 4 x reflectors pointing at the background to eliminate all shadows
6. Background of your choice
7. Tripod
8. All manual mode, for example, ISO 100, f/8, 1/200 (the room should be dark enough to produce pitch black frame with these settings, no modeling lights)
9. Manual focus -- the dancer should know where to stand at all times, mark a spot on the floor
10. Do not look through the viewfinder while you shoot! Everything is set up and composed -- look at the dancer!