About Barrie Tumbridge Expertise I can answer question on most aspects of photography, conventional film and digital, including Photoshop techniques. I have over 30 years experience in portrait photography, including studio, and digital landscape photography. I teach photography both one on one and on the internet. I am a past President of the Master Photographers Association. I have a web site of current work http://www.tumbridge-photography.co.uk
Experience Portraits and Landscape photography Photoshop
Organizations None
Education/Credentials Bachelor of Science Degree
Awards and Honors Several awards for portraiture from Kodak including a Gold Award for excellence
I've been taking pictures for awhile now mostly landscape but recently have gotten into portraits especially in senior photos for a little side job. Recently, someone came to me with a picture from a local professional studio and said they wanted something along the same lines from me. Problem is, i'm not 100% sure on how to either get the photo or do the photoshop work. Here is the link to the photo.
It should be a photo of a swimmer with everything dark except the subject. Funny thing is, the person in the picture is a good friend of mine along with most of the people that are featured. I want to accomplish a photo with dramatic lighting on the subject with an all black background. I do have CS4 photoshop but am fairly new to it and don't know all the tricks.
I do have attached a photo of past work too of the person who wants to get this photo accomplished.
Any tips on accomplishing this would be great!
Thanks for your time and help,
Nick Kochelek
Answer Hi Nick,
To give you an entire tutorial on lighting techniques and Photoshop editing in my answer would be almost impossible. However, looking at the website of images I would say that the lighting used is reasonably simple in its construction. Almost certainly the photographer uses "" Softboxes" and not umbrellas on his flash heads, if you are not familiar with these here is an example http://www.smick.co.uk/sonline/softbox-continuous-lighting-kit-for-digital-or-vi...
As I say the construction is simple, or "uncomplicated" in that maybe only one or two lights are used, the more lights you use the more difficult it becomes to control. Reflectors can be used to fill in shadows if needed.
As for photoshop work..... Well in the thumbnail you have attached, there has been some skin tone work to soften the tones and to convert to black and white in PS CS4 is easy. You just use the adjustment panel and choose the adjustment that is a boxwith half black and half white and then adjust the channels that appear to give you the effect you want.
I can suggest a book that may help you by Michael Grecco.
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