Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Aug 28 2013 2:28 pm
In this video tutorial by PhotoExtremist, photography wiz Evan Sharboneau teaches us step by step how to create an intensely lit image featuring a cloud of abstract glowing shapes.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Tripod
Photo gels of any two colors
1 grid
1 flash diffuser
2 external flashes
This is the equipment used in Evan’s tutorial to create proper atmosphere via colored lighting. If you don’t have the tools, however, you can use one white light and adjust the coloring of foreground and background in post-production.
Aperture: f/5 ISO: 400
External flashes: both at ~1/64
The second flash, as opposed to the first, is directed toward the background with a flash diffuser and red gel on it. The flash diffuser will fill the background without interfering with the first flash; both flashes should be synced to go off at the same time.
2. Select brush tool and choose settings (in this case, 11px with 100% hardness)
3. Select pen tool, which should be set to “path” as opposed to “shape.”
4. Draw your shape however you see fit. Get creative!
5. Right click on shape and select “stroke path,” making sure “brush” is selected.
6. Find the shape in Paths channel (bring up paths by window > paths) and delete.
7. Paint shape white
8. Duplicate layer
9. Color shape another color (in this case, blue) and blur it so that the blur shows up behind the white shape by moving the copy layer below the original. Evan uses filter > blur > gaussian blur, but you can use whichever blur tool you’d like.
10. Evan selects both layers and on blending mode chooses color dodge (though linear dodge, lighten, or screen will work as well). The more you select and blend the more pronounced and bright your lines will be. You can also duplicate these layers again and transform them to make your shape more dynamic.
2. Select filter > render > cloud
3. The clouds will fill the entire screen. Evan makes them black and white, then presses ctrl T to transform the cloud by scaling it down to a more appropriate size. He right clicks again and selects “perspective,” moving the cloud so that it looks like a screen in front of his face.
4. Create layer mask on cloud layer, and use a black brush to fade out the edges.
5. Here, you can get experimental. Even uses the burn tool to as another way fade the edges, duplicates the layers as he did with the shape, and tries on different blending modes to make the cloud more mysterious. He also copies and resizes the image multiple times to create a patterned cloud, using the blending mode “multiply” for a ghostly effect.
2. Press Ctrl T on the group and shrink it small; move it to the eyes’ pupils.
3. Change blending mode to either lighten or screen.
This tutorial was brought to you by our regular contributor Evan Sharboneau. Evan has published a pretty cool eBook: “Photography Tricks and Special Effects.” It’s packed with unique techniques and mind-bending photographs: for more information click here, and post your own cosmic light portraits below!
Clik here to view.
Aug 28 2013 2:28 pm
Video by PhotoExtremist. Author of Photography Tricks and Special Effects
In this video tutorial by PhotoExtremist, photography wiz Evan Sharboneau teaches us step by step how to create an intensely lit image featuring a cloud of abstract glowing shapes.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
What You Need
CameraTripod
Photo gels of any two colors
1 grid
1 flash diffuser
2 external flashes
This is the equipment used in Evan’s tutorial to create proper atmosphere via colored lighting. If you don’t have the tools, however, you can use one white light and adjust the coloring of foreground and background in post-production.
Camera Settings
Shutter speed: 1/250 sAperture: f/5 ISO: 400
External flashes: both at ~1/64
Lighting
The first flash used has a grid on it, as well as a blue colored gel. The grid narrows the flash into a beam of light, rather than a full flash, which is able light the object in the foreground directly (in this case, the face of the portrait). The gel will make this pool of light blue in color, though of course you can choose whatever color suits you.The second flash, as opposed to the first, is directed toward the background with a flash diffuser and red gel on it. The flash diffuser will fill the background without interfering with the first flash; both flashes should be synced to go off at the same time.
Post-Production
As Evan makes clear, “the real magic happens in photoshop.” While photoshop is the preferable tool, programs like Gimp should be able to yield very similar results. Here's how this particular image was created.Adjusting the Light
After opening the photo, Evan suggests darkening the background. There are many ways to do this. In this tutorial, Evan duplicates the photo in a new layer, changes the image to black and white through image > adjustments > black and white, selects a high contrast blue filter, and sets the blending mode to “multiply.” The result should be a darker and moodier background with a hint of red, contrasted with the brightly lit face.Making the Cosmic Shape
1. Create new layer on which to create your shape2. Select brush tool and choose settings (in this case, 11px with 100% hardness)
3. Select pen tool, which should be set to “path” as opposed to “shape.”
4. Draw your shape however you see fit. Get creative!
5. Right click on shape and select “stroke path,” making sure “brush” is selected.
6. Find the shape in Paths channel (bring up paths by window > paths) and delete.
7. Paint shape white
8. Duplicate layer
9. Color shape another color (in this case, blue) and blur it so that the blur shows up behind the white shape by moving the copy layer below the original. Evan uses filter > blur > gaussian blur, but you can use whichever blur tool you’d like.
10. Evan selects both layers and on blending mode chooses color dodge (though linear dodge, lighten, or screen will work as well). The more you select and blend the more pronounced and bright your lines will be. You can also duplicate these layers again and transform them to make your shape more dynamic.
Making the Cosmic Cloud
1. Create a new layer on which to create your cloud.2. Select filter > render > cloud
3. The clouds will fill the entire screen. Evan makes them black and white, then presses ctrl T to transform the cloud by scaling it down to a more appropriate size. He right clicks again and selects “perspective,” moving the cloud so that it looks like a screen in front of his face.
4. Create layer mask on cloud layer, and use a black brush to fade out the edges.
5. Here, you can get experimental. Even uses the burn tool to as another way fade the edges, duplicates the layers as he did with the shape, and tries on different blending modes to make the cloud more mysterious. He also copies and resizes the image multiple times to create a patterned cloud, using the blending mode “multiply” for a ghostly effect.
Reflection in the Eyes
1. Copy all layers that comprise the shapes and cloud, and duplicate the group.2. Press Ctrl T on the group and shrink it small; move it to the eyes’ pupils.
3. Change blending mode to either lighten or screen.
Final Touches
You can adjust the final image however you want to - in this case, to create a more soft and subtle color and texture, Evan selects adjustment layers > color lookup > smoky. As you can see, the result is an eery image of a face staring into a hovering abstract cloud, which reflects in his eyes, lights his face, and gives off an unearthly and cosmic radiation.This tutorial was brought to you by our regular contributor Evan Sharboneau. Evan has published a pretty cool eBook: “Photography Tricks and Special Effects.” It’s packed with unique techniques and mind-bending photographs: for more information click here, and post your own cosmic light portraits below!