Jennymt Posted September 16, 2019 Share Posted September 16, 2019 Okay. Time to be brave. I really like Sarah Cornish (My4Hens) work as a photographer. I suspect she uses matte (which I agree with you as being awful for the most part) however, there's something whimsical about her images and I'd like to replicate that style initially until I can find my own style. She shoots in the most beautiful light in Colorado and so I appreciate that plenty of my images won't work as I don't get much opportunity to shoot at golden hour. I've been working on 'Alice Running in Field', I like my edit. But out of interest, can you give me an idea of how Sarah has edited hers to give it an almost 'creamy' (blurred?) effect? Link: http://kissesandchaos.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/sarah-cornish-family-b2.jpg My image: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennymt Posted September 16, 2019 Author Share Posted September 16, 2019 I'd really like to emulate the emotion and 'feel' of this black and white. I think it's the creaminess of the skin and whimsical feel that appeals. Is this lens choice or post processing? https://30minutesinthelife.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/13097290574_883bd25aa5_z.jpg?w=584 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SManazis Posted September 16, 2019 Share Posted September 16, 2019 mind if I take a crack at it just for fun? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennymt Posted September 16, 2019 Author Share Posted September 16, 2019 1 hour ago, SManazis said: mind if I take a crack at it just for fun? Of course not! I'd love to see what you do Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damien Symonds Posted September 16, 2019 Share Posted September 16, 2019 Can you find an example photo with a lower percentage of shadow areas, more similar to yours? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SManazis Posted September 16, 2019 Share Posted September 16, 2019 I may have gone a little overboard trying to "fake" the dark look. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennymt Posted September 18, 2019 Author Share Posted September 18, 2019 On 9/16/2019 at 9:11 PM, Damien Symonds said: Can you find an example photo with a lower percentage of shadow areas, more similar to yours? Not really - I guess that's the point, Sarah's b&w images have a greater tonal range which is why I like them so much. Can I use Instagram links? If so, this is the style of image that I could potentially imitate (minus the glorious mountains). I like the texture in the grass and the wild natural feel. Perhaps my image could have worked better if my daughter had been wearing white to focus the viewers eye... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damien Symonds Posted September 18, 2019 Share Posted September 18, 2019 Well, we can make yours work for that style, except of course your daughter's face needed to be lit, not in shadow, for it to work perfectly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damien Symonds Posted September 18, 2019 Share Posted September 18, 2019 https://max.mailbigfile.com/810cd72d0cc8a86cbe8deccf1d96ec43/listFiles.php Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennymt Posted September 18, 2019 Author Share Posted September 18, 2019 Love the file name Going to stick to my guns though, I do like a little bit of matte (promise to use it sparingly). However I don't like the edit. It's not in keeping with the emotion of the image is it, I prefer the edit we did in the class. Thank's for showing me how it can be done though. I also liked the levels layer you used to darken the edges, I'm going to add that to my arsenal of tricks. I tend to use gradients, didn't occur to me to do it with levels - really quick. Question(s): Thinking aloud here..... So I noticed that you've moved the black slider heavily to the right to 'crush' those blacks (not sure of terminology here). So that means that you're making more of the darker pixels become pure black? When you add matte effect you're essentially making pure black......less black? Sorry, I know I'm probably being dumb. I'm just trying to get it clear in my head - so I can understand how it effects printing. I like the look of matte in some images but I don't want to 'ruin' my image by being careful not to clip any areas - and then intentionally clipping to creative effect....or is that the point. It's okay to break the rules once you know them? So sorry for the long winded post! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damien Symonds Posted September 18, 2019 Share Posted September 18, 2019 3 minutes ago, Jennymt said: However I don't like the edit. Duh. It's fucking awful. 3 minutes ago, Jennymt said: Question(s): Thinking aloud here..... So I noticed that you've moved the black slider heavily to the right to 'crush' those blacks (not sure of terminology here). So that means that you're making more of the darker pixels become pure black? Exactly. Causing immense clipping. 3 minutes ago, Jennymt said: When you add matte effect you're essentially making pure black......less black? That's right. Those areas still have no detail, but they're now dark grey, not black any more. 4 minutes ago, Jennymt said: I'm just trying to get it clear in my head - so I can understand how it effects printing. It won't affect printing. It'll print as it appears. 5 minutes ago, Jennymt said: I like the look of matte in some images but I don't want to 'ruin' my image by being careful not to clip any areas - and then intentionally clipping to creative effect....or is that the point. No, that is absolutely the point. Intentional clipping is almost always part of the matte effect. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennymt Posted September 18, 2019 Author Share Posted September 18, 2019 Thanks D, appreciate your time. I have another image I'd like to edit in the style of Sarah Cornish (colour this time, it's mainly her colour work I like). I'm going to post it in class for levels and skin work before posting here. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennymt Posted September 22, 2019 Author Share Posted September 22, 2019 I guess I am cheating slightly here but can you possibly give me an idea of how to achieve this painterly / creamy' texture of this Sarah Cornish image? There are plenty of rolling hills and fields near to our new home so if this is something I could achieve with the gear I have it may be worth scoping out a better location. I took an example shot when I was at the wind farm this morning (below) glamorously modeled by my tripod I appreciate that light, depth of field etc plays a huge role but I'd like to know whether I should be 'just' working towards achieving this effect in camera (i.e. shooting at the right time of day for long shadows and interesting skies, backlit grass to capture details etc etc) - or whether the glowy grass and landscape is more the result of creative post processing? Sarah Cornish does run a creative workshop that I will happily pay for next time it is available but that won't be until next year at the earliest... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damien Symonds Posted September 22, 2019 Share Posted September 22, 2019 Time of day must have a lot to do with it. Her editing seems to enhance the existing shadows in her photos, whereas your photo doesn't really have any shadows to work with, you know? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennymt Posted September 23, 2019 Author Share Posted September 23, 2019 Thanks, I'll work on scoping out a location at the right time of day and then take it from there. I've bought all of her actions (before I realised you could help, and it seems right somehow to contribute since I am effectively trying to copy her style!) so I'll have a go with them and then perhaps post here for some pointers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennymt Posted September 30, 2019 Author Share Posted September 30, 2019 I have a question but not quite sure where to post it? I've been exploring the actions I purchased from Sarah Cornish. She frequently uses a brightness/contrast to add a 'pop' layer. Is just bumping contrast to the right in this way 'bad'? Seems to be counter productive if I have adjusted contrast in RAW processing. That being said, I'm trying to emulate a moody/high contrast style so.... what are your thoughts? I presume I should be adding the contrast I'd like more selectively as per Levels class? Sorry if this is a silly question. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damien Symonds Posted September 30, 2019 Share Posted September 30, 2019 The Brightness/Contrast is the same as a midtone contrast layer that you add at the end of your Levels editing, most likely. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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