Can someone explain how to get photos to look this good.

[vuyisich]

When I look at this portfolio:

 

http://www.photo.net/photos/Rafael%20Ferrando

 

I cannot help but think that Ferrando uses some kind of fine tuning

in PS to get his pictures to look this good. Obviously, there are

many other photographers who shoot similar scenes, with somilar (or

same) cameras, under similar light, and are good in PS. However, I

have never been so impressed with the quality of pictures as with

Ferrando's. They have perfect clarity, contrast, colors, and just an

overall "pop" to them. I cannot explain.

 

SO, my question is: can anyone provide specific PS techniques for

obtaining such superb results (given that you start with a photo

taken in good light)?

 

I will offer a simple PS technique that I recently discovered,

which significantly improves "the look" of my photos. Go to Filters,

Sharpen, Unsharp mask. Set the threshold to 0, radius to 50 (yes,

50), then vary the amount between 10 and 20. This does not sharpen

the photo, but increases local contrast accross the picture. Local

means that even though the contrast is increased, you do not darken

the dark parts and lighten the light parts (like the regular

contrast adjustment). I hope this gets more people to give their own

PS suggestions. Thanks.

[mark pav]

Have you asked him about his techniques? He may be willing to share.<br><br>

 

Some of his photos, especially <a href=http://www.photo.net/photo/3862710&size=lg>this one</a> look as though he has either taken two

exposures and merged them for better dynamic range, or else he has used a second source

of light to illuminate areas that would otherwise be in shadow.

[hakon_soreide]

Doesn't look photoshopped to me. That's how pictures tend to look when you're in the right place at the right time when the light is right. There's no digital substitute for that.<p> And when such pictures are digitised (assuming these are film originals(?)), usually just a slight tweak of curves to round off the shoulders rather than keeping it in a sraight line is needed to make them pop.

[hakon_soreide]

That definitely looks like a second source of light. Some pictures look like there might be two exposures merged for added dynamic range, though, but it's hard to tell without having been at the original scene - or asking the photographer, of course.<p>

Apart from that, there seems to be a lot of legwork involved, coupled with a good wide-angle lens, a tripod and the patience to wait for the right light once a great subject is at hand.

[vuyisich]

All his photos I have looked at are taken with Fuji S2 Pro. In other words, no film. All the photos had to be processed in PS, as I very much doubt that they are JPEGs straight out of the camera.

[frank_skomial]

Graduated color filters ? Graduated neutral density filters ? Circular Polarizers ? Color Polarizers ?

 

Singh-Ray advertizes their color polarizers with similar example photos. Try Gold N Blue Polarizer, Circular Polarizer from B&W?

[mark_chappell]

A lot of those images are scenes where I'd reach for a graduated neutral density filter.

[jerry thirsty]

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/contrast_masking.shtml

[dancingdove]

I read the comments/crit's under one of his photos. He explained his technique, exposure, etc. Also mentioning the use of graduated neutral density filter. d.d.

[gluteal cleft]

It's like Ansel said: Great photos aren't taken, they're made. Just as I'd drop over dead if any of those pictures were just "what came out of the camera", I'd drop over dead if he hadn't spent considerable effort in picking the location, time, and equipment.

[vincent_j_m]

1. Being at the right place at the right time.

2. Grad ND filters.

 

I don't see any elaborate PS work or other tweaking in his photos (which are great, btw).

[stephen hazelton]

The #1 factor is to go to the places where the good pictures are. The writers all say "Great pictures can be taken anywhere", then they go to Tibet to take pictures. These shots weren't made in a suburb.

[howardfuhrman]

I too was blown away by his photo's. I googled his name and came up with another web site where is works are exhibited. http://www.fotonatura.org/galerias/galeria.php?id_galeria=5444

 

Although the web site is in Spanish (in which I am not literate), some of his photo's contained technical data in the universal language: AF NKKOR 2.8D 20MM and he used a tripod. He has considerable talent (probably an understatement) goes to places where there is great composition and beauty, positions himself at prime locations and he is willing to wait for optimium light conditions and WOW - masterpieces. Momo - thanks for referring us to such a great portfolio. I am humbled by Raphael's works.

[mr._smith]

Momo,

 

He does it with a lot of work, photographic knowledge and as he puts it "los cinco sentidos", which Photoshop can't help you with.

 

He would be using a film camera and he'd be getting the same kind of results.

[michael_matsil]

Momo....

 

He's a good printer, pure and simple. In other words he is keenly aware of where to put

the light and the dark: Balance. The only thing I can discern from his landscapes in terms

of basic technique, is that they ALL have an extended dynamic range....far beyond what

any film or digital sensor can provide. He may be achieving this through compositing

multiple exposures in PS or maybe by in camera use of ND filters.....no one knows unless

you ask the man. But in any event, I call him a "good printer" because by whatever means,

he knows what he wants the finished print to look like and he prepares himself with an

appropriate range of technique. I admire your intense curiosity about his technique. Write

him....maybe he'll help you out. You may be surprised by what he tells you. You can

definitely do prints like this too...even better and in your own way!

[rob_murray]

If he is shooting this good, I expect he came up learning from shooting slide films. He obviously knows good locations, and spent a lot of time scouting them and waiting for the best light. He could do these with any camera I suspect. I think he knows how to meter correctly and use the graduated filters and others as needed. I bet he does not have to do much PS to get them to the finished look.

[vuyisich]

Thanks everyone for their replies. I have e-mailed Ferrando and asked him to address my question, so we can all learn (hopefully).

 

Like I said before, there are many many other photographers that go to beautiful locations, take great cameras, and wait patiently for great light. I am sure they also use appropriate filters. However, Ferrando's photos are a notch above the others (IMO), and I am convinced it has to do with his PS skills. I am not trying to say that he fakes anything. In fact, the photos look extremely real. I think that all photographers would benefit from learning how to make such powerful presentations.

 

Another point: I agree with the above poster that Ferrando's photos have an extraordinary dynamic range. And that makes things even more puzzling. When I have photographs with an extended dynamic range, everything looks flat. But his photos look amazing. Again, I don't know what the trick is.

[labuenaluz]

<b>I must say thank you all photoneters for the feedback on my work!</b>

<br><br>

and specially thank you Momo, your interest is really appreciated, Ive browsed into your portfolio and I must say you got very nice work published!, is evident your enjoyment on landscape photography

and Im even more proud because of this your nice words

<br><br>

A great and constantly increasing passion for photography chases me, I allready do work as a photographer under request

for some private clients, mainly big format printing and sale terminal points.<br>

All the images you see here is author own work because of my real passion in photography, landscape and outdoors,

they all have been taken in between November 2004 and nowadays,

and mainly on the Manzanares High Basin Regional Park in the Sierra of Guadarrama, NW province of Madrid,

the place where I actually live, just by the surrounds of home 8^)

<br><br>

My technique is varied and constantly developing, I love to try new undiscovered things for me, but always searching for a

determined result. I have been learning myself always, self-taughting is part of me, I enjoy finding my own way.

<br><br>

Of couse I edit my JPEG or RAW files on Photoshop and complete the hole process of the image before printing it, level and curves adjustments are the usual work here, as some color correction in some rare cases, allways chasing what I saw and perceived.

<br><br>

Ive tried braketed exposures, reflectors, various fill flashes techniques, long exposures, Neutral density filters (never colored or tinted dont like them), polarizers, and a long etc...

all are techniques to learn and improve and keep learning and improving, but with a goal in mind and "understanding" light and what you photograph with your own perceptions and feelings.

<br><br>

The <a href="http://www.photo.net/photo/3862710&size=lg">photograph</a> Mark Pav mentioned is a clear example of this, I used a technique I developed just improvising and discovering, and of course enjoying!, a single long exposure combining in-camera and manual Nikon Flash with myself jumping, running and laying on the soil against obstacles and shutter speed,

flashing the places I previously improvised and visualized in the obscurity, some nice physicall effort in each try! and a big temporary blindness if you keep your eyes opened on pops!.

Another important fact to add to this exposure is that it was a fast moving semi overcasted full moon night (2 a.m) in a Wild Forest 2.000.mts above sea level.

<br><br>

Meteorology is an important theme to know about too, as well as local light conditions (as possible), I often do revisit remote places just to take home the "ideal image" and I do not always succeed!<br>

Maybe another important fact is that I really admire and enjoy those places as well as study and observe their conditions, I also do work as a ski instructor on winter and sporadically as a mountaineer guide, enjoy rock climbing and traverse skiing, I know quite well the sierra I present to you, I do have some forest and peaks to explore tough and lots of images I have admired by missed! 8^)

Im convinced there are some special light conditions on this sierra because some varied reasons (Im working to document all this in who knows maybe a book)

<br><br>

But you guys have so much natural resources and beauty over there.. I lived for over a year on Lake Tahoe, Sierra Nevada CA, in the 90s and obviously I must came back sometime with camera gear and a big portable Hard Disk!<br>

There are some great landscape ambassadors in this portal, I?m proud my work got your attention specially, maybe is because is totally a different place?, dunno, I would really like to go to the Paria river or Anthelope Canyon for ex. to know about all this "" 8^)<br><br>Really thanks to all again, <br>Best<br>Rafael

[vincent_j_m]

Rafael, thank you for taking the time to step in and educate us. Your photos are really wonderful.

[mark pav]

Rafael, thanks for your response. No wonder your photos are so good, with the passion you

have! :)

[ichavel]

Very beautiful photograph, with helpful explanation.

 

But there had to be extra light, since the natural source (which we now know to be the moon) is behind the tree. I was surprised that no one mentioned that, explicitly, in the original speculations.

 

The real surprise is: 2AM!

[sean de merchant httpw]

Ferrando has some lovely images and a good eye (plus good technique).

 

From a critical perspective, the ND is visible on some images:

 

http://www.photo.net/photo/3947287

 

http://www.photo.net/photo/3917013

 

http://www.photo.net/photo/3979863

 

http://www.photo.net/photo/3801399.

 

Please note the ND does not appear remotely horizontal in many of these.

 

Past that, you might explore saturating saturated colors (but do not saturate unsaturated tones). To this end, you can find a nice Photoshop saturation mask at:

 

http://www.thelightsright.com/TLRSaturationMask.htm

 

The author suggests using it to tone down saturation, but using the mask to only increase saturation in saturated tones tends to make my calibrated monitor match what my eyes saw in person more closely (the exact opposite of their suggested usage).

 

Using saturated films on celluloid/film is another option.

 

some thoughts,

 

Sean