Is this Dave Hill style look created by oversharpening?

[john_gallino]

http://www.lucisart.com/lucis-art2-artist-gallery/lucis-art-2-gallery.htm

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Those kinds of images. I'm trying to figure out, what, logistically, is going on to give the photos that look.

I've seen some tutorials that come close to getting a look like that by using Unsharp Mask with a very high radius.

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Anyone have a clue what exactly is being done to the image to make it look like that?<p><b>Moderator: This is not a question about aesthetics, it is a question about technique. Please respond to the question if you are posting.</b>

[john_gallino]

And I know its not just lighting as those images were created with the LucasArt software filters

[petemillis]

Dunno, but if you go to the "Artisit Effects" page of their website http://www.lucisart.com/lucisart-2-effects-features.htm , the first picture showing the results of "exposure" control has brought out some terrible vertical banding in the sky which isn't visible in the original!

[leicaglow]

It may have something to do with sharpening, but it has a specific name which eludes me at the moment. There was another discussion thread about this approximately a month ago though. I think it has to do with HRD and working with different layers.

[john_gallino]

I'm talking about the first artist, Perry Harmon, in particular. I think it's a very cool look when done right. It makes photos look like Norman Rockwell paintings.

[r_johnston]

Not just by sharpening, but it includes other controls in Lightroom and Photoshop.

In Wet darkrooms we used to experiment with film, chemicals and light, making many copies from one negative. It seems to me not many experiment in Photoshop, but anything Ive found we could do in a wet darkroom and much more can be done in Photoshop. We just have to experiment to learn to use various controls and combination's to get what we want. Its much cheaper to experiment in Photoshop than in a wet darkroom. Learning how to use Photoshop as if it is as much a part of you as your camera, gives you the ability to do things you dream about.

[petemillis]

From http://www.lucisart.com/lucsiart-2-usage-tips.htm

 

"During LucisArt processing each pixel is compared to every other pixel along hundreds of radial lines. Then depending on the LucisArt settings chosen these relative intensities are altered- some stretched and some diminished. So LucisArt measures and alters relative intensities, the intensity differences between pixels. Each time your image is enhanced with LucisArt you have a whole new set of contrast differences to measure and manipulate. LucisArt processing is like treating your image like it is made of Play-Doh or modeling clay."

[photo_dark]

This particular style (other than just buying the plugins) can be accomplished by a combination of a few things....

 

a) unsharp mask... But more than just one setting... If i'm really trying to get a specific technique, I might use 6 very subtle USM layers instead of just 2 drastic ones... This is best if you want to reduce the effect on noise and posterization. and if you are looking for specific details.

 

b) very careful and specific partial desaturations. Using multiple colorized or desaturated layers set to 'color' or 'hue' and then using masks and opacity to control the individual effects.

 

c) high pass filter... one of the most mis-understood and yet most useful tools in the photoshop lineup. Works very well to bring out details.... Used properly and in conjunction with layers and unsharp mask, you can do almost any kind of detail enhancement you want.

 

d) Curves... learn to use it... there is literally unlimited contrast power in this tool.

 

But... the most important tool by far is lighting... getting it right to start with. Well lit images have a much higher tolerance for contrast enhancement than flat images. Don't blow out your highlights or lose your shadows and always do as much editing in RAW or 16bit Tiff mode as you can before resorting to 8bit editing.

[r_johnston]

David has it.... In addition I create layers by capturing tones with the Magic Wand, and then adjust the contrast in that range individually. Like capturing highlights, midtones, shadows, and using a histogram to adjust them. Sometimes even adjusting individual RGB in those histograms.

 

You can capture a washed out sky, go the R histogram, and drag the bottom right marker left.

Go to green, and remove as much green as possible.

Go to Blue, and add blue to the sky.

 

Just play in Photoshop with a copy of an image, and try all kinds of things.

Pick in filters, artistic, palette knife, drag the settings around until you like it.

Then choose another filter, maybe dry brush, etc, and alter it still more.....

Finish with blur or sharpen, and see what else you can do to create something.

 

The "Possibilities" to be creative in Photoshop are infinite, we can be original....

[john_reynolds10]

These Dave Hill images ( http://www.davehillphoto.com/) look to me like they were made with 3D modelling software.