Is it Photo Shop or Photographer light techniq?

[gtamdo]

<p>Hi<br>

Can somebody tell how to take this kind of picture or edit to this kind of picture with dark surrounding.<br>

http://www.zoriah.net/.a/6a00e55188bf7a88340111683bd1a7970c-pi<p>

<b><i>Moderator's note:</b> Please do not reproduce photos that are not your own. You may provide a link to the original site, as shown in this edited post.</i>

[Matt Laur]

<p>Well, you can look for situations where the light that's entering the scene is actually controlled (like, very directional light coming in through a small window), you you can use curtains, boards/flags or other things to block and shape the light to produce a more controlled area of illumination. <br /><br />Or, indeed, you can simply do some doging/burning in post production to darken the edges of the image. It's simple to vignette an image in software, but the specific steps depend on what software you're using.<br /><br />In the case of the example image you posted, notice how hard the shadows are. This suggests that it is very direction light, coming from camera right.</p>

[nathan_meador]

<p>looks like it was shot with available light, coming thru a door or window maybe. The edges do appear darkened, maybe some added saturation/contrast in post-processing. Do you have any software that allows dodging/burning? Or manipulation of any kind?</p>

[lex_jenkins]

<p>When in doubt, download the highest resolution version of a photo you can find and boost the gamma and/or lightness. (This is usually acceptable for educational purposes - after such use the photo should be deleted and not reused. But always read the copyright notices on any website.) This will reveal any obvious signs of digital editing used to darken, vignette or "burn in" edges. Natural light falloff or light that is controlled during the exposure will appear as a much more natural, gradual transition from light to dark.</p>

<p>If you study examples of what appear to be unrealistically darkened edges and corners of photos with similar effects here on photo.net and elsewhere you will often see very obvious, hamfisted and unnaturally heavy application of digital editing techniques. The smoothest transitions require more sophisticated digital editing techniques that will not reveal such obvious brushstrokes or blocky patches of darkening.</p>

[jennifer_spencer]

<p>I am betting there is a skylight or a high window that's putting the light in that spot. I think some vignetting has been applied via post-process in the computer, and it looks like a little bit of exposure recovery on that right corner with the foot & cup. </p>

[mark_tate]

<p>This would be very eazy to set up either in a studio or on location by using a single light from above and making the center 2 to 3 stops brighter and bassing exposure on that .looking at the photo in question my guess is it is sunlight coming from above and a longish shutter speed to give movment of the hands .<br>

I still use film and a dark room and with that I could do this shot and never go near a computer</p>

[lex_jenkins]

<p>I downloaded the photo linked above and boosted the gamma, as described in my earlier post. It appears to have been darkened artificially, with a distinctly hard edged oval mask just at the periphery between light and dark areas. This would appear to have been done in digital editing, altho' it might have been used to supplement a natural light falloff. It's impossible to say for certain without a copy of the unaltered original.</p>

[michael_bryant5]

<p>I would do create vignette around the area, and then duplicate the background and change the blending mode to overlay or soft light and adjust the opacity. After, some dodge and burning could be done and possibly some selective color. You may also want to play around with curves to bring up the contrast.</p>