How do you achieve this look: Guy Aroch

[bf1]

<p>I've fallen in love with Guy Aroch's photos and have done an extensive search to see if anyone has asked about how to achieve his look. I found only one short thread on this site for from over a year ago, but it didn't really answer the question, so I thought I'd throw a line out there and see if anyone has any insight.</p>

<p>I'm not talking here about the curves layers and compressed midtones to get the faded color look. What I can't figure out how to achieve are the flares, double-exposures (??), tilt-shift blur (if that's what it is) and/or other blurring, the splashes of colors on the images (blue, green, yellow), etc.</p>

<p>How much is done in camera vs. post? Digital vs. film? Any ideas?</p>

<p>Selective blurring is easy in PS, I know, and I've seen plenty of wedding pics use it, but those results often look cheesy to me, whereas Aroch's (in my view at least) are evocative and sublime. I'm wondering at the tools he might be using to get these results... or is he using the same tools as everyone else and is simply better at it?</p>

<p>Of course, you might disagree with me about the quality/artistic merit of the pics, but I've never seen this kind of work from anyone else (or at least not at this high a level) and would love to expand my own toolbox, as it were, with new techniques and methods.</p>

<p>Anyway, here are links:<br>

http://www.afgmanagement.com/portfolio-detail/?fil=5&isize=72&pos=51&id=1110&pid=67<br>

http://www.afgmanagement.com/portfolio-detail/?fil=5&isize=72&pos=53&id=2572&pid=67<br>

http://www.afgmanagement.com/portfolio-detail/?fil=5&isize=72&pos=54&id=1112&pid=67<br>

http://www.afgmanagement.com/portfolio-detail/?fil=5&isize=72&pos=55&id=1113&pid=67<br>

http://www.afgmanagement.com/portfolio-detail/?fil=5&isize=72&pos=56&id=2573&pid=67<br>

http://www.afgmanagement.com/portfolio-detail/?fil=17&isize=56&pos=52&id=856&pid=67<br>

http://www.afgmanagement.com/portfolio-detail/?fil=5&isize=72&pos=61&id=1117&pid=67<br>

http://www.afgmanagement.com/portfolio-detail/?fil=5&isize=72&pos=62&id=1118&pid=67<br>

http://www.afgmanagement.com/portfolio-detail/?fil=5&isize=72&pos=60&id=1116&pid=67<br>

http://www.afgmanagement.com/portfolio-detail/?fil=17&isize=56&pos=14&id=807&pid=67<br>

http://www.afgmanagement.com/portfolio-detail/?fil=17&isize=56&pos=46&id=839&pid=67</p>

[derek_kennedy]

<p>Might want to mention a few of those photos are NSFW.</p>

[joe tarrant]

<p>Film and a lensbaby? </p>

[joe tarrant]

<p>Film and a lensbaby? </p>

[garypeck]

<p>I'm not sure how he is doing it but it would be easy to duplicate in PS with laver and blending modes. My guess is that's what he's doing because anything else would be too chancy with high priced talent like he is using.<br>

I've done some research as this is similar to a project I'm working on at the moment.<br>

Thanks for bringing this to our attention - very nice work.</p>

 

[bf1]

<p>May I ask, what does "NSFW" mean? And what is a lensbaby?</p>

<p>Gary, could you be specific in regards to what layer adjustments would be used and what blending modes?</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

[JTG1]

<p>Brian --</p>

<p>NSFW = Not Safe For Work - because of the nudity.<br>

LensBaby = <a href="http://www.lensbaby.com/">http://www.lensbaby.com/</a></p>

<p>~Jack</p>

[bf1]

<p>Sorry about the NSFW, I live in the Czech Republic where this sort of thing isn't an issue.</p>

<p>Thanks for the link to lensbaby.</p>

<p>B.</p>

[bf1]

<p>I've checked out the lensbabies, they're very cool. But the look seems to me somewhat different from what I see in the Aroch pics. Any other suggestions? Here's a more recent set of his (completely safe for work):</p>

<p>http://fashiongonerogue.com/2010/03/29/amber-heard-by-guy-aroch-french-revue-de-modes-spring-2010/#more-26973</p>

<p>I'm wondering how to get those ribbons of color, the haziness, etc.</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

 

[john_ashby2]

<p>Hi Brian,<br>

Did you look specifically at the plastic optic at lensbaby?</p>

[craftyeye]

<p>I'm pretty sure it's done using a lensbaby.<br>

I got me one of them last year, with a few of the attachements that come with it.<br>

Try it, it's worth the money and good fun.</p>

[mark_pawlyszyn]

<p>Hmm. Pretty sure that he's not using a Lensbaby. It doesn't have the variable focus throughout the frame or the pulling in at the edges that typifies Lensbaby images. To me it looks like he used Photoshop to give a fake cheap-camera-with-expired-film look. The edges simulate light leaks and the colour shifts are of expired film. It's not actual expired film in a Holga, because it's too sharp, not square, and overall looks too controlled.<br>

<br /> There are, of course, many ways to do this in Photoshop and few of them would be very quick if you want accuracy. First of all you want an image with low contrast and exaggerated warm tones. You can make your image come out of the camera that way or you can do it in Photoshop to one with good colour and contrast. Then "age" the image further by reducing the saturation in spots and adding grain. After that add the colour patches. One really easy way to to this is to duplicate your layer, run the Difference Clouds filter, then the Gaussian Blur filter at 250, and then mess with the blend modes.<br>

<br /> Here is a quick and not terribly accurate go at it to illustrate my points:</p>

<p><img src="http://www.markpawlyszyn.com/forums3/exfilm.jpg" alt="" width="451" height="600" /></p>

[bf1]

<p>Mark - thanks for the detailed reply, I'm going to play around with the technique you describe. I think your example does a great job of illustrating your point. (btw, great, fun wedding pic!)</p>

<p>Anyone have any other post-processing suggestions to achieve this?</p>

<p>Fritz, John - regardless of how Aroch does it, my lensbaby is in the mail as I write this :) just looks like too much fun to pass up, thanks for the tip :) btw, the is the first time I've encountered any photo gear that's actually cheaper here in Europe than in the US...</p>

[john_ashby2]

<p>Mark...we're talking about the lensbaby optic swap system with the plastic lens insert. Not their tilt-shift lens.</p>

<p>That lensbaby basically gives you the lens out of a cheap toy camera, and all the distortions that come with it.</p>

[joe_kelly3]

<p>I model and shoot both pretty much fuull time. Guy Aroch has been basically my idol, I am always looking at his work it is amazing. The other day I was lucky enough to work with him as a model. I couldnt believe it was him:} His trick is secret, but I saw it with my own eyes. Its nothing done in post, its nothing expensive, in fact what he uses costs about a dime. I was amazed..(its probably in your trash now) thinking what you all would think if you saw.."duh, why didnt I think of that?". Its just a small part of his image though, the rest is presets, tones, and he uses am amazing team as well as he is a visual artist like I have never seen and in my opinion top 10 photogs in the world. REALLY nice in person, his ideas and creativity just stream out of his head lol. His success is well deserved.</p>