I'm looking for a good book on advanced image manipulation.

[maanmeisje2]

Hello everyone,

i'm looking for a good book on advanced image manipulation. By that I don't mean technical improvement such as contrast, but more about changing the contents of a picture, for instance like they do for magazines (make girls boobs bigger or waists smaller and stuff. Not that i'm ok with that, but I can't think of better example of changing the content of a picture). I'm from the netherlands and I can't find a good book on this subject, just basic stuff like changing someones haircolor. I'm really looking for the more advanced techniques. I browsed around on websites that sell books, but they have like a million books so I was hoping someone could give me a good tip.

Tnx, Anne

 

[Mike_E]

Hi and welcome!

How about something like this..

Photoshop Top Secret - Photoshop Training

Videos rather than a book but pretty good if you're into it.

 

[WimFoto]

hoi anne en welkom,

it looks like mike e gave you a good tip.

i might add to get your library to get the books for you before you buy them. some libraries will actually do that when you ask them too.

doei,
wim

 

[skieur]

Some of the more advanced techniques are somewhat time consuming and require some artistic sense and skill. If you are not "blessed" in that regard, another approach to take is to try and find some very flexible plug-in programs that you can add to Photoshop. The advantage to plug-ins is that they are very fast and easy to use and the best have very sophisticated customization possibilities.

skieur

 

[KmH]

Are you looking for specific tutorials or wanting to learn how to use the tools?

Adobe Photoshop CS4 for Photographers: A Professional Image Editors Guide To The Creative Use of Photoshop. By Martin Evening

He also has versions for CS3/CS2.

You would also want:

Adobe Photoshop CS4 for Photographers: The Ultimate Workshop by Martin Evening and Jeff Schewe

Which is a collection of tutorials using examples from real-life shoots that show how you can use Photoshop in a professional context, meeting the demands of art directors and fulfilling tricky briefs.

 

[maanmeisje2]

Hello everyone!

Thanks for all the tips, especially the video's, they look great!

Anne

 

[thoughtcryme]

The problem is that there really aren't many hard copy books about image manipulation.
Some books touch it a little bit, but it actually draws together multiple techniques and methods so it's hard to write a book about it without having to teach all those specific skills.

The things you want to be familiar with are:
Masking and extraction-this is a big one because photo manipulation uses alot of it.
Blend modes-do the math
Cloning
extensive and clever use of layers
3D layers
Vanishing point
Translations such as position and rotation
perspective
Dodge-Burn-sponge tool
Basically the trick is to become familiar with as many aspects of Photoshop as possible.

If you do a search on "matte painting"(used in movies alot) you'll find more information because matte painting and manipulation are basically the same thing.
But matte's are done on a bigger scale and often include after effects as well as photoshop.
Camera mapping in a 3D app is also a big part o it all.
You can make a 2D painting, then turn it into 3D and add camera translations and 3d objects.
That's where 3D layers in PS come into play.

 

[pbisfun]

check out Dean collins video they are all about the use of light to make the image you want

 

[thoughtcryme]

I've seen alot of the light tricks like painting with light and what not.
That's mostly about using those techniques to modify an image.

The OP in this case, if I undertsand right, wants to do things like take objects from seperate photos and make a composite image that isn't really possible using a camera only.
Ya know, like taking a photo of you sitting on a couch, then take another photo of you sitting on the opposite side of the couch and combine those to create 1 image.

Similar to doing a chroma-key in video with a green screen just more complex.
Welcome to MattePainting.Org

http://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DYHMwtucfKyo&ei=bR9wS-7RBY-uNrjBndIP&sa=X&oi=video_result&resnum=10&ct=thumbnail&ved=0CCkQuAIwCQ&usg=AFQjCNHjC7T8OXEiVMXz4WBhPCAcjUqGTg

This last link is to the matte painting subforum on CGTalk.
CGTalk is the best forum to ever exist IMO.
So many helpful folks, many pioneers of CG technology go there.
A massive section dedicated to Photoshop and all other high end graphics apps.
Countless resources on everything CG.
I've been a member there since 1999.
They have contests where you can win your own seat of apps like PS, AE, Z-Brush, Painter.
Rick baker is a major contributor there and his work in Modo, Z-Brush and Photoshop is incredible.
Technical and creative directors, for companies such as Blur Studio, Sony Imageworks, Industrial Light and Magic, as well as artists for these same companies frequent CGTalk to offer C&C for those just starting out.
You won't find as many resources anywhere else on the web!
The galleries are incredibly inspiring.
If you post your work on there and it's exceptional or innovative, scouts are there looking for that kind of artist and many many people get jobs through that forum.
Check it out!
You'll be so glad you did, and you'll wonder why it took you so long to get there.
http://forums.cgsociety.org/forumdisplay.php?f=196

And anyone who's serious about doing matte's or image manips should have a Wacom tablet!
Every photographer should have one too.