A Post Production Techinque

benjikan · Jun 23, 2009

For those wishing to add more dimension and "Pop" to your images, you may find this technique helpful...

Benjamin Kanarek Blog » Add Dimension to Your Flat Photos. One Technique…

Hope you all enjoy it. Would love your feedback.

Ben

craig · Jun 23, 2009

I am anxious to try this technique. Checked out your website. Amazing body of work!

Love & Bass

Alpha · Jun 23, 2009

Your multiple USM's are artifacting your fine details.

Good to see you back Benji

Ready for another round?

musicaleCA · Jun 23, 2009

Whoa, I have to ask, how in the world does sharpening at 100-180 not result in oversharpening? Particularly when you've already sharpened the image...

Alpha · Jun 23, 2009

It does.

musicaleCA · Jun 24, 2009

So it does oversharpen...is that the point then? I've been avoiding oversharpening images like it was a giant tiger trying to eat me for lunch.

Alpha · Jun 24, 2009

You should avoid oversharpening.

Benji is a good shooter, if a bit stuck in the 80's. He's done some campaigns for Swarovski, apparently. But he's always been a little hair-brained when it comes to post-proceesing. I've posted here illustrating the difference between sharpening extra and sharpening an already sharpened image. The difference is something like linear vs. exponential.

You don't even have to believe my tests, though. Take a close look at the hair in Benji's photo he links to. It' artifacted. You can see it in the feathers as well if you look carefully.

I wouldn't be so hard on the guy if I thought he was well intentioned. But here's the thing, and this is easily confirmed by looking at his history (basically all of his posts have been in threads about himself). Benji is not here to be an altruist. He's here to advertise.

musicaleCA · Jun 24, 2009

Thanks for clearing that up Alpha. Upon closer inspection I see the artifacting you're talking about.

farmerj · Jun 24, 2009

If fashion photogs are what is influencing my 15yo daughter with stuff like this, I must say I am NOT impressed.

I have a hard enough time convincing her she is good looking and intelligent. This just undermines what I have to work on with her.

For the rest of the fashion photogs, put yourself in the place of REAL parents with REAL kids. And then remember the TRUE influence you have on them when you go to post-process those 30 pounds off the model.

Alpha · Jun 24, 2009

Fashion photographers are not influencing your daughter. Magazine editors and art directors are. Take it up with them.

musicaleCA · Jun 24, 2009

farmerj said:
If fashion photogs are what is influencing my 15yo daughter with stuff like this, I must say I am NOT impressed.

I have a hard enough time convincing her she is good looking and intelligent. This just undermines what I have to work on with her.

For the rest of the fashion photogs, put yourself in the place of REAL parents with REAL kids. And then remember the TRUE influence you have on them when you go to post-process those 30 pounds off the model.

Fashion photography and shooting models is something I want to get into, so duly noted. Except, it's a big part of the biz making the garment look as good as possible, or the model un-naturally beautiful. (Edit: As Alpha noted, it's not necessarily the photogs who are the problem.) When it's not about selling a product or idea, I see it as just trying to create a very unique image; something other-worldly. I feel that a better way to tackle the problem is to label such photos in magazines and other publications with things like "This photo has been retouched, and is not an accurate depiction of reality, nor what can practically be achieved." (And I am considering adding notes like that to my photos like this.)

Educating the populace is the most important thing. People need to understand that these images aren't accurate depictions of reality, and just how much work goes into retouching, and how much can be done.

farmerj · Jun 24, 2009

Alpha said:
Fashion photographers are not influencing your daughter. Magazine editors and art directors are. Take it up with them.

Sorry, that's a cop-out on the part of the photog.

Alpha · Jun 24, 2009

farmerj said:
Alpha said:

Fashion photographers are not influencing your daughter. Magazine editors and art directors are. Take it up with them.

Click to expand...

Sorry, that's a cop-out on the part of the photog.

Let's table this discussion for now and you can start a new thread in "Discussions," OK? At the very least it's off-topic as far as this thread is concerned.