Processing Direction for C&C

[oldmacman]

These shots are T-shirt promos for the band Dawn Vally (sic). Trying for a dark, gritty, moody feel so these shots have all received similar but varied processing. Let me know if something tweaks with you on the processing.

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[JustinFore]

I like the last one best, but I'm not feeling your target mood. I think the location is to blame...it is indeed crappy, yes, (lol) but definitely not "dark, gritty, moody." I think you need to be somewhere with darker background...maybe with some reds...the greens in the first three definitely work against you. (greens may typically invoke feelings of life, happiness, prosperity, etc.)

From a processing standpoint, I would just work to darken up your backgrounds heavier and get rid of the greens...tighter cropping to focus on the t-shirts (which also works to eliminate the ineffective background), perhaps a heavier vignette.

BTW, are the t-shirts blue or black? (or both) From a consumer's standpoint, I feel uncertain about the color.

 

[MLeeK]

Definitely not hitting the mood on these ones. MAYBE a little on the 4th. Rather than darkening I'd go for a texture.

 

[Robin Usagani]

I dont get the location.

 

[oldmacman]

Thanks for the feedback, everyone.

 

[MLeeK]

I decided a little bit of editing would be better than answering any posts here considering my mood...
Quick and ugly edit, but I'd envision something more along this line with the makeup and feel they seem to be going for. You don't have the greatest shots to work with for THE LOOK unless they are raw, in which case you can do a quite a bit with them.

 

[oldmacman]

I decided a little bit of editing would be better than answering any posts here considering my mood...
Quick and ugly edit, but I'd envision something more along this line with the makeup and feel they seem to be going for. You don't have the greatest shots to work with for THE LOOK unless they are raw, in which case you can do a quite a bit with them.

Thanks for your vision on the image and for taking the time to process. I do like the texture you have selected. I'm not loving the glow as it reads as imprecise processing and the texture overlapping the figure tends to flatten the image. I'd also have processed the dark to the edges rather than the outside as the light areas draw the viewer from the figure. You also run into the issue of having the figure merge with the background once that glow has been rectified. Definitely provides some possibilities though... thanks.

 

[MLeeK]

You're very right... I put the edge back in there because I found the blending to be a problem only because this is a clothing photo. What I should have done is tried to dodge the edge of the shirt to taste, blah blah blah, etc, etc, etc so that it showed the shirt and not the plain gray background. I suppose it's something I could play with if I get bored! It's just a super quick overlay and a little masking back. DEFINITELY could be done much better! And someone with any skill in that stuff? Well, let's just say it's not me that has squat for skill there! LOL!

 

[MLeeK]

Or better yet, I could have chosen a texture that was darker on the outside and brighter in the center. Much more common sense in that! Of which I am sorely lacking today!

 

[DiskoJoe]

Mleek's version - cool(er)

oldmacman's version - not as cool.

Mleek's also has a better look for advertising purposes where your photos are not adaptable for practical advertising as they currently stand.

 

[oldmacman]

Mleek's version - cool(er)

oldmacman's version - not as cool.

Mleek's also has a better look for advertising purposes where your photos are not adaptable for practical advertising as they currently stand.

Thanks for your insight, Joe.

@MLeeK
Here is you concept, but with the modifications I was indicating. Thanks for the inspiration.

 

[MLeeK]

Definitely a better choice on the texture!