**Since I had several people asked how I did this photo, I thought I’d post a brief description for anyone who’s interested. This is my email response to someone who wrote me and asked. Hopefully I’ll be offering more thorough tutorials at a later time, but this should be helpful to any intermediate Photoshop user with an understanding of masks**
I took a photo of myself with the hairdryer going. Unfortunately the wind it produced was rather minimal (only enough really to send one strand of hair flying backwards) so I took a ton of shots with both the hairdryer going and with me tossing my hair. Then I picked the photo I liked the best of myself and composited on some of the best pieces of my hair from other shots to make it look like it was really being blown around. The difficult part of this shot was the objects. I do my manipulations in small steps. I brainstorm what I need for the shot and take shots of each individual object, doing my best to match the original lighting. I always shoot in RAW so I have the ability to fix lighting problems afterward in PS. So I basically held each object up in the same lighting environment as the photo and took individual photos. Then I made a selection of each object in PS and dragged them over to the original photo. Making good selections and cut-outs are the most important thing in manipulations. I’ve recently discovered that I could be making better, easier selections using channels so I’m now taking a course on that. But for right now, I generally use the quick selection tool and make a general selection, refine the selection using feathering etc and then drag it over. It’s better to get too much of an object than too little. I perfect the cutouts using masks in photoshop and erasing additional backdrop with the brush tool. The next thing to do is add drop shadows. You can do this by double clicking the object layer and adding drop shadows there. The special trick is to then go to layer-layer style- create layer. This moves the drop shadow to it’s own seperate layer so you have full control over where it falls, how large it is and the opacity. Based on the existing lighting, I try to match up the drop shadows based on how close the objects are to the wall and where the light falls. Adjusting the opacity of the drop shadow layer, and adding a gaussian blur to it are great steps to ensure the drop shadow looks realistic.
Anyways, I’m not sure what your level is in PS and if this makes sense, but if you have a familiarity with layers and masks it should help. If not, I highly suggest reading a book on PS or taking online tutorials such as at lynda.com- you will learn everything you need to know!
I know it’s unrelated to this blog, but I had the most bizarre cab ride of my life last night. I got into a cab at 3am and the elderly Indian gentleman immediately starting yelling and showing me toys, asking if I liked them. Then he proceeded to serenade me with a smoker voice all the way from LES to Astoria. Here is a quick recording I made during the incident.LISTEN
My camera fell three feet last night, from the tripod straight onto the front of the lens. I fear this may have been the fatal final straw for my 18-55mm. Sad day.
In lighter news, I have entered an awesome self-portrait contest! I figure it’s a long-shot, but I promised myself I would put myself out there more this year, so this is my first attempt. PLEASE OH PLEASE won’t you stop by my page and ‘rate my portfolio’ at the bottom (a good rating preferably) You can rate it once a day for the next 4 days. It would mean so much!
Thought I’d try something completely different and carefree now that I have my strobes. I’ve seen renditions of this pose so many times, i thought I’d try my own version. Initially, I tried to coordinate the timer and a simultaneous burst of confetti, but that proved too difficult to do all by myself! Oh well!
I got this ridiculous bodysuit from American Apparel, which may very well be the sluttiest mainstream store I’ve ever seen. Anyone looking for borderline inappropriate clothing should definitely look there!
Wow, this 365 in creativity is already super taxing. I spent all day working on this photo, when I should have been doing other work!
I never thought I’d be so…unclothed in my work. But as it turns out, the dancer in me wants to express with the body. And I feel considerably less vulnerable when I get to take and edit the photos myself.
After all the times I shivered
Like a snowflake at your door
And begged you like a junkie
On the look-out for a score.
After all the times I broke you
Like a wave upon the shore,
Without a wind to guide me
You should know what I’ve come for.
After all the times I sacrificed
My rapturous reward
And died the unsung hero
At the mercy of your sword.
After all the times I played for you
The widow and the whore
Without a grace to hide me
You should know what I’ve come for.
After all the times my mournful mouth
Has cried to you for more.
The many times I plucked
The poison petals from your sore
And soothed your naked body
As it lay upon the floor
Your bloodied boots beside me
You should know what I’ve come for.
**
I wrote this poem 6 months ago and have been imagining this image ever since. I had to wait until I was in Canada over Christmas to do it. Thanks to my sister who helped take the photo and my Dad who painted my face. Make-up was inspired by Estefania Desperies and the photo was influenced by Rosie. My feet were frozen!
Another year, another chance. There are so many things I want to change it’s hard to settle on one resolution. I know I don’t want to be where I am right now at this time next year. In any sense of the word. Sometimes I feel like I am always running around in circles and I’m never getting anywhere. But I guess that’s always been my way of learning- the hard way. Eventually, I do come out the other side.
I’m starting a 365 project- but not just for photos. The requirement is that I do SOMETHING creative everyday, whether it be taking a photo or coloring in a coloring book. It really doesn’t matter, so long as I keep the wheels spinning. This marks my second day. How will I ever get through it?
