los angeles men's fashion and beauty photographer ronald n. tan

How do we turn an ordinary backyard photo into a “WOW!” image?

Exposed so that highlight isn't lost. -1EV from the in-camera reading on Chit-Chit's dark fur. I've manually measured the white balance using a grey card. Processed in CaptureONE PRO 5.1.

I used BW Panchromatic as a start and additionally tweaked the whites and darks in the image all using CaptureOne PRO 5.1.

Since I am going through a “monochromatic” phase, when I set Chit-Chit up, I was imagining the final outcome of the image. Playing with dodging and burning, I’ve created drama, depth, and character to the plain ordinary backyard-lit photograph!

Try pre-visualizing the final photograph before pressing that shutter!

My little birdy source was correct about the release of CaptureOne PRO 5.1. I bought into CaptureOne because of how “right off the bat” my RAWs looked w/o doing additional edits since their PRO 3.7.8.

Download: http://xchange.phaseone.com/Content/Downloads/CO5.aspx

Release Notes (What’s New in 5.1): http://69.64.47.32/330a3505-0085-4247-a029-d396cc74c3c8/33d2a340-5c70-4e46-81e6-58c3ea02ccdd/Capture%20One%205.1%20Release%20Notes.pdf

User Guide: http://69.64.47.32/330a3505-0085-4247-a029-d396cc74c3c8/22944442-4fe4-4bb0-93f3-2895fc8143d9/Capture%20One%20User%20Guide%20UK-US%20hi-res.pdf

I plan to write my own review on 5.1 later this week. For now, I *am* really satisfied with speed improvements and overall fixes and new features added to 5.1. If I have to rate 4/5 on this new update, I’ll revoke a point for:

Not fixing the sharpening on the Web Contact Sheets. Web sized images when applied with the sharpening settings I use for my full resolution RAWS look dreadful! I’d like to make final RAW edits (including capture sharpening) and create web contact sheets for client review. For now, I’ll make my final edits, web contact sheet, and then apply my capture sharpening settings prior to export into Photoshop CS4.

I’d like to have keyboard control to increase/decrease the dust and spot tool. In ACR/LR, pressing the “[" and "]” decrease/increase accordingly. The ability for the newly added Dust Spot to change the sampled source. The spot tool can be used to fix blemishes, pimples, and other minor skin problems. LR/ACR folks can do this well with their “Heal” and “Clone” function.

It has been a year since that I’ve been experiencing a “Black and White” phase. Searching on Google, there are many BW tutorials using Lightroom/ACR. Hopefully this post will teach CaptureOne users how to make great BW images using ICC profiles and the features we have in CaptureOne PRO. CaptureOne 4/5 has the following Monochromatic ICC profiles that’s located under the “Base Characteristics”:

High Contrast

Medium Contrast

Low Contrast

Panchromatic

Yellow Filter

Once I fix White Balance (WB) and Lens Correction (LC), sharpening, and noise reduction, I cycle through the monochromatic ICC profiles until I see something I like and work my way to the BW image I like. Emporio Armani images are high in contrast with some blacks clipped. Their male models are normally posed in classical masculine stance with subtle facial expression. We’ll start with this image of Kyler Willett now represented by Wilhelmina Models LA. When this image was taken, he was with the now defunct VUE Model Management.

June 18, 2008. Naturally lit. ISO 100 1/125 s f/9 28mm.

Starting with the above image, I increased the clarity to 100. The clarity tool (in both ACR and CaptureOne) is a variant of the local contrast enhancement (LCE) tool. It uses a combination of high radius low amount (Hiraloam) sharpening and deconvolution and/or USM sharpening. Don’t quote me on this. I am positive the Hiraloam is part of clarity!

Clarity @ 100. LCE. As a consequence, Kyler's chest pixels' are above 250 (not going to print well). We have to do additional edits to work around this.

Exposure -1 and assigning "Film Extra Shadow" to the curve dialog under "Base Characteristics."

Assigned "B&W" Panchromatic. For this particular naturally lit scene, Panchromatic appealed to me.

At this point, some might stop here, but I’d like to do additional tweaks and interesting things about CaptureOne PRO’s functions.

Saturation Slider

Saturation -100 lightens areas of skin or "reds."

Saturation +100. Opposite of -100. Darkens areas of skin.

Color Balance

Default position. Click anywhere on the wheel and look at your picture. When I click on the green at the edge, it darkens the image while clicking the edge (circumference) of the magentas brightens the image.

Color Editor

Result of edits in the Color Editor.

Levels and Curve

In CaptureOne 5, the individual R, G, and B can be tweaked. Here. I went into the B-curve and adjusted the midpoint to -0.45 to darken the background wall to create spatial distance adding depth. Remember that light things are closer to you and darker things are away.

Used the eye dropped tool on the lower right to define points on the image to be edited. I worked on the RGB composite. One can go into individual R, G, and B components and tweaked further.

Finished!

It bugs me that some of you questions the kinds of equipment I’ve used. When I ignore, you people think I am uptight or arrogant. Fact is, I ignore those, “What equipment do you use?” questions because they are irrelevant! I am confident in myself that if given a point and shoot with full manual controls, constant lights, and the same people, I guarantee I can reproduce the same results as seen on my website.

I truly feel sorry for you people out there that thinks you need the latest and greatest equipment to make you feel you’re a “professional” photographer. So, hopefully this little FB screen cap of mine will answer some of your questions about me.

[Click to view at higher resolution].

Just remember, it is about you and your creativity–don’t “blame” on the tools. For all those “lazy” photographers, “OMG! I don’t have a studio!” Um…you can go outside, right? You know how to scout out locations, right? Then it is your indolence that is preventing you from creating the kinds of images you aspire!

This is another quick thoughts on how to get started in photography. I’ve been asked way too many times. I’ll point to my blog about it. Here is an actual excerpt of the kinds of emails I receive in my inbox

I want to do what you are doing, but I am just starting out. Any tips for a budding photographer on how to approach people to model for me?

Buy the best camera with full manual controls and lens that you can afford, full stop! I don’t care if all you could afford is a point-and-shoot. If that P&S camera has full manual controls, you’re good to go.

Intro

The next step is learning to see lighting. Learn the basics of lighting and the internet has a wealth of information on it. If books are your cup of tea, then go to Barnes&Nobles and internalize the knowledge and materials presented.

Invest in Photoshop Elements (the consumer version) or the full-blown professional CS3 version. The current CS4 is a resource hog and you’ll have to have a powerful computer along with a great graphics (GPU) card to work! I recommend getting the previous Photoshop CS3 or CS2.

Let’s face it–the reality of the proliferation of digital cameras–even with the “entry level or prosumer,” everyone can be a “photographer” these days. But…if you don’t know how to process your RAW images in a post-editing software like Photoshop, you don’t stand out from the next “soccer mum” that is trying to be a “photographer.” If you look at any commercial images that appears on TV or in upscale fashion magazines, all the images you see are well-retouched. SORRY, BUT NO IMAGES LOOK LIKE THAT STRAIGHT OUT OF THE CAMERA!

Study the Works of Photographers You Admire

There is an adage, “You are judged by the company you keep.” If you want to be a photographer and take marketable professional images, you better breathe, live, and surround yourself with images you aspire to shoot down the line. When I started my self-taught journey in 2007, I had a few photographers that I used as “stepping-stone” inspirations. I will not acknowledge them here because their works are no longer inspiring and they chose not to re-invent themselves.

If you want to shoot womens fashion, go into Vogue or Vanity Fair and look at editorial spreads that inspires you. Take note of the photographers and the stylists. Research information on their past works and study their images–their framing and positioning of models. Pay attention to how the models are cropped? Look at the background and props. How are they placed in relationship to the points of interests and perspective.

Practice, Practice! Repreat Ad Infinitum!

Once you’ve started your studies on lighting and some basic information on composition, go out there and photograph anything that moves or don’t move. Photograph people–your friends, family, pets. Worry about your understanding of your camera and how the settings affect the mood you’re trying communicate with your audience.

Internet Models & Professional Models

Sites like ModelMayhem.com has a great talent pool of models. If a random stranger caught your eye and you want him/her to model for you. It is best that you carry your business cards with you at all times. These days, if you have an iPhone or a similar smart mobile device, you can show the random stranger your image samples. Just like your mum taught you, please be respectful and show graciousness when approaching a random person. If he/she say, “No thanks,” that means no. Full stop! That’s it. In my experience, I approached one guy who worked at the A&F store at the Arden Mall in Sacramento in 2007. I was nervous, but I was also respectful when I decided to approach Alex and asked him if he’d model for me.

That’s it! Questions? Comments? Contact me via the contact page.

My “unofficial” mentor Mr. Jerry Avenaim authored an article at http://blog.avenaim.com/2009/11/19/photographer-fellowship/ encouraging photographers to exemplify camaraderie, rapport, and collaborative spirit. I’d like to re-echo his practical teachings to my entries, hoping that it would cascade this fundamental pedagogy of unifying and strengthening our artistic community.

The concept of “fellowship” isn’t foreign to me because I came from academia. We were drilled and conditioned from the first day of our laboratory courses–the productive collaborative spirit. However, the only individual responsibilities are submitting our lab report. We synthesize our own hypothesis, formulate and arrive at our conclusions. I was glad to read Mr. Avenaim’s thoughts and encourage my blog readers to amplify the spirit of building-up each other.

EDITED 10/11/2009: I want to add the following disclaimer that I do not profess to be a know-it-all. My replies to some of the discussion topics are from my own experiences that I’ve dealt and learnt **on my own** during my recent two years experiences. IF YOU HAVE knowledgeable insights you’d like to contribute so that even I will benefit and grow, please do share: http://www.modelmayhem.com/po.php?thread_id=523840

The purpose of this entry is to scintillate interest and encouraging my fellow photographers to start thinking about the next phase of their careers.

When I frequent the ModelMayhem.com (MM) forums, there is a lot of questions on “how to submit to a magazine”. I consider tear sheets to be like the badges of the boy scouts. The more tear sheets you have, the more you can command presence and appear experiences in front of your prospective clients.

Here is the “secret” to getting published. Are you ready? Copy and paste and memorize like there is no tomorrow!

1) Who/what do you want to shoot for? Be realistic!

2) Visit a specialty magazine store, e.g. Borders, Barnes & Nobles, etc.

3) Go to the magazine isle and go through the publications you want to contribute to.

4) On their mast head, write down the contact address and information of the editor, creative director, etc. Both email and land line.

5) Peruse through the magazine and ask, “Do I have what it takes to assemble a team and repeat these types of photographs?”

6) If yes, go home, prepare a VERY concise email with relevant link(s) to your website and a PDF link of your photographer resume. In case the email address can’t accept attachments.

7) If you first don’t succeed, try try again! Repeat after me: If you first don’t succeed, try try again!

Visit this website and internalize its contents: http://www.editorialphoto.com/

There images are from my “archive”. These are the images I took when my adventure began and I moved to LA.

12 July 2007

Straight out of LR 3 BETA with adjustments.

Models Ryan Diesel and Piortrek “Peter” Strykowski. Designer / Stylist Austin S. Hess for “Hollywood Hess”.

THIS POST HAS BEEN RE-EDITED 25TH OCTOBER 2009.

Here is a pseudo-tone mapping tutorial. My 8-Bit layered TIFF file zipped. You’ll see my original corrected image, tone-mapped image, and the final image as I intended.

1) Grab my file located here:

2) Buy or download for trial Photomatix PRO: http://www.hdrsoft.com/

3) Enjoy!

In this tutorial, you’ll go from this image: (Starting image–provided). I attached this image to show how the starting image looks like. A lot of folks would stop here, but if you want to take your images to another level of dramatics, read on!

Chit-Chit. CaptureOne PRO 4.8.3. "+0 EV"

Tone-Mapped via Photomatix PRO:

Here are the Photomatix PRO settings: Detail Enhancer only.

Pseudo HDR / Tone-Mapping Part

1. Download the 0EV, -1EV, +1EV file of Chit-Chit here: Chit-Chit_0EV_-1EV_+1EV.zip

2. Make an HDR image and apply the Detail Enhancer settings from the above screen capture. You should now have an image that looks like mine (Chit-Chit Tone-mapped).

3. Correct the lens distortion via the Distort –> Lens Correction Filter in Photoshop.

4. From this, you can in any direction you wish. If you get good results, send a web-sized version to me via the contact page. I am curious what goodies you cook up!

5. Here is my version: Chit-Chit-102209-009_3_4_5HDRI_tonemapped_Tutorial.zip

Here is a thought or photography tip to some starting out.

It is always good to set the proper or “near-right” white balance at RAW capture. This is accomplished via using a Gretag McBeth Color Checker card or those “Grey Cards” you can purchase at photography retailers.

When you don’t have them, try to find something “grey” or neutral in the same lighting situation and/or distance as your subject.

When I was shooting Chit-Chit, I did not want to go back and get my color checker card. So, I looked for something neutral in the vicinity and similar lighting as Chit-Chit. I found these rubber mats for the dog house.

Here is screen shot of the original RAW capture and the white balance corrected. I also corrected and enhanced the contrast to give that initial, “Oomph!”

If you’re using any RAW converter software, call up your “white balance tool” and try to find RGB areas that are near equal in value on the grey/”neutral” reference image. For my reference image, I got 7750K with Tint = 7. I applied those settings over and you can see the before and after. It made a HUGE difference in image perception and mood.

IMPORTANT!

Leo Lam: May I add a suggestion? “The monitor must be calibrated for this method to work, otherwise, make sure you use a grey card (like the Gretag Macbeth or WhiBal) for white balance”. Without calibration, any “fine tuning” at the end is futile…

If there isn’t any “grey” or neutral objects in the scene, Chit-Chit has some grey patches of fur that could be used as starting guide and later fine-tune in photoshop. The purpose of white balancing is showing to people that what’s naturally “white” appears as white. If you look in the uncorrected image, Chit-Chit’s white stripe on her chest appeared grey.

You can play with the white balance setting to your heart’s content in RAW, but I like to be technical and scientific. Every shoot I do has some sort of neutral grey or reference image.

HAPPY WHITE-BALANCING!