thanks Mike. imo the halo, while some may not approve (im not a fan either tbf), is doing it's job of drawing eye attention away from the bright sun to the product, the yoga seat. as such it works in context of both the lifestyle and within the brief of the shoot and the client is happy which is after all the most important part people seem to be missing :)
Just come across your vids lately Mike and yours is definately the best teaching methods I have found , I`ve learnt more from you in a week than in the past six months. Please keep up the great work
I've been reading through some of the comments left today and all I can say is: you can't please everyone can you Mike? I personally enjoyed this video as I do with all of the ones I've watched from you. It's good to watch how you do your editing to compare it with the way I work. Slowly, slowly little by little build on the work in progress. Job done. You mentioned at the beginning a viewer wrote in about post production cheating or not. And I thought you gave them a good answer. Another answer could be: we don't take the photo we create it. Anyway, sorry, Im rambling on again. Till the next one Mike. Good light. Tony
Thanks Mike. I have been into photography all my life and felt film and self processing in a dark room was the only way to go. Digital didn't feel right to me until I started watching you videos by chance last year. My confidence and knowledge grew, and today, following just a hand full of professionals such as yourself, I am enjoying photography again. Thankyou for all your videos, and I'm sure there are more people who have been inspired by your work besides myself, but personally thankyou for helping me. Keep up the good work
Mike, your work on the two photographs had me “seeing” the photographer as the embodiment of multiple artistic talents. Working on the first photograph, you, the photographer, were more of a theatre director, overseeing a challenging theatre production. In today’s video, I see the photographer as a master painter. Thank you!
Hey Thanks Obert. BTW, I have your email here and read it with interest, thanks for getting back to me. I apologise I haven't replied yet my friend... MIKE
The thing I like most about watching your videos is your eloquence. So many other videos and podcasts are taken up with frequent 'cos you know' and 'like you know' or just plain old 'you know'. I got through the first five minutes of a photography podcast yesterday where every other sentence was 'you know' and just had to switch off. It is a phrase that seems to have infected even radio presenters and politicians and I feel like screaming every time I hear it: if I did know I wouldn't be listening! Please avoid getting infected with this phrase as well! :-)
The best tutorials out there, hands down. They offer practical advice for real life situations. I’ve learned more in 10 minutes from some of your videos than hours of other photographers’ tutorials.
Thank you Tony, please do signup here for the course so you will get notified www.photographycourses.biz/courses/lightroom-photos and yes will look forward to have you in our workshop! - Melissa pp Mike
Mike as per normal a great video. As for the people that are negative I say photography is very subjective the halo gives the photo something different but that is my taste. If you are working for someone and they are happy then job well done. AS for using reflectors or flashes it would not of been the same. Also then you are bringing in more people and the cost start to rise this day and age it is about looking after the pennies. This video is for use hobby photographers getting better rectifying our mistakes not all of use photographers are perfect well I know I am not and sometimes use light room to sort out my mistakes thanks to people like Mike Browne I am able to do that. Keep up the great work Mike you are a Legend
Mike, this was a brilliant demonstration of your ability to use/teach LR to reveal all the information available in a RAW file - which is normally lost in an in-camera JPG conversion. Bravo my friend. Well done.
Thank you Mike, another great video. No matter how long I have been doing this, your videos give me inspiration to do different things and rejuvenate my creative process. Hope one day you plan to visit the east coast of the U.S. My wife and I would enjoy one of your classes. Thanks again.
Thanks for this video Mike. I really appreciate the fact you have taken us on the journey from the client brief to end the end product. It helps me with my confidence as a (hopeful) emerging photographer!
Hi Mike, there is still a way of using the graduated filter on Lightroom and not have it affect your subject - just drag it down to where you want (even if it covers your subject), lower the exposure as normal but then raise the shadows on the grad. You maintain most of the graduated effect without it making your subject darker. Saves faffing around with the brush tool and prevents the halo effect (unless that's what you want of course!). Love your videos, keep up the great work!
I personally think it is an excellent edit and at the end of the day if the client was excited and enthused by the finished image then it's job done. As Mike said, whether the image was processed "correctly is in the eye of the beholder". I'm sure if she was unhappy she would have asked for a re-edit.
Re the Aura - if you practise Yoga for a while indeed yo do feel a glow - rather after a good day when jogging - you know you finish and you feel almost like you're body glows, so Yes I can see why the client (whether by accident or design) felt pleased with the result. Perhaps it's worth remembering on a commercial shoot at times the shot you're most pleased with is not the one they choose even though technically it might not be the best - another great video thanks Mike. Oh, And I noticed you used Nikon not the Fuji.
Nice work Mike, interesting the ones who say, you should have done this or you should have done that or I don't like the halo etc... You met the client brief and if the clients are happy, job well done! For those that want to criticise, maybe you should do a video of how it's done properly, instead of giving Mike a hard time??? There are those who do and those who watch.
I totally agree with Dennis, I'm about to retire and know almost nothing about photography. Mike is helping me so much before I even start and I would love to do what he has done in this shoot, similar shoots of night time in the streets to capture not only the subject but also the various lights and pedestrians in the background! Beautiful and thank you from Canada. You know I love red wine but have met some wine snobs, I also love photography and just met some.....enough said!
Great work. You know you make learning fun. The thought I was thinking was about a polarizing filter and cross screen. I must say thank you. Because I am learning so much of what to look for.. Also The composition . Now I don't have a problem getting down. Just getting up.
Hello Mike! A very good video - as usual :) - but I guess a quick brush up (forgive the pun) on tools is in order :). I know there's a 100 ways to skin a dog (I'm a cat lover myself) in Photoshop (or Lightroom) but let's notice the updates Adobe puts into the software. You were reluctant to use grad filter on the picture and went with a brush to darken the sky maybe for the fact of using "the good old ways". As now Lightroom has a brush built in into the grad (and radial) filter that you can use to remove the filter effect from selected areas. You could either remove it exactly over the figure of the model or - using a feather and flow of the brush - create the halo if desired. As in the end you went into removing some of your brush overspill from the model's hat and sweater it seems to me that step would be already dealt with if using the grad filter + erasing brush method. Hey - we all learn constantly and Adobe engineers are doing a solid job to keep us on our toes :) All the best!
Hi Mike always liked your videos on various topics, learnt a lot. Really liked the last two re backlit Shots. Always look forward to a new video from you. Hope you don't mind me asking, the desktop wallpapers on your monitors could you tell me what they are called, or are they photos you took yourself. All the best Paul
Thanks Paul. Are you signed up to our newsletter? If you are we'll email you each time a new one goes live. Link Bleow. The photos on my desktop / screensaver which appear in some vids are some of my favorites from either photoshoots I did for clients or on workshops I run. - MIKE :-) Newsletter: www.photographycourses.biz/new_video_notification.html
You did a great job, Mike. Though I was curious about how to get rid of that white border around the model. You promised to do it in the video but I didn't see it. Could you get back to it and make a part 3? thanks.
Thanks. It's in there dodi. I said the halo was yellow and I'd sort it. I change the white balance using a radial filter to get rid of the yellow. I didn't want to lose the halo, I wanted the colours to blend so it'd be less strong but still there... MIKE
Nicely done Mike. Keep up the good work and ignore the haters. I've watched EVERY one of your videos since the beginning with 'Camera Controls' and have always found them highly informative and most explanatory. By keeping it simple and to the point you've not only been able to get your point across but encourages or at least have encouraged me when I first started to pick up my camera and, 'Think Like a Photographer.' So on behalf of the many viewers who appreciate your work let me say a whopping, 'Thank You for all your hard work Mike' and Happy Belated Birthday!' Cheers kreygscottphotography PS You should spend a bit more time on LinkedIn. 😀
I think the halo is perfect for this shot as it's a commercial one, well done and a great explanation of how you done it. Just a quicky is it best to shoot moving items with a pre set focus or use the continuous focus mode?
Thanks stigg. That's a tough question as it depends on circumstances and the direction of the movement. Have a look at the autofocus modes series. part 1 linked below... MIKE www.photographycourses.biz/videos/technical/getting-sharp-images/autofocus.html
Great video Mike,i'm still struggling with Lightroom & Photoshop though,i just can't get my head around how to use it, you make to look easy but it's not haha.Keep up the fantastic work ....Neil
It's like anything we're learning Neil. At first it's hard, then it gets a bit easier and eventually we wonder what all the fuss was about. The key to using Lightroom to it's best potential is to set up a proper workflow system on your computer right from the start. If you've ever had "Image Missing" messages or can't find photos, that's why. LR Library module does masses of incredibly useful time saving things for you too. I suggest you persevere and see how you got on with developing. I'm making a new Lightroom course right now (as I expect you saw in the video) which will certainly help you when it's done. Hang in there bro... MIKE :-)
Mike, thanks for sharing your work. I know the comments have been all over the place with the "aura". Are you pleased with the end result? I suppose no other opinions really matter when it comes to work commissioned by a client paying for a certain look. She likes it...she's paying for it...job well done. I am curious though about the shoot. Were you not prepared for lighting your subject with a reflector, speedlights or strobes for fill? Hard to imagine doing a shoot into the sun without those lighting techniques...unless you were originally thinking she'd be a silhouette. Frankly, I think that would've been a very cool shot with the product (yellow cushion) brought up in post. It would've popped big time. Metering for a beautiful blue sky, the sun warmed to yellow tone, dark silhouette and the yellow product brought up in color and lighting...seems like a very tasteful image. Your video has given me some ideas and I thank you again for sharing it!
hey thanks SHIFTING FOCUS Photography There are endless possibilities for these shoots as you said. If the sky had been pure blue with no haze I'd have done a starburst version as well, though for this application the haze kinda helped me fulfill what was wanted. A reflector would have helped a bit granted and I was pushing my luck here I know. TBH, I though it was in the back of the car! But at the end of the day it worked for purpose so everyone's happy... MIKE
Mike, thanks for another worthwhile video. Just one question: do you ever shift + double-click on the black/white level sliders to set them automatically, rather than use the alt + slide technique?
Thanks Chris. No, I prefer to do it with sliders then check visually and adjust from there if it's not quite the look I want, because 'accurate' may be technically correct but not always pleasing to look at... MIKE
Not an easy photo to process, but you made a pretty god job of it. I love processing images nearly as much as I do taking them. When we process a picture, there are no hard and fast rules, It's our interpretation of what we want to see. If you let a dozen people process that RAW image, you would get a dozen different results. ...... Alan Radley
I'm thinking of doing a video about the endless possibilities of raw processing sometime tectorama Might be fun to give 3 photographers the same file and no brief to see what they come up with... MIKE
Alan ......On the same subject Mike, I know you can't do it with this picture, but perhaps you could make one of your RAW files downloadable, to see what we could all do with it. It would be an interesting exercise. Not a competition as such. You could get the lovely Melissa on the case if you are too busy. She was saying she needs more to do :) :) :) ..............Alan
Good idea Alan. Yes, Miss Fox has been traveling with tribes and shooting stuff I want to shoot (not a bit jealous) so yes, lets give her some work... MIKE ;-)
Yep, that's my comeback! Interestingly enough, my Panasonic/Android cell phone shoots RAW and automatically backs them up on Google Photo's where they can be viewed and shared. I did a test and they are not extracting JPG preview info, they are showing the RAW. Of course processed by Google to be displayed in a browser but in general, they are pretty ugly. For as far fetched as it seems, RAW can be published nearly untouched. So send the arrogant buggers to Google Photo's when they criticize you for not getting it right in-camera! Then we'll see how good they are!
Ha ha, thanks Kevin Saruwatari I'll do a video in a few months to show the difference between a straight from camera shot and the same one developed in LR to be what i want... MIKE :-)
That would be good come to think of it. RAW is often misunderstood. I don't use LR but from what I've seen it will make the RAW look better than it is because Adobe applies a base contrast curve (and possibly some denoise) they determine as part of the camera-profile. I use a very nerdy software called darktable that allows the base curve (any camera profile settings) to be stripped out to the base RAW; the picture starts to look like a very flat, LOG video file. If you want me to export one to TIFF for you to compare to LR, you are welcome to send me your sample file. If it's coming off your Fuji (I think darktable supports X-trans now), I'd say shoot it in ISO 3200-6400 so we can dirty it up with a bit of noise; Fuji's are pretty clean in general.
Lets say you made 24 individual changes/enhancements, if you implemented those changes in the reverse order would the result be the same? Example change 24,23,22 etc.
Good question gary wensec I've never tried reversing the order in which a shot's developed to find out. I tend to do the big stuff first and work down to the smaller ones. Maybe you should give it a go and let us know what happens... MIKE :-)
Thank you Nick, you too. Sorry, I've never heard of it so can't comment. In my experience they are all pretty similar and get the job done. I went from capture One to Lightroom back when it was V3 because I was having trouble getting accurate colour matched prints. A colleague had gone to Lightroom because the previews at that time were much more accurate, I followed her and as it works so brilliantly well as both a developer and image manager all in one, I've never looked elsewhere.. MIKE
This may have worked well with Lightroom's HDR feature if you had used the bracketing function on your camera. LR's HDR is much more naturalistic looking and produces a dng file allowing much of the RAW editing power. It would have also produced less noise in the shadow areas.
I understand this is a professional shooting, Mike. It's not bad, but like a lot of people down here I'm used to better pics of you. At least in my eyes. Everyones has an opinion. Let us not forget our favourite Dirty Harry quote. Something with opinions and buttholes :). I personally (excuse me for writing mistakes) would have darkened out her silhouette and left the sun as a mystic haze. All I would have lightened up in my post processing is the butterfy. For my taste that makes me know what it is about. And it keeps the mystic around it. What do you think about that?
We all have our preferences Steven Elebaut The way I see it is the client likes my work so they booked me. If they didn't, then they wouldn't have. But also, what about the bright areas needed for text, graphic overlays? - MIKE
I don't, cause I don't have the means and know how to do so. Like I said, it is just a matter of opinion. If I must upload to be able to have an opinion and share it, then I think I'm old fashioned :) Did you take my comment as an offense perhaps? It was surely not ment as one.
Hey Mike. Can you help me? Which one is better? Nikon d7000 with 35f1.8 Canon 7d with 35.f1.8 Sony a6000 with the 16.50 kit lens. Thanks. Why did you chose one over the other? Thanks
Hi Stekkerbox , sorry but Mike can only speak about the camera he uses, which is Nikon, these two camera's are almost similar when it comes their functionalities, but to help you to decide which, have a look at their detailed specs. snapsort.com/compare/Canon_EOS_7D-vs-Nikon_D7000/detailed, we always say that it's not really the gear that take the picture, it's the man behind it. REAL STORY-> I was invited to shoot a wedding being an extra ( not the main photographer) the main photographer has 10 camera bodies and massive lenses. At the end of the week. I was able to produce small number of great quality images using my entry level camera and just 2 lenses ( 35mm. 1.8) and a kit lens.Bride and groom was so pleased and hired me to shoot their babybelly pics ( she didn't hired the previous photographer). It's how you make the best of your camera, we may have the best gadget, but if we lack creativity, passion, thinking like a photographer our images will not work.Hope these helps. - Melissa pp Mike www.photographycourses.biz/courses/ultimate-beginners-photography-course
Hi, Mike! I appreciate you. You are a great artist. But, I believe technically this photo was taken not correctly. A lot of noise and that strange halo and ... in post production are results of that issue. As you know (of course you know) a simple reflector or a flash could solve all those problems. Thank you again for your videos.
Thanks Садег Азарми Correctly is in the eye of the beholder. And the client was delighted with the halo effect because it's kinda like an aura. Have a look at the article that accompanies the video on my site which explains all... MIKE www.photographycourses.biz/videos/creative/photo-editing/retouching-backlit-photos
Shrug. No worries... She called me all excited and said, "WOW, you can even see my aura" and was quite disappointed when I said it was done on the computer. Not sure what she'll say if she see's this vid... MIKE
Seasoned pros know how to work economically and efficiently. Mike stated she is a friend. Maybe the shoot was done as a favor. I suppose he could have used a team of stylists, and assistants but the point is he made an exceptional, striking image, that perfectly suited the clients need. Any more is too much. This video is a lesson in how to create work as a professional, beyond the technical aspects of the photography and post processing itself.
What some people are not getting is that you were shooting for a client even though she was a friend and they were extremely happy with the vision discussed and the outcome. You probably would have edited it differently if it was a personal shot. The two vids were a great insight into not just getting a great shot but communication to achieve an outcome.
Just touching on on this "cheating" that you talked about. I hear this a lot, especially from those that used film, when they did photography (who should know better).. In the days of film, unless you had your own darkroom, you would have it processed at a camera shop or a pharmacy. To ensure you was happy with your photos, they would post process, to a degree.. Lightroom or Darktable or whatever raw editor you use is simply a dark room in digital form. Certainly not cheating.. And if it was cheating, what about all the other techniques photographers use? Filters, grads, fill lights and flashes, etc.. Maybe were all cheating, all of the time.. (including those film photographers..)
Thanks MrFoldback I know what you mean. Have a read of the article that goes with this video at the link below which explains more. The client was delighted with the halo effect because it's kinda like an aura.... MIKE www.photographycourses.biz/videos/creative/photo-editing/retouching-backlit-photos
Mike Browne, don't get me wrong. I like the aura, but I think it would be better if it was more subtile. Anyway, great work. Keep going on. I really like your inspiration!
I quite like it for a product-shot. It works for that. - You can't really be too subtle and "tasteful" when you're trying to grab attention with a product-shot. - Exaggeration (whatever amount) has its place as well.
True, but it was a commercial shoot. You need to give the client options, and show them previews along the way. Eventually you get them delighted, and they walk away happy. Some people will like a touch of creativity.
Mike Browne u always demonstrate nicely but video becomes a little long...thats okay...i was looking for good landscape photographer to follow and i got one...d best part is i also use nikon d600 and love it till date...i do wedding photography and like to learn landscape as well...u guidance r valuable.
I love these guys thinking post production is cheating or that you need to do perfect shots in camera. A part of them is naive followers, another part are just not worth following delusional perfectionist wannabe. ^^' Taking the best shot possible makes sense however. There's a difference between taking the most you can and expecting unrealistic results from the incamera shot. Well explained Mike.
Had to stop the video at 1'27: i can't believe you have to - Still - explain again why retouching isn't cheating... people can't never learn, can't they? Or damn stubborn ;) and other than what you explained, a camera CANNOT simply adapt what the human eye sees!
Post production happens on ALL images @ Yong Soo Pui. It's either done by the camera or by the photographer. With film it was done by whoever printed and / or developed the film. Even Louis Daguerre and Fox-Talbot did post production at the dawn of photography using brushes with bleaches and pigmnet... MIKE
@@MikeBrowne Guess I was trained by a master who insist everything was to be done within a camera. No offence with post production, but nowadays ppl have abused it to the extend it detriment the art of photography.
thanks Mike. imo the halo, while some may not approve (im not a fan either tbf), is doing it's job of drawing eye attention away from the bright sun to the product, the yoga seat. as such it works in context of both the lifestyle and within the brief of the shoot and the client is happy which is after all the most important part people seem to be missing :)
Just come across your vids lately Mike and yours is definately the best teaching methods I have found , I`ve learnt more from you in a week than in the past six months. Please keep up the great work
Thank you for the kind words! - Melissa pp MIke
I've been reading through some of the comments left today and all I can say is: you can't please everyone can you Mike? I personally enjoyed this video as I do with all of the ones I've watched from you. It's good to watch how you do your editing to compare it with the way I work. Slowly, slowly little by little build on the work in progress. Job done.
You mentioned at the beginning a viewer wrote in about post production cheating or not. And I thought you gave them a good answer. Another answer could be: we don't take the photo we create it. Anyway, sorry, Im rambling on again. Till the next one Mike. Good light. Tony
Thanks Tony - MIKE :-)
Thanks Mike. I have been into photography all my life and felt film and self processing in a dark room was the only way to go. Digital didn't feel right to me until I started watching you videos by chance last year. My confidence and knowledge grew, and today, following just a hand full of professionals such as yourself, I am enjoying photography again. Thankyou for all your videos, and I'm sure there are more people who have been inspired by your work besides myself, but personally thankyou for helping me. Keep up the good work
Thank you Shane Williams Please help me keep it going by sharing vids you like around... MIKE :-)
Mike, your work on the two photographs had me “seeing” the photographer as the embodiment of multiple artistic talents. Working on the first photograph, you, the photographer, were more of a theatre director, overseeing a challenging theatre production. In today’s video, I see the photographer as a master painter. Thank you!
Hey Thanks Obert. BTW, I have your email here and read it with interest, thanks for getting back to me. I apologise I haven't replied yet my friend... MIKE
The thing I like most about watching your videos is your eloquence. So many other videos and podcasts are taken up with frequent 'cos you know' and 'like you know' or just plain old 'you know'. I got through the first five minutes of a photography podcast yesterday where every other sentence was 'you know' and just had to switch off. It is a phrase that seems to have infected even radio presenters and politicians and I feel like screaming every time I hear it: if I did know I wouldn't be listening! Please avoid getting infected with this phrase as well! :-)
Thanks Kerry B, You know, I'll do that 'cos like, you know, it's kinda like annoying you know - MIKE ;-)
The best tutorials out there, hands down. They offer practical advice for real life situations. I’ve learned more in 10 minutes from some of your videos than hours of other photographers’ tutorials.
Nicely done again Mike. Can't wait for the Lightroom course. Hope to see you on another workshop day soon
Thank you Tony, please do signup here for the course so you will get notified www.photographycourses.biz/courses/lightroom-photos and yes will look forward to have you in our workshop! - Melissa pp Mike
Mike as per normal a great video. As for the people that are negative I say photography is very subjective the halo gives the photo something different but that is my taste. If you are working for someone and they are happy then job well done. AS for using reflectors or flashes it would not of been the same. Also then you are bringing in more people and the cost start to rise this day and age it is about looking after the pennies. This video is for use hobby photographers getting better rectifying our mistakes not all of use photographers are perfect well I know I am not and sometimes use light room to sort out my mistakes thanks to people like Mike Browne I am able to do that. Keep up the great work Mike you are a Legend
Thanks Stephen - MIKE
Mike, this was a brilliant demonstration of your ability to use/teach LR to reveal all the information available in a RAW file - which is normally lost in an in-camera JPG conversion. Bravo my friend. Well done.
Thank you glad you like it! - Melissa pp Mike
Thank you Mike, another great video. No matter how long I have been doing this, your videos give me inspiration to do different things and rejuvenate my creative process. Hope one day you plan to visit the east coast of the U.S. My wife and I would enjoy one of your classes. Thanks again.
Thank you pebmets - MIKE :-)
Thanks for this video Mike. I really appreciate the fact you have taken us on the journey from the client brief to end the end product. It helps me with my confidence as a (hopeful) emerging photographer!
Thank you ! - Melissa pp Mike
Hey thanks Stuart Fillmore Keep at at it and you'll get there... MIKE :-)
Love your videos,,,,they have helped me very much with my photography. Please keep them coming😊!!!
Thank you, please keep on watching! :) - Melissa pp Mike
Hi Mike, there is still a way of using the graduated filter on Lightroom and not have it affect your subject - just drag it down to where you want (even if it covers your subject), lower the exposure as normal but then raise the shadows on the grad. You maintain most of the graduated effect without it making your subject darker. Saves faffing around with the brush tool and prevents the halo effect (unless that's what you want of course!). Love your videos, keep up the great work!
I personally think it is an excellent edit and at the end of the day if the client was excited and enthused by the finished image then it's job done. As Mike said, whether the image was processed "correctly is in the eye of the beholder". I'm sure if she was unhappy she would have asked for a re-edit.
Mike you and me think so much alike especially your brillient speech on post production and norty boy Browne with a dust spot lol
Re the Aura - if you practise Yoga for a while indeed yo do feel a glow - rather after a good day when jogging - you know you finish and you feel almost like you're body glows, so Yes I can see why the client (whether by accident or design) felt pleased with the result. Perhaps it's worth remembering on a commercial shoot at times the shot you're most pleased with is not the one they choose even though technically it might not be the best - another great video thanks Mike. Oh, And I noticed you used Nikon not the Fuji.
Nice work Mike, interesting the ones who say, you should have done this or you should have done that or I don't like the halo etc... You met the client brief and if the clients are happy, job well done! For those that want to criticise, maybe you should do a video of how it's done properly, instead of giving Mike a hard time??? There are those who do and those who watch.
Hey thanks Dennis - MIKE :-)
I totally agree with Dennis, I'm about to retire and know almost nothing about photography. Mike is helping me so much before I even start and I would love to do what he has done in this shoot, similar shoots of night time in the streets to capture not only the subject but also the various lights and pedestrians in the background! Beautiful and thank you from Canada. You know I love red wine but have met some wine snobs, I also love photography and just met some.....enough said!
Awesome Job Mike!
Mike, very nice instruction video. Go on with the good work. It inspired a lot.
Thanks Rob, Please help me make more like it by continuing to share vids with other photographers. Best wishes... MIKE
Mike, use not to many "R" in my name please one is enough. Replace it with a "B". Sharing is no problem, I do that always when it is interesting .
Oops. Sorry Bob - MIKE
Such a helpful video! You always explain and show things so clearly. Thank you!
thank you for liking the video!
Hi Mike. Another great video. Very informative. I am now starting to use Lightroom, after attending one of your beginners classes recently.
Regards.
Brill! keep rocking it ! Melissa pp Mike
Such a helpful video as always Mike. thank you.
Great work. You know you make learning fun. The thought I was thinking was about a polarizing filter and cross screen. I must say thank you. Because I am learning so much of what to look for.. Also The composition . Now I don't have a problem getting down. Just getting up.
hahaha i feel you Don, - Melissa pp Mike
Keep up the good work Mike!
Excellent video. Just shows how endless the possibilities are
Hello Mike! A very good video - as usual :) - but I guess a quick brush up (forgive the pun) on tools is in order :). I know there's a 100 ways to skin a dog (I'm a cat lover myself) in Photoshop (or Lightroom) but let's notice the updates Adobe puts into the software.
You were reluctant to use grad filter on the picture and went with a brush to darken the sky maybe for the fact of using "the good old ways". As now Lightroom has a brush built in into the grad (and radial) filter that you can use to remove the filter effect from selected areas. You could either remove it exactly over the figure of the model or - using a feather and flow of the brush - create the halo if desired. As in the end you went into removing some of your brush overspill from the model's hat and sweater it seems to me that step would be already dealt with if using the grad filter + erasing brush method. Hey - we all learn constantly and Adobe engineers are doing a solid job to keep us on our toes :) All the best!
Thanks Piotr Trumpiel
. We do ineed... MIKE :-)
Mike another great and informative video 👍👌🙂
Hi Mike always liked your videos on various topics, learnt a lot. Really liked the last two re backlit
Shots. Always look forward to a new video from you. Hope you don't mind me asking, the desktop wallpapers on your monitors could you tell me what they are called, or are they photos you took yourself. All the best Paul
Thanks Paul. Are you signed up to our newsletter? If you are we'll email you each time a new one goes live. Link Bleow. The photos on my desktop / screensaver which appear in some vids are some of my favorites from either photoshoots I did for clients or on workshops I run. - MIKE :-)
Newsletter: www.photographycourses.biz/new_video_notification.html
You did a great job, Mike. Though I was curious about how to get rid of that white border around the model. You promised to do it in the video but I didn't see it. Could you get back to it and make a part 3? thanks.
Thanks. It's in there dodi. I said the halo was yellow and I'd sort it. I change the white balance using a radial filter to get rid of the yellow. I didn't want to lose the halo, I wanted the colours to blend so it'd be less strong but still there... MIKE
Thanks Mike!
Nicely done Mike. Keep up the good work and ignore the haters. I've watched EVERY one of your videos since the beginning with 'Camera Controls' and have always found them highly informative and most explanatory. By keeping it simple and to the point you've not only been able to get your point across but encourages or at least have encouraged me when I first started to pick up my camera and, 'Think Like a Photographer.' So on behalf of the many viewers who appreciate your work let me say a whopping, 'Thank You for all your hard work Mike' and Happy Belated Birthday!'
Cheers
kreygscottphotography
PS You should spend a bit more time on LinkedIn. 😀
keep rocking! - Melissa pp Mike
I think the halo is perfect for this shot as it's a commercial one, well done and a great explanation of how you done it.
Just a quicky is it best to shoot moving items with a pre set focus or use the continuous focus mode?
Thanks stigg. That's a tough question as it depends on circumstances and the direction of the movement. Have a look at the autofocus modes series. part 1 linked below... MIKE
www.photographycourses.biz/videos/technical/getting-sharp-images/autofocus.html
Thanks for your reply i will take a look, i will be trying to get shots of the bikes at the Barcelona GP this weekend!!
Please share a couple on our Facebook. Link below... MIKE
facebook.com/DigitalPhotographyVideos
Great video Mike,i'm still struggling with Lightroom & Photoshop though,i just can't get my head around how to use it, you make to look easy but it's not haha.Keep up the fantastic work ....Neil
It's like anything we're learning Neil. At first it's hard, then it gets a bit easier and eventually we wonder what all the fuss was about. The key to using Lightroom to it's best potential is to set up a proper workflow system on your computer right from the start. If you've ever had "Image Missing" messages or can't find photos, that's why. LR Library module does masses of incredibly useful time saving things for you too. I suggest you persevere and see how you got on with developing. I'm making a new Lightroom course right now (as I expect you saw in the video) which will certainly help you when it's done. Hang in there bro... MIKE :-)
Thanks Mike i will look forward to your new LR course, many thanks again...Neil
Mike, thanks for sharing your work. I know the comments have been all over the place with the "aura". Are you pleased with the end result? I suppose no other opinions really matter when it comes to work commissioned by a client paying for a certain look. She likes it...she's paying for it...job well done. I am curious though about the shoot. Were you not prepared for lighting your subject with a reflector, speedlights or strobes for fill? Hard to imagine doing a shoot into the sun without those lighting techniques...unless you were originally thinking she'd be a silhouette. Frankly, I think that would've been a very cool shot with the product (yellow cushion) brought up in post. It would've popped big time. Metering for a beautiful blue sky, the sun warmed to yellow tone, dark silhouette and the yellow product brought up in color and lighting...seems like a very tasteful image. Your video has given me some ideas and I thank you again for sharing it!
hey thanks SHIFTING FOCUS Photography There are endless possibilities for these shoots as you said. If the sky had been pure blue with no haze I'd have done a starburst version as well, though for this application the haze kinda helped me fulfill what was wanted. A reflector would have helped a bit granted and I was pushing my luck here I know. TBH, I though it was in the back of the car! But at the end of the day it worked for purpose so everyone's happy... MIKE
I think the halo effect works well for this type of promotional shoot as it's in keeping with the clients line of business.
Mike, thanks for another worthwhile video. Just one question: do you ever shift + double-click on the black/white level sliders to set them automatically, rather than use the alt + slide technique?
Thanks Chris. No, I prefer to do it with sliders then check visually and adjust from there if it's not quite the look I want, because 'accurate' may be technically correct but not always pleasing to look at... MIKE
Not an easy photo to process, but you made a pretty god job of it. I love processing images nearly as much as I do taking them.
When we process a picture, there are no hard and fast rules, It's our interpretation of what we want to see. If you let a dozen people process that RAW image, you would get a dozen different results. ...... Alan Radley
I'm thinking of doing a video about the endless possibilities of raw processing sometime tectorama Might be fun to give 3 photographers the same file and no brief to see what they come up with... MIKE
Alan ......On the same subject Mike, I know you can't do it with this picture, but perhaps you could make one of your RAW files downloadable, to see what we could all do with it. It would be an interesting exercise. Not a competition as such. You could get the lovely Melissa on the case if you are too busy. She was saying she needs more to do :) :) :) ..............Alan
Good idea Alan. Yes, Miss Fox has been traveling with tribes and shooting stuff I want to shoot (not a bit jealous) so yes, lets give her some work... MIKE ;-)
Nice video Mike! People that believe post processing is cheating should shoot in raw and post them unmodified.
hahaha i laughed at this, cant imagine any site that would accept RAW file - Melissa pp Mike
Yep, that's my comeback! Interestingly enough, my Panasonic/Android cell phone shoots RAW and automatically backs them up on Google Photo's where they can be viewed and shared. I did a test and they are not extracting JPG preview info, they are showing the RAW. Of course processed by Google to be displayed in a browser but in general, they are pretty ugly. For as far fetched as it seems, RAW can be published nearly untouched. So send the arrogant buggers to Google Photo's when they criticize you for not getting it right in-camera! Then we'll see how good they are!
Ha ha, thanks Kevin Saruwatari I'll do a video in a few months to show the difference between a straight from camera shot and the same one developed in LR to be what i want... MIKE :-)
That would be good come to think of it. RAW is often misunderstood. I don't use LR but from what I've seen it will make the RAW look better than it is because Adobe applies a base contrast curve (and possibly some denoise) they determine as part of the camera-profile. I use a very nerdy software called darktable that allows the base curve (any camera profile settings) to be stripped out to the base RAW; the picture starts to look like a very flat, LOG video file. If you want me to export one to TIFF for you to compare to LR, you are welcome to send me your sample file. If it's coming off your Fuji (I think darktable supports X-trans now), I'd say shoot it in ISO 3200-6400 so we can dirty it up with a bit of noise; Fuji's are pretty clean in general.
Lets say you made 24 individual changes/enhancements, if you implemented those changes in the reverse order would the result be the same? Example change 24,23,22 etc.
Good question gary wensec I've never tried reversing the order in which a shot's developed to find out. I tend to do the big stuff first and work down to the smaller ones. Maybe you should give it a go and let us know what happens... MIKE :-)
Happy New Year, Mike. Do you think Canon's Digital Photo Professional 4 is in any way comparable to Lightroom?
Thank you Nick, you too. Sorry, I've never heard of it so can't comment. In my experience they are all pretty similar and get the job done. I went from capture One to Lightroom back when it was V3 because I was having trouble getting accurate colour matched prints. A colleague had gone to Lightroom because the previews at that time were much more accurate, I followed her and as it works so brilliantly well as both a developer and image manager all in one, I've never looked elsewhere.. MIKE
Thanks very much Mike. I find that Canon's DPP4 does what I want it to. So for now I'll stick with it.
This may have worked well with Lightroom's HDR feature if you had used the bracketing function on your camera. LR's HDR is much more naturalistic looking and produces a dng file allowing much of the RAW editing power. It would have also produced less noise in the shadow areas.
Blah.Blah....Blah!
First! Hello Mike!
I understand this is a professional shooting, Mike. It's not bad, but like a lot of people down here I'm used to better pics of you. At least in my eyes. Everyones has an opinion. Let us not forget our favourite Dirty Harry quote. Something with opinions and buttholes :). I personally (excuse me for writing mistakes) would have darkened out her silhouette and left the sun as a mystic haze. All I would have lightened up in my post processing is the butterfy. For my taste that makes me know what it is about. And it keeps the mystic around it. What do you think about that?
When was the last time you Uploaded Steven Elebaut?
We all have our preferences Steven Elebaut The way I see it is the client likes my work so they booked me. If they didn't, then they wouldn't have. But also, what about the bright areas needed for text, graphic overlays? - MIKE
I don't, cause I don't have the means and know how to do so. Like I said, it is just a matter of opinion. If I must upload to be able to have an opinion and share it, then I think I'm old fashioned :) Did you take my comment as an offense perhaps? It was surely not ment as one.
The CLIENT wanted the butterfly highlighted dude. Its a freaking PROFESSIONAL SHOOT. You do what the client tells you they want.
"I don't, cause I don't have the means and know how to do so."
Cool, then keep your mouth shut.
I think I saw more "dust spots". And to be honest, I think the spots aren't dust but smudges on the glass.
Hey Mike. Can you help me?
Which one is better?
Nikon d7000 with 35f1.8
Canon 7d with 35.f1.8
Sony a6000 with the 16.50 kit lens. Thanks. Why did you chose one over the other? Thanks
Hi Stekkerbox , sorry but Mike can only speak about the camera he uses, which is Nikon, these two camera's are almost similar when it comes their functionalities, but to help you to decide which, have a look at their detailed specs. snapsort.com/compare/Canon_EOS_7D-vs-Nikon_D7000/detailed, we always say that it's not really the gear that take the picture, it's the man behind it. REAL STORY-> I was invited to shoot a wedding being an extra ( not the main photographer) the main photographer has 10 camera bodies and massive lenses. At the end of the week. I was able to produce small number of great quality images using my entry level camera and just 2 lenses ( 35mm. 1.8) and a kit lens.Bride and groom was so pleased and hired me to shoot their babybelly pics ( she didn't hired the previous photographer). It's how you make the best of your camera, we may have the best gadget, but if we lack creativity, passion, thinking like a photographer our images will not work.Hope these helps. - Melissa pp Mike www.photographycourses.biz/courses/ultimate-beginners-photography-course
Mike Browne thank you so much!!
Great as usual :-)
Thank you - MIKE :-)
Just learned Lightroom in under 10 mins!
Well, you've learned a tiny bit of it Josua. LR's massive... MIKE
The latest version of Lr Classic CC makes this even easier with Auto Mask and Range Masking, both very powerful tools.
Hi, Mike! I appreciate you. You are a great artist. But, I believe technically this photo was taken not correctly. A lot of noise and that strange halo and ... in post production are results of that issue. As you know (of course you know) a simple reflector or a flash could solve all those problems. Thank you again for your videos.
Thanks Садег Азарми
Correctly is in the eye of the beholder. And the client was delighted with the halo effect because it's kinda like an aura. Have a look at the article that accompanies the video on my site which explains all... MIKE
www.photographycourses.biz/videos/creative/photo-editing/retouching-backlit-photos
Hello, Mike! I think you are trying to justify yourself!
Shrug. No worries... She called me all excited and said, "WOW, you can even see my aura" and was quite disappointed when I said it was done on the computer. Not sure what she'll say if she see's this vid... MIKE
Seasoned pros know how to work economically and efficiently. Mike stated she is a friend. Maybe the shoot was done as a favor. I suppose he could have used a team of stylists, and assistants but the point is he made an exceptional, striking image, that perfectly suited the clients need. Any more is too much. This video is a lesson in how to create work as a professional, beyond the technical aspects of the photography and post processing itself.
What some people are not getting is that you were shooting for a client even though she was a friend and they were extremely happy with the vision discussed and the outcome.
You probably would have edited it differently if it was a personal shot.
The two vids were a great insight into not just getting a great shot but communication to achieve an outcome.
Ferst one💪🏻
You missed a dust spot. :)
OOPS! - MIKE ;-)
Just touching on on this "cheating" that you talked about. I hear this a lot, especially from those that used film, when they did photography (who should know better)..
In the days of film, unless you had your own darkroom, you would have it processed at a camera shop or a pharmacy. To ensure you was happy with your photos, they would post process, to a degree.. Lightroom or Darktable or whatever raw editor you use is simply a dark room in digital form. Certainly not cheating..
And if it was cheating, what about all the other techniques photographers use? Filters, grads, fill lights and flashes, etc.. Maybe were all cheating, all of the time.. (including those film photographers..)
Agreed Paul.. And I see you found PT2... MIKE :-)
Nice edit, but I really don't like the halo. It is looking so artificial.
Thanks MrFoldback I know what you mean. Have a read of the article that goes with this video at the link below which explains more. The client was delighted with the halo effect because it's kinda like an aura.... MIKE
www.photographycourses.biz/videos/creative/photo-editing/retouching-backlit-photos
Mike Browne, don't get me wrong. I like the aura, but I think it would be better if it was more subtile. Anyway, great work. Keep going on. I really like your inspiration!
MrFoldback, I agree!
I quite like it for a product-shot. It works for that. - You can't really be too subtle and "tasteful" when you're trying to grab attention with a product-shot. - Exaggeration (whatever amount) has its place as well.
True, but it was a commercial shoot. You need to give the client options, and show them previews along the way. Eventually you get them delighted, and they walk away happy. Some people will like a touch of creativity.
U r the best
Thanks amigo Studioworks - you too... MIKE :-)
Mike Browne u always demonstrate nicely but video becomes a little long...thats okay...i was looking for good landscape photographer to follow and i got one...d best part is i also use nikon d600 and love it till date...i do wedding photography and like to learn landscape as well...u guidance r valuable.
BTW (no need to respond), did you know that there is a professional photographer called Mike Browne in West Cork, Ireland, too?
Ha ha No I didn't Nick. There's aslo one in New York city who has kindly forwarded mail to me when it's been sent to him by mistake... MIKE :-)
like that, thx a lot :-)
You might want to paste link to part 2 in description of part one. I almost ended up on Pornhub searching for it...
Thanks Scorpius - Done :) - Melissa pp Mike
I love these guys thinking post production is cheating or that you need to do perfect shots in camera.
A part of them is naive followers, another part are just not worth following delusional perfectionist wannabe. ^^'
Taking the best shot possible makes sense however. There's a difference between taking the most you can and expecting unrealistic results from the incamera shot.
Well explained Mike.
Had to stop the video at 1'27: i can't believe you have to - Still - explain again why retouching isn't cheating... people can't never learn, can't they? Or damn stubborn ;) and other than what you explained, a camera CANNOT simply adapt what the human eye sees!
Personally, I'd have processed this image in Photoshop. Lightroom ist just too crude for this type of masking.
Post production is cheating...it is not art altogether.
Post production happens on ALL images @ Yong Soo Pui. It's either done by the camera or by the photographer. With film it was done by whoever printed and / or developed the film. Even Louis Daguerre and Fox-Talbot did post production at the dawn of photography using brushes with bleaches and pigmnet... MIKE
@@MikeBrowne Guess I was trained by a master who insist everything was to be done within a camera. No offence with post production, but nowadays ppl have abused it to the extend it detriment the art of photography.