official 3rd session in PS

**Stockline19** · 04-28-2009, 02:22 PM

so I went discing with a friend this weekend, and got some action shots.

I am apart of a club at my school called DiGiT which we learn photoshop. The other kids in the class usually like to learn how to put dog heads on people and make funny pictures out of stupid stuff they find online. I on the other hand actually use it to try to make something of the photos I take and the instructor actually sits down with me to teach 1 on 1

I started this action sequence today, ran out of time to finish and polish it up (plus some cloning mistakes that need fixing next week)

What do you think?

**brucep** · 04-28-2009, 02:57 PM

That's a good job of masking, Ed! That spot on the forearm of the furthest thrower is pretty noticible, as you said.

Regarding the composition, though, I'd remove some space at the left and clone out that sign.

You're at a real advantage in this composite. Each of the "subjects" was photographed in the exact same lighting. That's something you really have to watch when you're compositing photos taken at different places and times.

**Stockline19** · 04-28-2009, 03:07 PM

Thanks for the comments from the master himself

Ya the forearm is from my inexperience with playing with the different layers, I moved a top layer to just above the background because I forgot one of the frames in the sequence. Then I couldnt figure out how to fix it on my own, because the instructor left early so this is the end result before I packed up. You will also notice some of his head missing in the furthest back frame. this is another problem I couldnt fix on my own with the masks.

these were never ment to be in a sequence so the composition is ugly and I wish I had taken more frames, but after he threw, it was my turn so I had to put down the camera. I just got the idea from old skateboarding magazines I used to read and wanted to see what I could do.

The natural light was very kind to me here, thats why the lighting seems good (totally unplanned

) but after playing I am happy with the result.

**JCwhatcounts** · 04-28-2009, 03:57 PM

Nice Job stock. Very nice. I'm all self taught in PS... which translates into I suck. I would really like to take a class in it.

**Stockline19** · 04-28-2009, 10:03 PM

Ha, once you get used to it its not hard, I just have a hard time remembering shortcuts and what to click when I need it. thank god for the internet!

**Skippy** · 04-29-2009, 05:05 AM

Ed that's good for third time. Interesting idea. Have you tried the free program Gimp? It does a lot of the same things that PS does and you have it at home to play with.

Skippy

**Stockline19** · 04-29-2009, 11:41 AM

I actually have a copy of PS7, but in this media tutorial they use cs3 and soon switching to cs4. I like to play around as most of the stuff on there is basically the same, but when I play with color adjustments and contrast etc. I only really like to do it when im there. One the monitors are calibrated and two when I do get cs3 or 4 I wont have much of a crossover learning to do

Thanks for the comments skippy, its a well known concept in the extreme sports world, used in alot of magazines to show technique throughout the trick.

**InspiredArts** · 04-30-2009, 08:51 PM

I'd space the 3 out a bit - you have plenty of real estate - then once you have all of your adjustments done crop in tighter too. I'd get rid of the sign either by moving everybody back and crop it out or clone it out when you do your other cloning 2) bump up the curves a bit - bring out the green in the background and see if I couldn't get some blues in the sky in the back or even better I'd go BW with the 3 people in color only and then do my cloning work, crop it and call it a day (after you got at least one other person to check for UH-OHs).

BJ

**Stockline19** · 04-30-2009, 09:49 PM

Welcome to the 'Zo BJ, thanks for your comments. I didnt spend anymore then 30 minutes on this, and I wasent planning on making it spectacular, just a quick play with masking.

Next time I get out to grab some shots I will definatly keep in mind the comments. Even shooting this I didnt think anything would come about but somehow I ended up with this.

The 3rd guy in the picture is so close because I was using a reference point to keep all of his feet looking liek they were on the ground. you can see my Ref point above his last and most extend foot near the closest to the right of the frame, that brown spot just above his foot is what I had all of the pictures anchored on.

I think If I get another overcast day I will try to get some gradient in the sky to show more blue, or work from an angle that takes it out all together. The sign is just a Tee marker/map showing the location of the pin and what par the hole is. I see it all the time so I guess I didnt think of it being so distracting.

**InspiredArts** · 05-01-2009, 05:42 PM

Thanks for the welcome - I've actually been lurking cause I didn't really have a chance to put in my 2 cents <right>.

The only reason I said to space them out is because more than an action shot it is a multiple exposure so the 3 "stages" would have looked really cool. And with the green of the background and the blue in the sky I was thinking of you doing that more in post than when you were shooting. If you want to learn how to do it in post I can try to help you if you'd like. I have CS3 so I'm not sure what you are using thus I said "try" and it is something you'd want to learn at some point.

There's also some good tutorials out on the Internet that you could try to do - again I think most of them are in CS3 or CS4 but you could give them a whirl best you can.....they are fun to do or in some cases try to do - I just like to give them a try sometimes to flex my Photoshop brain and see what I can add to my skill set.

It' is a great idea behind your composition and without any prior planning that actually makes it better because that means you are "thinking" and trying stuff even though you haven't done it or been shown how to do it. So if you have time you could still play with it some more just would be on your own time I guess and not to be turned in.....that is good to do also.

Again thanks for the email back and keep up the "thinking" cap!
BJ