Post processing, portfolio development, campaign photos, gallery showing
Posted under: Anyways…been slacking on the blog as I’m shooting and processing all the time. I find myself sitting in front of the computer too often nowadays. Oddly enough (sitting in front of computer all day) was one of the reasons I didn’t want to go into engineering. But I suppose there is the difference of looking at gorgeous model photos or CAD diagrams. Here is a random jibberish update of what’s been happening in the life of Bo.
You can follow my updates, events, inspirations, new shoots and ramblings better via facebook or twitter.
(c) Bo Zhang | Bo and Bro LLC
So in the past couple weeks, I’ve been updating my processing technique. My skin post editing technique has always been changing and each time I feel i’m 95% there, only to learn something that completely blows my mind and make me realise how shit my previous method was. My new method is great for skin, I absolutely love it. The two downsides are that it takes about 3hrs on average to edit one close up beauty shot thoroughly, and also the resulting PSD file range between 850mb to 1.3GB per file. Yes, per file. That’s pretty big considering I’m shooting on a D2x (12.5MP) with an average 10mb raw file size.
(c) Bo Zhang | Bo and Bro
Also I’ve been looking to see which direction my portfolio needs to be headed so I’m doing more and more clean beauty shoots to get more and more faces and resulting in images which I will still be happy or at least vaguely satisfied with in 6 months time. So honing my style and shooting more and more higher standard photos.
(c) Bo and Bro | Bo Zhang
Aside from going to a couple of the shows during NY Fashion Week, I also collaborated with an old friend Taimur Baig to shoot the campaign for his upcoming Spring/Summer 2011 line. This particular shot (above) was featured in a full page AD in Iconography Magazine. You can check out another shot from the campaign on my home page.
With DC fotoweek coming up, I’ve been asked to exhibit one of my photos in an art exhibition. It’s a really intriguing project pairing up photographers up with artists (painters, sculpters etc) who will make a piece of art inspired from one of the photographer’s pieces. The gallery reception will be on the 11th of November I believe. Trying to get my pic framed and everything ahead of time. Will keep you all posted with the event, hope to see you there.
well enough blabbbering for now. it’s 4:38am. time for bed. talk soon.
Tell us about the skin processing Bo, I’m totally intrigued as to how you get a 1+ GB file!!??
@ charlie, lots and lots of layers and masks, raw conversions and also working in 16bit 300 dpi
all adds up
I’ve seen several approaches to smoothing the skin and enhancing highlight and shadow that all deliver a comparable magazine quality look. These are a several days process to complete — e.g., using the paint tool at the pore level; using relatively small curve layers on relatively small areas of the face; using the dodge/burn tool.
@phil….yup lots of options, end of the day…you just have to ask yourself, how much are you willing to do?
Id love to see a tutorial on your skin retouching from start to finish please.
Hi Phillip,
I’ve gotten quite a few requests for the same process. I’m trying to break the full process down to individual step to make it easier and shorter. Keep you posted with new retouching posts
Cheers
-bo