My first HUGE assignment--FINISHED!

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Archive 2004 · My first HUGE assignment--FINISHED!

UFO™
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p.4 #1 · My first HUGE assignment--FINISHED!

Certainly worth the wait Rob. Congratulations on a fantastic job.

It would be cool to have a seperate thread just on how you added the cityscape into
the windows.

Keep us posted on the reaction from the client and what the brochure ends up looking like.

Oct 28, 2004 at 11:57 PM

kush
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p.4 #2 · My first HUGE assignment--FINISHED!

I wonder if with your skill you could have created proper office space, inserted random people and maybe your friend, and skipped the shoot altogether

Probably taken less time

(joking ... I think)

Oct 29, 2004 at 02:01 AM

alanS
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p.4 #3 · My first HUGE assignment--FINISHED!

Rob, thank you for sharing. it is very interesting to see how you took a challenging assignment and broke it down into smaller managable tasks. In my book hit a home run.. make that a grand slam.

You also reinforced in me why i keep this a hobby!

thanks again

...and as UFO mentioned post some PDF's of the brochure

Oct 29, 2004 at 02:55 AM

Lunatique
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p.4 #4 · My first HUGE assignment--FINISHED!

Thanks for the kind words you guys!

tom in mpls - I asked them to look at the person pointing because to me, it connects them more emotionally.

Guy - Thanks! I don't know what you look like, but I bet you are a slender guy. A man who does this for a fulltime living must burn lots of calories every day!

Thomas - I think macking is a hip-hop thing. So, it's understandable you had to ask your son.

Pete - Actually, I can just explain it here, since it's quite easy. To add the cityscape, this is what I did:

1) Find a suitable photo of a cityscape. Really should use one you took yourself--but that's a matter of personal integrity.

2) Throw that cityscape photo into the original shot on another layer. (this will be called the cityscape layer)

3) Make a duplicate layer of the original shot. (this will be called the duplicate layer)

4) Lasso select the window panes. Use the + or - functions to perfect your selection.

5) Copy the selected area of the window, and paste to put it on another layer. (this will be called the window layer)

6) Ctrl click the isolated window layer to reselect the selection.

5) Delete the window selection from the duplicate layer.

6) If haven' done so, arrange the layers like this: Top layer = duplicate layer with windows deleted. Middle layers = cityscape and window (doesn't matter which is on top of which). Bottom layer = original shot.

7) Hide the window layer so you can see the cityscape layer. Move the cityscape layer around to get the right look. Resize the cityscape layer with the transform tool if needed to get the scale right.

8) Change the window layer or the cityscape layer to Screen Mode--depending which is on top. This step combines the reflection in the window and the cityscape, and makes the whole thing look authentic.

9) Adjust the histogram of the cityscape or the window layer if needed.

And that's it!

The client hasn't seen the final results yet. They are scheduling a visit to my place probably in a few days. My friend is very moved and impressed by my work ethics, and he said he'll bring all the top personnel from the company to my place so I can explain to them the entire process, and hopefully his people will learn some stuff from it.

kush - Hahaha, I wish. That would never work because in order to create the illusion of realism, you must have a solid base to work off of. Even paintings need references. Randomly inserting people and props could only work if they were shot in the same lighting setup. I could probably paint the hell out of everything, but then that's no longer photography. The amount of post editing I did on some of shots are quite extensive, but still well within the realm of photography. Every single commercial photographer goes to the same length to provide clients with print perfect results--or at least that's my impression. As far as I know, swapping out stuff, cloning out imperfection, changing colors..etc are commonplace in commercial photography.

alanS - I'll post it if/when they get it done. Most likely I'll contribute to the design process if they ask me to.

Oct 29, 2004 at 03:48 AM

khat
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p.4 #5 · My first HUGE assignment--FINISHED!

Thank you for the thread! This is one that I will remember for a long long time. It’s great that a lot of knowledgeable folks are willing to help each other. And it’s great to see what that knowledge can do when in a hand of a "PRO".
When you first posted about buying a DSLR I visited your website and was amaze digital paintings. Now I am amaze by your creative ability to create wonderful photos from a place that looked like a dump.

What I like the best is the way you explained step by step the process of how you went about taking each photo and all the work involved behind each one. I also want to thank you for taking the time to describe each step and appreciate your insight behind each photo.

Again thank you and all that contributed to this thread. It’s been wonderful!

Ken

Oct 29, 2004 at 04:29 AM

ericevans
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p.4 #6 · My first HUGE assignment--FINISHED!

JoeArndt wrote:
This has got to be a tough way to make a living.

Wouldn't shooting porn be a lot more lucrative -- and fun? and then there are the fringe benefits

Oct 29, 2004 at 04:58 AM

CanonGuy
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p.4 #7 · My first HUGE assignment--FINISHED!

Excellent! And they complain why photographers charge so much! Not knowing the amount of planning, shooting and post processing that goes into the assignment just to get 15 shots! Well done!

Oct 29, 2004 at 05:26 AM

azurevision
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p.4 #8 · My first HUGE assignment--FINISHED!

That's service above and beyond the call of duty!

I know a few pros locally who are not as pro as you, pulling off all those shots in one day is really a miracle, especially without a full crew on the lighting, that you only fluffed one shot is a testament to your preparation, as Guy says, it is the basis of being a pro.

Oct 29, 2004 at 08:17 AM

went
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p.4 #9 · My first HUGE assignment--FINISHED!

Rob congratulations on your discipline, preparation; shear guts, determination and drive not to fail.

The theory is fine, but to put it into practice and pull it off, as you have done here is almost impossible, and confirmation that you are a committed Pro in every step of this process.

You deserve all the respect and admiration of the FM'ers, for this thread and so clearly documenting the process from start to finish. You have truly climbed Mt Everest, and returned having found even more hidden talent and reserves, that you were not sure that you had.

Regards

went

Oct 29, 2004 at 09:28 AM

Daniel Buck
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p.4 #10 · My first HUGE assignment--FINISHED!

I believe I saw 3dMax running on one of those monitors

weeee!

nice stuff so far man, good post processing on the dirty spots!

Oct 29, 2004 at 10:17 AM

JohnLL
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p.4 #11 · My first HUGE assignment--FINISHED!

You could make a book out of this. Shows why there's more to photography than taking pictures.

Oct 29, 2004 at 10:57 AM

vizualgraphix
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p.4 #12 · My first HUGE assignment--FINISHED!

only real problems.... 1. no Macs. 2. the guest area looks nicer than the working space....won't work.

jk..

Oct 29, 2004 at 11:16 AM

BeeMan458
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p.4 #13 · My first HUGE assignment--FINISHED!

Made a hardcopy of your window/cityscape blend directions as it'll give me something to do today while I wait for the business phone to ring.

Thanks for the PS cut and paste recipe.

Oct 29, 2004 at 12:58 PM

DaShiv
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p.4 #14 · My first HUGE assignment--FINISHED!

Rob--wasn't following this thread "live", but as soon as I ran into your lighting test shots with Elena I knew you'd be able to pull it off like you did. Congrats--glad to see all that preparation paid off!

Oct 29, 2004 at 01:06 PM

spartan123
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p.4 #15 · My first HUGE assignment--FINISHED!

Very impressive!

spartan

Oct 29, 2004 at 01:17 PM

Tom Hicks
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p.4 #16 · My first HUGE assignment--FINISHED!

Rob, wow you did an excellent job, I'm more than just a little impressed. You did a bang up job for them and I'm sure they are very happy with the results. Hat's off to you bud.

Oct 29, 2004 at 01:30 PM

Shawn_S
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p.4 #17 · My first HUGE assignment--FINISHED!

Where did the pictures go? I didn't get to see the after pictures. If you don't mind could you put them back up?

Oct 29, 2004 at 01:34 PM

Tom Hicks
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p.4 #18 · My first HUGE assignment--FINISHED!

Shawn_S wrote:
Where did the pictures go? I didn't get to see the after pictures. If you don't mind could you put them back up?

Shawn , look on page 6

Oct 29, 2004 at 01:46 PM

Shawn_S
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p.4 #19 · My first HUGE assignment--FINISHED!

Thanks Tom, but I think my firewall/filter/whatever they have here at work is the culprit. All I get are dots where the pics should be. I'll have to check them tonight when I get home.

Oct 29, 2004 at 01:58 PM

Ryno11
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p.4 #20 · My first HUGE assignment--FINISHED!

Unbelievable!!! awesome post!!!

Oct 29, 2004 at 09:40 PM

Lunatique
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p.4 #21 · My first HUGE assignment--FINISHED!

Thanks for the encouragement and support you guys! FM plays a huge part in helping grow as a photographer. There's not othe forum like it--you guys are a total class act.

Yesterday, Elena and I were talking, and it's hard to believe that I've only had a DSLR for 2 months, and only had my monolights for less than one month. If someone had told me a couple of months ago I'd be shooting a huge assignment like this right after purchasing a DSLR and monolights, I'd think he's crazy.

People always ask me if I'm a pro when they see me harrassing people with my camera. They always look disappointed when I tell them, "No, photography is just something I love, but I'm not a pro." They also look a little annoyed that I'm shooting with a pro camera but I don't do it for a living. Kinda like if you saw a guy driving a F1 racing car down the street, but he's just some guy and doesn't even race at the track--you'd think he looks ridiculous.

So, I guess I wanted to prove to myself that although I don't shoot for a living, I can at least look people in the eye in the future and say, "No, I don't do this for a living, but I can shoot like a pro if you ask me to."

Except next time I'll charge them an arm and a leg. . .. Bwahahahahaha!!!

Oct 30, 2004 at 02:29 AM

jasin
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p.4 #22 · My first HUGE assignment--FINISHED!

Good for you Tiger, looks like you just bought some new glass!
Really interesting post, can't wait for your next assignment.

Oct 30, 2004 at 02:37 AM

BeeMan458
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p.4 #23 · My first HUGE assignment--FINISHED!

Except next time I'll charge them an arm and a leg. . .. Bwahahahahaha!!!

I've run across this problem on many an occasion and I also feel a bit silly answering them; "No." "I just like photography and I'm doing it for myself." "I don't shoot for anybody." I feel even more lame when I tell them; "I'm just a hobbiest out gathering some images to play with. Makes me feel kinda geeky all over. Also, I haven't a clue how to respond to them without sounding kinda dorky or like a jerk when they make comment about the camera. To me, it's a tool and to them, it's something that's way cool looking. I understand this, I just don't know what to say that sounds cool in response. I like to understate my equipment, not overstate.

And yes, I too feel their disappointment. It's a bit sad as it's like their lives are so empty and they think it's really cool they're talking to somebody who's connected to something with some zing in it that's different from their lives. That and deep down inside, I wish I was associated with a fine wine magazine going up and down the West Coast doing article shoots at the many different California wineries

The problem, from my little bit of experience, they just don't want to pay enough so one can afford to live while doing this. Unfortunately, it's not only about photography when you get into it full time.

If ya wanna know where things really go south. It's when some babe sees your rig and wants to know if you'll do some glamor shots of her and you have to decline cause you're married

Now that's when it really hurts

Oct 30, 2004 at 02:50 AM

Brian Hansen
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p.4 #24 · My first HUGE assignment--FINISHED!

Incredible!

If this is how much work is involved with being a pro - I am happy that I am an amateur. I can't imagine the time you spent both behind the lens and in front of your monitor.

Mind blowing work Rob - thanks for all the time just to post it for us!

Brian

Oct 30, 2004 at 03:52 AM

Lunatique
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p.4 #25 · My first HUGE assignment--FINISHED!

BeeMan458 wrote:
If ya wanna know where things really go south. It's when some babe sees your rig and wants to know if you'll do some glamor shots of her and you have to decline cause you're married

Now that's when it really hurts

Hehe, not a problem here. Elena loves hot chicks as much as I do, so if some nubile hottie wanted me to shoot her in her birthday suit, as long as my wife gets to watch, she's fine with it.

Oct 30, 2004 at 03:53 AM


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