My son and Wall-E (strobist/PP combination)

My son and Wall-E (strobist/PP combination) · Posted by *khardur*, 09-27-2009, 08:32 AM

So I was messing around with Photoshop the other day, and I had an idea. My son has been into Wall-E since Christmas, we've gone so far as to make a life-size Wall-E out of cardboard and PVC pipe with rollerblade wheels so he can be pushed around the room...

Anyway... I got the most awesome reaction from him after I did this next photo... I took a screenshot from the movie then got to work on the light...

I've got a flash with a plastic bulb over the top of it (made out of some sort of plastic storage bowl with a slot cut into the opening so the flash fits nicely)

A beauty dish with a grid above and to his left, with a purple gel over the flash to match the background light.

And a flash just to my left to provide just a hair of fill.

As far as PP goes - there wasn't much to do. I cloned EVE out of the picture using the shelves to the right of Wall-E to work from, then retouched it a little burning and dodging just to make it blend better. Then I used the magic eraser in Photoshop Elements to remove the background from around my son. Edit: I notice the blue flare line going to the left of the light source is a little off.. I'll have to redo that part later when I have a chance)

The final thing I did was just add some lens flare to blend his hand into the shot better. (there was a flare there already, but plopping him into the photo made his hand go right over top of the light bulb, and it looked way off.

and · 09-27-2009, 08:37 AM

Fantastic. And the flare really tops it off. its cool to see a good idea thought out and well executed

cyy47 · 09-27-2009, 08:41 AM

Great photo with lighting and settings. Very ET ish.

*khardur* · 09-27-2009, 09:09 AM

Originally Posted by and

Fantastic. And the flare really tops it off. its cool to see a good idea thought out and well executed

Thanks Andreas.

Originally Posted by cyy47

Great photo with lighting and settings. Very ET ish.

oh yeah, it is very similar to that ET scene. I didn't notice that before.

C.W Tsorotes · 09-27-2009, 09:28 AM

Really cool lighting

looks awesome.

You have any photos of the strobe setup you used?

juanraortiz · 09-27-2009, 09:30 AM

Brilliant!! It must be a great memory for him in the future. Well done!!

*khardur* · 09-27-2009, 10:22 AM

here was the original photo...

*Igilligan* · 09-27-2009, 11:30 AM

Wow great job on execution and PP...

My goodness, you have a child who will actually work with you... How does one get such a child? Can I trade mine in on a new one? Two for one???

Mine are defective! They don't work!

*khardur* · 09-27-2009, 11:51 AM

Originally Posted by Igilligan

Wow great job on execution and PP...

My goodness, you have a child who will actually work with you... How does one get such a child? Can I trade mine in on a new one? Two for one???

Mine are defective! They don't work!

Haha!!! Gus - they're not defective... I must have 40 pics of him not doing what I ask him to. I maybe had 3 or 4 "good ones" to choose from that would have worked.

No, I definitely wouldn't say he's cooperative, but he loves Wall-E so much that he was psyched for this one.

bigben91682 · 09-27-2009, 07:13 PM

Great shot and PP work. The lighting on his face is perfect, and the expression makes it.

*Ash* · 09-27-2009, 07:22 PM

Well done.
It works for a fun family keeper.
If the Wall-E image was of a higher resolution it would have suited better - the quality of your shot of your son is considerably sharper than Wall-E's. But great work there mate.

Andres · 09-27-2009, 07:44 PM

Great idea! and amazing work you did!!!

I can imagine your kid's smile when he saw this!

*khardur* · 09-27-2009, 09:42 PM

Originally Posted by Ash

Well done.
It works for a fun family keeper.
If the Wall-E image was of a higher resolution it would have suited better - the quality of your shot of your son is considerably sharper than Wall-E's. But great work there mate.

yes I was debating softening the layer with my son's picture. Too bad it's a screenshot from the DVD. I did find a slightly higher res wallpaper (1024x768) on Disney's site so I may give that a shot tomorrow and see if it looks a little better.

Certainly exactly that though - just for fun and maybe I'll get an 8x12 made and we can hang it in his room.

*daacon* · 09-28-2009, 05:46 AM

Great effect Dan I am sure he is happy with that one. Impressive indeed.

C.W Tsorotes · 09-28-2009, 05:57 AM

Originally Posted by khardur

here was the original photo...

Thanks for that.

Gives me some ideas for kids photos