[Kguru]

Allow me to "borrow" this pic (FA50/1.4, iso100, 1/125s, f/4) from Kresica to ask a few questions.

Many of us own a FA50/1.4 but we don't see a pic like this too often (as I commented in the original thread, feels like I can lift the eyeglasses off his nose) which means there must be heaps of secrets to learn.

Please help analyze/define the factors that make this pic look remarkable: is it sharpness, lighting, post-processing skills, or ...? Straight to the point, what do I need to do to achieve similar results?

Thankyou for your inputs.

[deejjjaaaa]

get the right model first... find that man

[Kresica]

Hihihihi
That picture was taken last summer, round noon, in shade, background (stone wall) is about 2 -3 meters behind the model, and Christian (my model) is about 1 - 2 meters in front of me. This is crop from a picture session for a documents, but for the sake of picture, i cropped few cm from above, and few cm beneath, originally, this is portrait oriented picture.
From post processing, crop, resize, a little usm over eyes and glasses (because of web), and that-s it, no blur and no photoshop-chemistry.
For my tastes, this is the best situation in nature, because 3D rendering of the subject reminds me on good old medium format.



In studio, it's even easier for the sharpness, because of the light controll, on the left is full picture, on the right is crop:

Jep, that-s me

[roentarre]

You can create that look by multiple methods in PP.

1. Copy the original image and paste in the new layer in channel section on the lower right photoshop.

2. Select filter and pick style - find edges

3. Select Image - level, adjust with the bar til the edges become sharp

4. Go to select and load, ticking inverse, enter ok

5. Click on the original channel layer, Ctrl H

6. Select Sharpen and do what ever you want to sharpen it and add increase contrast

7. Deselect

8. Go to Image, select smart object

9. Duplicate the original image, go to filter with pencil effect

10. Duplicate another layer with bucket in colour of sepia, get overlay, merge down that layer to the original layer

11. Add multiple layers of different layers of the original image with various desaturated effect - flatten the whole process. The effect shall be there

[Kguru]

Thanks Kresica & Roentarre for the instructions.

Looking past the techniques to the nuts & bolts, is it because the eyeglass frame is sharpened more than the face that makes it seem to rise above?

[Reps]

is only the last move IMO- as all those very "bright" lenses are very tricky to use due to AF nature: camera meters/focuses with widest aperture where is not much decent contrast to rely on :-( Best shots with fast glass for me started to come out from my cams after understanding (a bit of) FOV- and switching to manual focus with KatzEye prism focusing screen. This worked perfect for me- but I switched back to LL-80 on my K10D for everyday use- guess I can always find the compromise between focusing and metering :-)
Best and happy shooting, JR

[Kresica]

You can create that look by multiple methods in PP.

Yes, you can, if you know how to shoot an image to start with

[roentarre]

Yes, you can, if you know how to shoot an image to start with

You are so right!

But that shot has the side lighting and to a degree back lit. The metering on the face would over-expose the background. The skin texture is there as a result of side lighting.

Very often, shooting candids outdoor does not have the luxury to control lighting. Only snapping at the right moment. It is cool to "save" some of the shots sometimes