Bad Location, fix it in post

[LandonW]

I did this as a favor for a friend. He has a new band down here in Brazil and they have no funds for publicity photos. I have Adobe Lightroom and Adobe PhotoShop CS3. I did 90 % of the effects in Lightroom and added the text and a watercolor filter on the background in CS3. The studio was small and cramped. Outside it was high noon so the shadows would have been very harsh. I used two flashes, one directly behind and one in front flashing down from the ceiling. I was shooting with fluorescent room lights that were on. That made the white balancing in camera hard. In lightroom I was able to go to town with the tint, hue, contrast, saturation, vibrance and almost everything I could to make it "cool." From start to finish it took about three hours. Most of that time was experimenting with filters in photoshop.



Nikon D200, 17-55mm2.8, @ 38mm f2.8 1/60sec ISO 400
Two SB-600

Before


After

[wulf]

It definitely has a funkier vibe to it after your processing, although it seems odd that some are scowling and some are smiling. It might be worth getting them to think about that aspect of how they look next time you take pictures for them but definitely keep a note of exactly what you did for the overall effect.

Wulf

[Major_Small]

It's definitely a nice effect. I didn't notice it before Wulf brought it up, but now that I know about it, it catches my attention every time. Doesn't necessarily break the photo, but something to keep in mind for the next shoot.

[RexK_Cozumel]

That is the first thing I saw too the guy all the way to the right is smiling... It looks like you noticed it as well cause in the before picture I can see his teeth and in the second one it looks like you fixed that. Anyways I like the over all feel of the photo with the processing you did but I am not sure about the bass guitar. There is nothing really worng with it but I am left wondering why he is the only one with an instrument. I feel like it would be more consistant if either there were no instruments or everyone had one.

[LandonW]

Good point Rexk_

Looking back on it I should have had one more guitar to balance it out. The guy smiling was smiling in all the photos. ALL of them! He never kept a straight face. Looking back on it that was the most subdued smile he had the whole morning. I did go into PS and clone stamp the teeth out. It helped a bit.

[antishay]

I really love how you put a light BEHIND the guys. I wouldn't have thought of that! The effect after post is really striking and "gritty cool," or whatever it should be called I love this - thanks for sharing!

[RexK_Cozumel]

just noticed too that the guy on the far right lost an ear (part of it anyways) dont think he would be smiling it that really happened to him.

[jsanders]

I think, this is some nice peace of editing done right here.
A nice way to get rid off the shadow of the guitar on the wall.
Just one more point, when you look at the foreheads you see some flashes (white spots). I don't know if you should try to get rid of this or so.

[scottws]

I like what you did with the picture, but the dude's tongue is sticking out...I can't get over it. lol

[IcyMirage]

I didn't like the picture much when I saw just the before one... but I think you really saved it