VickiD
Established Forum Member
Posts: 718 
Open to constructive criticism of photos: Yes
|
Post by VickiD on Mar 4, 2023 5:38:47 GMT
For the few of you who have never heard of Andrzej Dragan, his portraits have a very high contrast and color style all their own. The effect is stunning and eye catching. It reveals a lot about the subject that the naked eye doesn't get to see and works especially well on faces that have some 'character' (i.e. age). We’re going to create that look in this tutorial. I've included the unprocessed image for you to practice with before trying this on your own images.
Steps: 1. Duplicate background layer (Ctrl/Cmd + J) and desaturate the duplicate (Ctrl/Cmd + U; bring the Saturation slider all the way to -100). 2. Duplicate Layer 1 (the new layer will be named Layer 1 copy). a. Invert the layer (Ctrl/Cmd + I). b. Change the layer blend mode to Vivid Light. c. Now go to Filter > Blur > Surface Blur. i. Adjust radius and threshold (recommend you start at 52 & 70 and then adjust until it looks good to you). 3. Merge Layer 1 and Layer 1 copy (highlight the upper one and click Ctrl/Cmd + E). a. Change Blend Mode of the resulting Layer 1 to Overlay. (This reveals a lot about the subject that can’t be seen with the naked eye.) 4. Now…go down to the Background Layer and duplicate it; and then Desaturate it. a. Drag to the top of the layer stack. b. Change Blend Mode to Multiply. c. If your image looks too dark, apply a shadows/highlights adjustment (NOT an adjustment layer); go to Enhance/Adjust Lighting > Shadows/Highlights and move the sliders to achieve your desired result. 5. Now we’re going to brighten the subject’s eyes. 6. Add a new layer at the top of the stack and paint the irises of the subject’s eyes with a soft white brush. You might want to zoom in to make this easier! a. Change the blend mode to Overlay b. Duplicate layer to make the eyes pop. c. Lower the opacity of the new eye layer to your taste. 7. The final step is to color grade the image using the method of your choice. (I used one that had an Autumn ‘feel’.)
Disclaimer: Since I use Photoshop and don't have Elements installed on my computer, I asked an Elements user to check my steps and was told that there is a difference in the way to access the Shadows/Highlights adjustment. I made the change, but if you find any more hiccups in my directions, please let me know!
I can’t wait to see everyone’s results! Before and After:  |
|
|
|
Post by hmca on Mar 4, 2023 17:20:28 GMT
Great first challenge, Vicki! Although clowns are supposed to be fun and happy often they have the opposite effect and are frightening to children. My idea was to find a happy male clown and use this effect to make him appear frightening. After spending too much time looking for a happy clown I finally settled on this less than perfect subject. Her face didn't have enough detail to fit the tut but I wanted to try it anyway. So here's my less than perfect subject. At the end I added a bleach bypass effect to try to enhance the look. Hope to try another one later this afternoon. Photo by Alexander Krivitskiy on Unsplash   |
|
|
|
Post by Tpgettys on Mar 4, 2023 19:33:36 GMT
Thanks for the challenge VickiD , very dramatic result!
| Original | 
| Tutorial result
| 
| With color-grading using Topaz Restyle
| 
|
|
|
|
|
Post by Sepiana on Mar 4, 2023 19:58:34 GMT
- Followed the tutorial. - Applied a gradient by Blake Rudis (Blue to White, Soft Light blending mode, 100% Opacity). - Image from Pixabay.  |
|
|
|
Post by Lillias on Mar 4, 2023 20:07:01 GMT
Thanks for this interesting tutorial Vicki. Image from Unsplash. To colour grade the image at the end I used one of Blake Rudis Sunset gradients with a soft light blend mode at 50% opacity. Original image  With the Dragan Effect applied.  |
|
VickiD
Established Forum Member
Posts: 718
Open to constructive criticism of photos: Yes
|
Post by VickiD on Mar 4, 2023 21:13:49 GMT
So here's my less than perfect subject. At the end I added a bleach bypass effect to try to enhance the look. Helen...what IS perfect? You certainly did make her more interesting, which is a good thing. Most importantly, the EYES!!! You made her eyes look wild and crazy! Thanks for the challenge VickiD , very dramatic result! Thanks, Tom. I love what you did with both of your results! You found a great starter image and the results were so much more interesting than the straight photo. They both work...not sure which I like better. 
- Followed the tutorial. - Applied a gradient by Blake Rudis (Blue to White, Soft Light blending mode, 100% Opacity). Sepiana, glad you played along with this one. The gradient you added at the end really worked to create an interesting portrait. Looks like he's ready to act in the movie, 300!
Thanks for this interesting tutorial Vicki. Image from Unsplash. To colour grade the image at the end I used one of Blake Rudis Sunset gradients with a soft light blend mode at 50% opacity. You're welcome, Lillias, I'm glad you liked it. Another interesting starter image and the gradient you used to finish it off really made it/him pop! |
|
|
|
Post by hmca on Mar 4, 2023 23:46:18 GMT
Thanks, Vicki. I always like it when I can use one of my own pictures for a challenge. I always liked this picture but processed it in B/W because the pink shirt just didn't seem to fit with his rather rugged look. Well now he looks more "rugged" and by adding sepia toning the shirt is a more acceptable color to me.   |
|
|
|
Post by Sepiana on Mar 5, 2023 0:02:07 GMT
- Took the file into ON1 Photo RAW (Color Grading > Desaturated Blue). - Applied Topaz Clean (Edge and Texture Boost). - Image from Pixabay.  |
|
|
|
Post by fotofrank on Mar 5, 2023 1:09:19 GMT
Thanks for this VickiD,  |
|
|
|
Post by blackmutt on Mar 5, 2023 1:26:46 GMT
|
|
|
|
Post by Tpgettys on Mar 5, 2023 1:38:27 GMT
Thanks, Tom. I love what you did with both of your results! You found a great starter image and the results were so much more interesting than the straight photo. They both work...not sure which I like better.
That's the quandary I often find myself in, thanks to the wonderful tools we have at our disposal. With so many compelling results it make it impossible to say which I like better.
|
|
VickiD
Established Forum Member
Posts: 718
Open to constructive criticism of photos: Yes
|
Post by VickiD on Mar 5, 2023 3:09:33 GMT
Well now he looks more "rugged" and by adding sepia toning the shirt is a more acceptable color to me. Helen, I agree...what was he thinking with that bright pink shirt!!!! LOL Anyway, as you said, now he looks rough and rugged. Great job!
- Took the file into ON1 Photo RAW (Color Grading > Desaturated Blue). - Applied Topaz Clean (Edge and Texture Boost). - Image from Pixabay. Sepiana, I like this one...She starts out looking like a farm girl from Kansas or Oklahoma...ends up looking like she's fighting in the Zombie Apocalypse! Very cinemagraphic!
Frank, excellent starter image! Love the final--he looks so much more 'real'! That bow tie has got to go, though. It no longer fits his style! LOL. I tried this with one of my own photos. Interesting and easy! Thanks VickiD for this! Excellent result, Judy. He looks really sad though. Did he look like that before? I like the results, regardless. Thanks for joining in!!!
|
|
VickiD
Established Forum Member
Posts: 718
Open to constructive criticism of photos: Yes
|
Post by VickiD on Mar 5, 2023 3:14:27 GMT
That's the quandary I often find myself in, thanks to the wonderful tools we have at our disposal. With so many compelling results it make it impossible to say which I like better. Tom, one of the hardest questions to answer for another photographer is, "Which version is better? Which should I enter in the competition?" The final answer to that one is, "The one you like best!" Because we cannot be the arbiter of someone else's art. At the end of the day, they need to please themselves. |
|
|
|
Post by Lillias on Mar 5, 2023 12:24:54 GMT
Thought I would try this on a different subject matter... Image from Pixabay... Original  With the Dragan Effect  |
|
|
|
Post by PeteB on Mar 5, 2023 15:28:02 GMT
Hi Vicki I tried a different approach, I started with ACR; shadows and highlights; D&B; lightened eyes and finally Nik filters. The original is from Pexels.   |
|
