Recently Alex had a new post on Pixiq.com: Using light painting (lighting brush) technique in product photography. It’s not a new technique, we play with it almost 10 years ago, but I think this method is pretty spectacular and expressive.
At the same time working with a light brush is so very creative process that it’s hard to stop:-) You fill yourself like a painter:-) Look at the video below and you will see how the final image was created, stroke by stroke.
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To create the image, in addition to the knowledge of light and the camera, you should know how to work with masks in Photoshop. I will not teach you the basics of how to work with masks, Google it and you’ll find many great tutorials. Knowing masking in Photoshop is a must for up-to-day photographer or digital artist, IMO.
This picture has 13 mask layers excluding adjustments layers. Below is the screen shot of my layers for your clearness.
Layers palette for light painting post-production.
Looks like a lot of work, but it’s not. This image took only about 20 minutes of my time and gave me such fun, I really enjoyed the process:-) Every mask add a new touch to the picture. Fun! Fun! Fun!
Here are the results. I can’t decide which one I like most. Help me! Which one do you prefer?
Light painting brush post-production.
Light painting brush Photoshop masks.
Light painting brush in product photography.
Have a fun with your light painting experiments:-)
Genia
Thank you for looking. Any feedback and suggestions are very welcome!
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I prefer the first. It is more moody and evocative of the pleasure found within the bottle and the morsels below.
i love the first one, it has quite an epic feel to it!!!! Great work
I like #1 but it needs a slight fill in the middle. But not so much as 2.
I think I’ll go for the last one, very surreal
I like them both, but the second feels a bit too self glowy. If there were a fireplace, candle or light source behind it to imply where the bottle was picking up the light may help a bit.
This being said, if I saw either pic standing alone I would be wowed!
–Andy
First one…love the sense of mystery to it.
very nice all but my prefer is first.
Thank you, guys! I like first one. It looks more balanced for me.
I like the first one a lot… Perhaps the label could use a little bit more warmth, but may be my monitor is not calibrated properly.
I will have maybe stupid notice but, why do not use better lighting during photographing and then less postprocess.
It looks like underexposed image as original source and then a lot corrections in PSD.
First one, to me it seems more sensual and yet classic.
I like the first one best but I think the 2nd one would be more appealing ot advertising clients.
My favorite is the first as well; subtile outlining. Personally,, I’d remove the round bonbon as well. (perhaps I’m just craving the bonbon
Wonderful photo editing and photography.
I enjoyed the 1st one and it is done beautifully…
However, the 1st image gives the impression that the liquid inside is clear because you can see the black background.
The 3rd one shows the rich tone of cognac and if I were a cognac drinker that would look absolutely delicious and beautiful.
Roman,
What do you mean by better lighting? Light brush gives you ability to do things whihc is almost impossible with the fixed lights (unless you have 15+ fixed light sources with spots about a size of a 25 cents coin).
As for the PS: You won’t get such quality if you’ll shot underexposed image and process it in photoshop, it may only looks alike. I would better to use 3D rendering soft to create the whole from a scratch:-)
Very cool! Thanks for sharing.
Hi Alex, this is my attempt at light painting;
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150155872963555&set=a.10150140917708555.301042.633953554&theater
I expected a comment as a Master from you.
I am grateful all the time to you. I learned a lot of technic from your sharing.
Please continue to share
Kind Regards
Hi, Muammer:-)
I am Genia. This is my blog. But I’ll tell Alex about you. Thank you.
thank you Genia
)
Hi Alex great lesson, thanks for sharing
I like the last one, but maybe something around the top of bottle, highlights somehow – It needs shape up there. Rim light from both sides.
Very nice, totally # 3
Very nice work! Doing it in camera would be so much more challenging… can you imagine this technique with just a flashlight, and no layer masks!? lol what a nightmare. Excellent final result. I hope you got to drink some afterward
or during! even better yet
I like the first.
I have to go with the second. I like the caramel look of the liquor from that shot.
Hello Genia, thanks for sharing your post-production process with us. Great job ! Would be great if you could do it with every Alex’s photo or publish it on your blog as “tips of the trade”. Thank you again. Milan
Thank you, Milan. I would be happy to share more tips, but do not have much time for it.
Genia, I understand you work with PC. There is a very popular – and free download – software from http://www.camstudio.org. You just turn it ON and when you finish, you turn it OFF. All your retouching procedures is recorded. Hope you find this information helpful.
i prefer the first , the bottle is completing the background and the highlight of the thick glass in the corners makes it stands out.
I definitely think the first one looks best. I definitely agree with you – masking is a tool that everyone should learn no matter what photo-editing program they’re using.
Thanks so much for sharing this.