This workshop is designed to focus on portrait image retouching and editing. Aspects of this can apply to image editing in general but it is not comprehensive to every type of photography.
It is designed to provide those already working on this type of imaging additional skills through demonstrations and discussion. Beyond the use of software alone the workshop will provide information that will undoubtedly affect the way you shoot. The ability to alter digital information in images (and audio and video) is powerful. When you first start it is exciting and fun. When you get to a point you have to do a lot of it you realize how time consuming it can be. I will discuss many “best practices” and time saving principles. Time is money, even your spare time.
Participants will leave the event armed with many new skills and much information to improve their work and their workflow.
Itinerary
Duration of each topic is approximate and can be adapted to each groups areas of interest.
- 9 am: Arrive
- 9-10 am: Introduction and discussion of past and current photographic tools and their limitations and the history of retouching
- 10-12 pm: Photoshop. An overview of this landmark software that has changed the face (pun intended) of photography as much as digital imaging itself. This segment will touch upon the following tools and topics as it relates to portrait retouching and editing:
- Layers & Layer Masks
- Selection tools
- Eyedropper
- Spot Healing
- Clone Stamp
- Airbrush
- Blur/Sharpen Tool
- Dodge, Burn, Desaturate
- Liquify
- Smart Filters
- 12-1 pm: Lunch break
- 1-2 pm: Stand alone editing software/plugins. Hands on with Portrait Professional
- 2-3 pm: Compositing multiple photos into one perfect image. This is not a green screen application though it can be applied to this as well. This topic will also provide knowledge that will trickle back to your photo sessions themselves.
- 3-5 pm: Each participant will have at least one image of theirs taken through an edit applying techniques discussed in the workshop with the final image and possibly variations provided.
- 5-6 pm: Open topic, Depart.
What to bring
- Laptop if you have one, though it is not needed.
- Notebook, this is pretty essential
- Workshop may be audio / video recorded for personal use only
- Datacard, thumb drive, portable drive with your image files to be used as examples
About me
My name is Michael Bann I am the creator and publisher of Retro Lovely Magazine. I am also the principal photographer of Bann Photography – Devilbliss Studios. My credits reach beyond Retro Lovely however, having had my work featured on covers of international newsstand publications such as Street Chopper and The Horse as well as in others like Playboy, Spin, ‘Ol Skool Rodz and Alternative Press to name a few. I have provided my portrait editing services to several top pinup photographers and use image editing every single day in my own work as well as freelancing for one of the largest retailers in the worlds shooting products for e-commerce.
Fantasy compositing isn’t the sole topic of the workshop and not something I myself have mastered but I have done it in the past and will discuss techniques for their creation. Here’s some examples.
Click this image for much more on the story behind these Alphonse Mucha recreations
Booking
The Workshop is $150
The workshop will not include more than 6 individuals so that personal attention can be provided during the participant’s image editing portion of the day. You can cancel for a full refund up to two weeks before the workshop date. The event is listed as available February 8th & 9th with an eye on being aware that weather may present itself that would potentially cause a cancellation. If it happens that travel on the 8th is not possible, the workshop will be moved to the 9th.
Because I am old… I had actually been working in photography before computers, editing software and digital cameras were readily available to all. I shot on film and did photo manipulations using traditional techniques. I’ve retouched images using actual airbrushes and have done multiple exposures and compositing using acetate layers as masks. I’ve dodged and burned prints for better balance and hand tinted them with dyes, paints and light.
Below are some examples of my pre-digital editing.
