Could I ask what method you use to desaturate your images from colour to black and white, because I have always been impressed by the range of grey tones you manage to achieve
antmanbee

This may have already been answered, I try to read most of the comments everyday, but may have missed this one...

A lot of peoplpe ask how specifics on how you edit a photo... My question not so specific but more a "how long did that take?" I'm sure the answer is "it depends", but maybe you could give some insight on how long this one and the last couple took as points of reference. The obvious follow-up is how long have you been using Photoshop? Self taught?

I really like the contrast and details of the skin in todays...

Anthony: I normally use the Channel Mixer as it allows you to balance the tones as you see fit. That said, the range of tones is more to do with making sure the original is correctly exposed (and definitely not over-exposed) and adjusting the range with the Curves tool.

Rick: you're quite right, it depends. This shot took me about twenty minutes, some take only a few minutes, and some take several hours. As for using Photoshop: I'm not sure how long I've been using it - four years, maybe - and I'm self-taught. What I have found useful is Martin Evening's book, Adobe Photoshop CS for Photographers and I often scan through various digital photography magazines looking for techniques that I've not tried before.

Not the most flattering light for a traditional portait - but it does show all her features and that expression exceptionally well. Apart from the smile this could be my old headmistress!

owen: again, this isn't flattering, but there is something school ma'am-ish about this shot ;-)

Personally I don't think portraits always have to be 'flattering' to be honest. This has a quirkiness that I like while, of course, the whole processing side of it is of the usual wonderful quality that I associate with your stuff.

It actually reminds me of the 'The Witches' ... perhaps helped by the fact that I took my kids to watch The Twits at the theatre this afternoon. Anyway...like I say, a quirky portrait and one that I like.

While you're kindly answering technical questions though Dave could I ask how you manage to resize all your stuff to the same dimensions? Am I right that you do manage to do that? Mine all seem to be different sizes, with or without cropping. It's no doubt a basic technique but one that I'm - as yet - very amateur at.

I am blown away! Everything about the photo works!

Mark: I use Web Presenter Pro, a photoshop plugin. It allows you to specify a final size and incrementally reduces the image to those dimensions. It also allows you to automatically sharpen the end result.

All I can think when I look at it is:
How can you have any pudding if you don't eat your meat?

Kevin...That was PERFECT!

This is great! I just bought a 50mm 1.8 and it's fantastic to see the potential! hmmm....this brings up a good point about posting EXIF data and why I should include it with my picture =)

DJN,
After months of viewing your site, I know why I keep coming back - the simplicity and style of this site. Yes you can have flash, and all this shiz niz integrated into a site.... but when it comes right down to it... this site plain works best. The interactive javascript with your css tags in the background give just the right interaction for the viewer's experience. Nice job on that fyi. **Still hoping to be the first poster someday on this site... :-)

~Cheers

I agree that portraits do not need to be flatteing. Portraits can be used to bring out the soul, heart, intensity, integrity, hardness of one's life and any number of other things about us. However, the portraits that we take should never portray a subject in any kind of negative way without their explicit consent.

I obviously have no knowledge of this woman and how she feels about this image, but from reading your comments I don't think that she has seen this portrait. It would be very interesting to hear her thoughts about it.

I have a dream.

And I really think this photo encapsulates it.

Yes.

A dream.

Thanks everyone.

ninu: I think a lot of chromasia's visitors monitor my RSS feed so get notified when I put something new up ;-)

Rock: I don't know what she'd make of it. I would hope that she felt that it captured some of her energy and that she was pleased with it, but I don't know.

I'd say that whilst her picture is not overly flattering its higly energetic and she looks very charasmatic. Portrait meets action shot!

Looks like you used a lot of the blue channel in the channel mixer?

Great light and very theatrical. The forehead lines are quite something.

Not overly flattered - I am sure she will think it downright cruel! Please some filtering in the transition to monochrome, and ouch turn done the sharpness for goodness sake! Other than that I love your pictures - keep up the brilliant work!

corey: I used the green channel as she was lit by a combination of tungsten and green light.

Nice picture. I agree that she may not be entirely please to see this pisture but I must say that it is quite a great shot and you have managed to capture the expression and the details quite nicely. Great use of Flash as well.

I would most definitely get my library books back on time!! The lighting makes it as it reminds me of holding a flashlight under your chin when you're trying to scare people at night. Doesn't everybody do that?? This is a great photo. She could be hired for a spot in the Harry Potter series.
Good one djn1.

agreed! it's a playful shot... i think the woman has amazing expressions

For some reason it reminds me to a Disneyland atraction, maybe to one of those robots or something. Puting that aside, she really looks sparky :)