Last Sacrifice Of Dienekes video tutorial: Review

Last Sacrifice Of Dienekes video tutorial

We explore this creative video tutorial/production diary from award-winning photographer Simon Plant

Last Sacrifice of Dienekes is the entertaining photography tutorial from Simon Plant at ProPhotoInsights.net. Split into two parts, this training video offers over two hours and 40 minutes of real-time tuition and practical production advice.

Plant presents the project from beginning to end through manageable video chapters. His informal approach to learning produces a video diary of sorts, encouraging even amateur photographers and photo illustrators to tackle the techniques presented.
Plant goes into great depth about the necessity of pre- and post-production.
Setting aside time to find models, costumes and studio space is addressed, as he offers his own advice on how to approach these factors economically. Also in part one, the importance of a studio shoot is looked at in four detailed chapters including ‘The studio shoot’ and ‘Lighting setup’. Plant shows you how he sets up the correct conditions to maximise Photoshop effects, the production benefits of tethered connections and the fun of improvisation when certain props are unavailable.

Buy online: There’s no need for a constant internet connection, as this video tutorial is downloadable after purchase from the ProPhotoInsights website

At 29 minutes in, the hands-on creativity begins, looking at compositing the background. Here Plant takes you through the skills, insisting patience is a virtue when it comes to any successful composition. Plant’s attentive attitude towards compositing image elements instills the same approach in the viewer – meticulously revealing his own personal ways to apply masks, Blur and Distort filters and cloning options.
Part two explores further editing techniques, the most fundamental of which is cutting and pasting that perfect model shot. Plant reveals this through an intuitive use of layer masks, Channel layers, Burn and Dodge tools, plus Pen paths, showing you how to tackle difficult image areas such as hair and edge artefacts. We found these techniques highly valuable, providing seamless integration of model and background.

More expressive effects follow, with ways to apply advanced Curves adjustments and manual selective lighting, adjusting colour shifts and the importance of tweaking these to perfection. Personalisation of cinematic lighting effects is also expressed through the application of blending modes, Dodge and Burn tools once more, layered colour adjustments and even the Paint Bucket tool.

Last Sacrifice Of Dienekes: This image reveals the results that are achievable if you follow photographer Simon Plant’s advice

Overall, this two-part video tutorial is a highly comprehensive experience that will improve your project workflow. Photoshopusers will gain knowledge of what it takes to create commercial effects, streamline and manage workflows, where to source advanced tool sets and how best to apply them. The one reservation we did have was with the video audio. Recorded sound levels fluctuate throughout. This may become an issue for those users with hearing difficulties.

For more information visit www.prophotoinsights.net