Check Your Masks

Often when making Layer Masks with selections created by using tools such as Channel Pulls, Color Range, or even the Magic Wand holes can be left behind that can cause problems in your image.

Here's a quick tutorial discussing a technique I use to make sure my Layer Masks are clean.

Subaru with John Marian

Here's a shot I just finished working on with long time car photographer John Marian. This was one of two shots I worked on for John that had to be turned around on a very short deadline as his client's agency, The Designory in Long Beach, had several media buys already planned out for these shots.

Aside from the short deadlines the challenge in working on shots like this is blending so many parts of the car together. Typically shots like this are built from several frames that highlight certain areas of the car. For instance the front grill might have 2 frames so we can bring in just the right highlights while retaining the subtle shadow detail. Or the headlights might need a few different exposures to build up just the right amount of "life" in the highlights without losing the definition of the various facets. Or the wheels might have one exposure for the tread and another that shows off the chrome of the wheel.

Below is another shot from this same project, this one featuring the Blue version of the car.