Photoshop portraiture with water symbolism and effects..
Nanna Kruetzmann is a photojournalist and specializes in underwater photography - focusing on capturing the ocean and its inhabitants. When taking her photograph she typically takes the photograph with one breath - free diving.
This is one of her photographs taken during one of her dives, editing the photograph to become a fantasy type feel. She uses graphical elements and filters to achieve this photographic cover and incorporates properties of water.
For this specific project, I will be looking at her published Photoshop based works. However, there are only little to none other examples of this type of work as she mainly captures underwater landscape scenery.
I like the use of using the movement of water and blurred reflection flowing under the face of her subject. They are seen to be wearing scuba gear. I love the technique of layering filters and softening the harsh edges of where the original image would stop, as it gives it a more blended/cohesive look.
Her work is very stylized and is heavily inspired by the underwater experience alongside her specialization in portraiture. The natural cool tones of the ocean with hints of of warm tones reflecting from the skin.
For this I will focus on using Photoshop techniques and capturing facial features on other body movements to recreate a similar response. With the water reflection she works with the original images and manipulates the movement/positions to have a more abstract look.
PHOTOSHOP EDITING:
Using a table, I photographed the subject with half her half of her face to be exposed. I wanted to replicate a water type feel, so I gathered the hair and put it towards the front - to imitate hair floating on the waters surface.
The original photograph was taken with a high ISO (800), which meant that the photo was quite grainy - had noticeable noise.
Base Image
Cropped the image 3:4 ratio
Removed the background and any surrounding objects.
Brush Tool - Extended the hair length
Erase Tool - Erased certain areas of the hair to blend it in with the background slightly (0% hardness).
Taking a section of the hair with texture - copy and past it multiple times along the block of brown colour. To make the hair seamless.
Water Imitation
Added base colours - blues + oranges on the hair
Brush tool - added spots of orange and blue and changed the layer type to 'Divide' - replicate s similar style of natural light rays.
Brush Tool
Different shades of blue - applied to to different areas gradually getting dark/more saturated at the edges.
Using the colour orange, I airbrushed it onto the centre edges - changing the layer type to 'Overlay' to create a glowing effect.
Soft Reflection
Duplicated the subject layer, ctrl + t, and flipping the image vertically. Moving it down to link with the original image - imitating a water reflection.
Using the eraser tool + Large brush size, 0% hardness, 50% opacity - softly erased the edges and parts of the reflection to make it seamless.
M Y R E S P O N S E :
Canon 600D, 17-55mm lens, ISO 1600 5.0 1/10
Canon 600D, 17-55mm lens, ISO 100 5.6 1/100
Canon 600D, 17-55mm lens, ISO 100 5.6 1/50
Canon 600D, 17-55mm lens, ISO 100 5.6 1/50
Canon 600D, 17-55mm lens, ISO 100 5.6 1/320
Canon 600D, 17-55mm lens, ISO 100 5.6 1/320
Canon 600D, 17-55mm lens, ISO 200 5.6 1/50
Canon 600D, 17-55mm lens, ISO 200 5.6 1/50
Canon 600D, 17-55mm lens, ISO 100 5.6 1/80
Canon 600D, 17-55mm lens, ISO 100 6.3 1/160
Canon 600D, 17-55mm lens, ISO 100 6.3 1/500
Canon 600D, 17-55mm lens, ISO 100 6.3 1/250
Canon 600D, 17-55mm lens, ISO 200 6.3 1/125
Canon 600D, 17-55mm lens, ISO 100 5.6 1/500
Canon 600D, 17-55mm lens, ISO 100 6.3 1/250
Canon 600D, 17-55mm lens, ISO 100 6.3 1/160
Canon 600D, 17-55mm lens, ISO 100 6.3 1/160