How can I create a bright, saturated sunset portrait look like this boat photo?
Asked 6/16/2014
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2 answers
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I found a photo of models on a boat at sunset and want to understand how that look was made. The image has a very bright, colorful, detailed style with a slightly soft-glow finish. I use a Nikon D5200 and have access to Photoshop. What shooting conditions, lighting, filters, and post-processing techniques would help create a similar result?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
12y ago
2 Answers
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This looks very much like a the photographer duplicated the image as a new layer, used a large radius Gaussian blur, and then set the blending mode to "overlay". It's the same effect I used in this photo:
You get a soft focus effect but with crisp details, and a boost to the saturation. They have also reduced the contrast by bringing the black point up a bit, and possibly put some blue in the shadows (seperate R G and B curves is a good way to achieve this).
You need a decent-ish image to start with, shooting with the sun that low in the sky certainly helps. But there's nothing there you couldn't do with your D5200, provided you have a boat and some willing models!
Originally by user1375. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user1375
12y ago
0
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This look is likely a mix of lighting, timing, and fairly strong post-processing rather than one single trick.
Key factors:
- Shoot with the sun low in the sky, ideally softened by clouds. That reduces the contrast between the bright sky and the subjects.
- Add light to the people with fill flash or a large reflector so they don’t go too dark when shooting toward the sunset.
- A polarizing filter may help deepen the sky and control reflections on the water.
- In Photoshop, strong curve and saturation adjustments can create the punchy “HDR-like” feel even without actual HDR blending.
- One suggested effect is duplicating the image to a new layer, applying a large-radius Gaussian blur, then setting that layer to Overlay for a soft-glow look with retained detail.
- You can also lift the black point slightly for a faded shadow look, and add a bit of blue to the shadows using RGB curves.
- Extra sharpness/clarity is probably part of the final edit.
You do not need a special camera body for this. Your D5200 can do it if you start with good light, expose carefully, and use solid post-processing.
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