Completing assingment for Trygg Luft AS

The last couple of days has been all about completing the assingment for Trygg Luft. I really enjoy working that way; completing one assingment before starting on a new one. I am always ready for a new project, and it's easy to fall behind on the developing part of the images if I am out there shooting all the time. Even though I really enjoy developing images in photoshop, I get way more excited over shooting new stuff. This year I have made a promise to myself to finish one project before I start with another. I have hundred if not thousands of personal pictures that need developing from the last couple of years, but I never get around to do it.

Since Aleksander is a friend of mine, he also wanted just a silly picture to keep for himself. Aside being a businessman he is also completely bonkers, so even though we only did one frame for this picture, it truly captures his personality. Kind and loonie! I can't get myself to do any work half way, so I spent about four hours on this image as well. But then again, it's so satisfying to see the results when you work at something.

I just played with color and contrast in this picture, and did my usual finishing touches which is my style. I think it's important to play and have fun in between just to keep it creative and playful. It really just goes to show that creativity doesn't stop when you turn off the camera, then you are often only half way there. Keep in mind that this picture was shot between desks in an office using only flashguns and one umbrella. And in the end, I am very pleased with the result.

The funny thing is, I bet that everybody will assume that the colors were all there, but that the facial expression have been changed in photoshop.

He also wanted me to do a black and white of the original picture, but I said no to that. The thing is, if you just convert a picture from color to black and white the job is really only half way done. When you are editing a picture for colors you use the colors to make the image. When you use black and white, people assume there is only black and white, and that colors don't matter anymore. Of course they do, they always do! Red is a high contrast color, yellow is a rather low contrast color and so on.

So I started from the top and did another picture in black and white, so that he would have a real alternative to use when he is printing materials in black and white. Above you can see the difference. On the right is the image just converted, on the left the image is developed for black and white and then converted. For example, in the one on the right you can't almost see any facial hair and his face is one almost flat surface. When it has been developed you can see so much more charactere!

Anyway, that assingment has been labeled complete. But there are new ones lining up all the time! So I don't think I will be getting bored anytime soon.