Retouching: Luder Part 1
This will be the first post of many on the subject of photographic retouching and the broader subject of compositing, also referred to as photomontage.
Luder is a band comprised of Detroit rock veterans. We did the imaging and design for their 2009 release, Sonoluminescence. We have posted the CD design before, but we have not yet discussed the photo retouching that was so important to the overall design. This is one ‘before and after’ example. More will follow in future posts.
CD cover – Retouch and Composite:
We shot the image outside in relatively neutral light. After loading the image into Photoshop, we knocked out the background, careful not to lose any detail from the figure. We placed the figure into a full resolution, square-format file. We added a sky image, some vector light rays and flares, and the unformatted text. All the elements were manipulated into one, cohesive image communicative of the concept we chose for the album.
If you need photo retouching or compositing performed, or you would like to learn how to do it, contact us for a quote.
Luder Album Cover Design
Sonoluminescence, the upcoming new album by Luder, is slated for release early this fall. We had the pleasure of providing the concept, the photography and the graphic design.
Best of Detroit
Real Detroit Weekly’s ‘Best of Detroit’ issue has hit the stands, featuring beautiful cover art by our friend Kevin O’Rourke.
Real Detroit Weekly also named him ‘Best Cover Artist‘ in recognition for the work he’s done since living in Detroit.
Check out our shot of Kevin used for the feature in print and on the interweb.
Our previous post shows more pictures from that portrait session.
Kevin O’Rourke
We recently had the pleasure of photographing our good friend, Kevin O’Rourke.
Look for his feature in the upcoming issue of Real Detroit Weekly.
MOCHIMAD Mastheads
Self-branding is often a stone in any creative professional’s career. I am no different. I really don’t have trouble coming up with ideas. I just drop a bucket into the well and pull the ideas out. Deciding which one to roll with and make the commitment to is a different process—the “stone in the shoe” part.
Photography has always been and always will be a driving expression of my ideas. It’s the primary way I flex the muscles that every creative person needs to exercise to stay sane and/or to stay in the design business. The photographic mastheads that first meet your eye at the top of the page here are going to rotate through a dozen or so that I made up in advance.
I decided to do this for a couple of reasons. Firstly, we have lots of them and they all look great; and secondly, I simply get tired of looking at the same one for too long. It’s part of the creative professional’s curse. Constantly re-imagining, revisualizing. Maybe that’s a major reason why we do what we do all day long, and often into the wee hours.
Therefore, I will change the masthead every week or two—but I can’t promise I won’t change it more than once a day either—so maybe you’ll take interest and decide to come back ever so often to have a gander.
Medium Format Film
Shot on Fuji Pro 400 medium format film with all natural light. No Photoshop retouching performed.
