MAGBURNER: Incisions Beyond Motion. NEW UPDATE 27.09.10 SOMETHING DIFFERENT

Wow! The shots are so clean. Great work and great to have you back

The blurring is crazy on the first one, and I love the NSX and the Supra 👍

👍

Can't say anything negative, really a la 440 Charger, mind-blowingly clean 👍

very nice updates! hope to see more

Hello again... Its been almost a year since I last updated (I had to dig this gallery up from the 18th page!). I kinda cut and run last time (life got in the way etc), but I feel that I should come back to this great community, and see if I can still cut the mustard. It was a PM from TVR&Ferrari_Fan that finally persuaded me that maybe I should - so here I am with brand new thinking, and a brand new Photoshop action!

Right enough babbling, here is the first mini-update. there are two heroes this time around - the Denso Sard Supra, and the Xanavi Skyline GTR. I like both of these cars, but there are many areas (on each car) that needed editing, and since I'm strictly 'anti-tools' when it comes to Photoshop, I have decided to go with what I had. Hence the single Denso shot, and the slightly tatty wheel arches of the Xanavi. Anyway, I hope you enjoy these long overdue interpretations.

Is the skyline really that smooth? That's amazing that you didn't do any clean up on it. all the shots look very nice, I like the soft glow on the Denso, it looks great IMO too.👍

It has been a while! I can't belive 11 months have already past.

R34 and Z JGTC brothers are one of the worst textured cars in GT4 I think. Blur filters worked fine, those photos are pretty smooth 👍

Salu2.alexwrc

Wow, great shots, and great comeback. very good clean up in the car and shot. I love the lightning too 👍

Wow looks really clean man. Good to see you back. 👍

OK, one more shot for today, and its a competition entry for the Rally Photomode section. I have been working on a number of rally car updates, and this is a pic from one of them. I hope you like this interpretation.


@Loon: thanks mate! 👍 And no, the Skyline doesn't look that smooth, well it depends on which angle you look at it. .

@alexwrc: Yeah, its been a long time, but I will update a little more often than that from now on. Your right about the textures on those JGTC cars, its a sheame really, because they are some of the most awesome looking cars in the game. Here's hoping GT5 will get it sorted!

@LdS: Thanks mate! 👍 I've never been able to do the cleanup that other artists have (like Sejtur, Krame, and 440), so I have adapted my style to not have to cleanup images at all! If you look back through my gallery, every image I have posted (with the exception of the Stingray update) have all been created without the use of tools - I use a combination of blur and sharpen filters, nothing more.

@sejtur: Thanks mate! 👍 Its good to be back again!

magburner

@LdS: Thanks mate! 👍 I've never been able to do the cleanup that other artists have (like Sejtur, Krame, and 440), so I have adapted my style to not have to cleanup images at allI If you look back through my gallery, every image I have posted (with the exception of the Stingray update) have all been created without the use of tools - I use a combination of blur and sharpen filters, nothing more.

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I have some methods, but are for bringing more the colors, making the image looking more like an HDR image, but for the car to actually look clean…wow, you have to teach me that!

I like this one. It really looks like the car is being pulled at high velocities. I also love the sense and the cleaning of it. Thanks for dropping an enter on the competition:tup:

I just love the feel of the second and third shots in post 605.

it has been a looooong while. glad to see you came back out of hiding. updates are looking great, specially the skyline! so smooth and clean! the supra is actually looking clean, even though not a lot of editting went in to it. the comp entry is nice as well. great rally action.

Your shots are simply "action loaded"!!! Superb mate

My favorite has to be the denso supra, the effect is stunning and like NTX said they are all action packed! Great work.

Thanks for the great comments guys, they are much appreciated. 👍 Right, I haven't got a complete update yet, but I do have a couple of images that I would like to share with you. I'm in the middle of creating a DTM update, and these two images stood out from the crowd.

Both images are taken from the same spot, but at different angles, and edited identically, save for the lighting (which has been used to create a different feel to each image). I hope you like these interpretations.

@TVR&Ferrari_Fan

I just love the feel of the second and third shots in post 605.

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yeah man, thanks. 👍 they are the main focus of this update.

@jgda9rs

it has been a looooong while. glad to see you came back out of hiding. updates are looking great, specially the skyline! so smooth and clean! the supra is actually looking clean, even though not a lot of editting went in to it. the comp entry is nice as well. great rally action.

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Thanks man.👍 It has been a while. Its nice to see things still going on around here too. One thing that struck me in you post was your comment about the Supra not being edited. What makes you think that? would it surprise you to know that that image is made up of 7 different layers, and it was identically edited to the other images in the update?

@NTX1982

Your shots are simply "action loaded"!!! Superb mate

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Thanks man. your comments are much appreciated. 👍

@Observer

My favorite has to be the denso supra, the effect is stunning and like NTX said they are all action packed! Great work.

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Thanks man. 👍 The Denso Sard is a nice shot, Its probably the best shot I'll get without using tools as the front end is awash with UGLY lines!

I will visits all your galleries over the next day or so. Until then, take care. magburner.

DAMM!!! No words mate!!! Where the hell have U been?!

I love the lighting and the shadows in the first shot.

now that last one looks so much better. and about the supra, i must have been thinking of someonelse's gallery or something. dont know why. but to me it looks like you just added so much diffuse glow to the thing that it's hiding all the details of the car. maybe minimize them a bit and it'll look better, showing all your hard work of cleaning up the car. i said that because that's how it looked like to me, but now i realize you did do something to it after noticing the lines of the hatch.

I love the angles and the light on the shots. They are very cool. I also love the soft look on your shots 👍

Here we go, I have another image for your attention, I hope you like this one, because its a belter! This competition entry has been lifted from a forthcoming update, and I like it as its an excellent demonstration of the in game blur that can be created. I also have a great update to bring to you in the next day or two, along with a sneak peek into my design process. Look for both soon! Anyway, I hope you like this interpretation.

Edit: Now includes a PMC125 shot below!

like i said in the comp threads, your entry is so sweet with the diffuse glow and the colours blended together. don't you just love the in game motion blur ? i think it's great. my entry had that too, but i just enhanced the motion blur in photoshop so it looks cleaner. but yea, great job altogether. however, i would like to see the edited version of your pmc shot i think it'll be great. i'll wait for your next update anyway.

I really love the cones one, it’s so realistic, and the angle is so cool.

Has for the first one, well, I preferred the other one. In this the car is a bit to centered and it looks a little like plastic. It isn’t very comfortable. But I really like the in game motion blur
But don’t let my comments influence you decision, though. 👍

Hello again. I have another update to bring to you today. The hero this time (as you can see by the two comp entries above) is the awesome Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI rally car. I like this car, it is good to work with, and it looks the part. I've only used some simple blur and sharpen filters (with some adjustment layers for lighting) on these images, and again, I have used no tools whatsoever.

Starting with this update, and continuing onwards, I will post the original unedited versions of each shot too. I was planning to write a tutorial, but it is proving a little harder than I thought because the work I do in Photoshop is tied in to how I create the images within the GT4 Photomode. If you look at the originals below, you will see that I don't do that much in Photoshop.

I have got some mini-discussion articles to follow on elements of photomode that I use - things like EV values, colour balance, focus, shutter speed, lighting, and that kind of thing. Maybe if I discuss them, then you may better understand how I create the images I do. Once I've gone over them, I will discuss how they relate to what I do in Photoshop. You will then see that every image I create is 90% photomode, and 10% Photoshop.

Ok, enough of the yibba yabbering, I hope you like these interpretations.


@NTX1982: Thanks man. 👍 I've been busy with life pal, but I back now!

@TVR&Ferrari_Fan: I agree, the first image is the better of the two, but I do like the second. I have an idea for a blur with the second, so you might see it again sometime.

@LdS: I'm glad you like the soft look I have created. There was a point where I never used any form of blurring whatsoever. Ruf Rider was my first real exploration into the area. For this action though, I have decided to reduce the 'gaussian effect' by using gaussian blur a lot less, and using other blurs a lot more.

@jgda9rs: In game blurs are great, there should be some more of them around, but this could be better too. I've marked the first image down for a full-blur makeover at a later date (I do use tools for them).

I'm glad you asked about the second PMC shot, as I have got a final version ready to post. It was taken and later dropped, as it clashed with another shot I was planning to post (and because it has flaws). I will put it up for you too look at though. It doesn't look that different, just a little sharper and better lit.

I just love the first two the most.

very sweet shots 👍

I love the first one. The concept of it its so genius. I would just recommend sometimes to play a bit with the colour adjustment, though. 👍

those are awesome mate! thanks for fulfilling my request. those photos are well done!

magburner how do you edit these pics??
there INCRRRREDIBLE!!!!!

JEEPERS! Call of Duty 4 is sucking the life out of me! I've been planning to post updates since I got that game, but Its like online crack - I'm hooked! You can find me most nights ripping up shi... oops can't say that here! LOL I've had some great games with Beerz, Scaff, Dead_Poetic and Pako. If any of you guys have a PS3 add my PSN (its my GTP name) and look me up. 👍

Anyway, I digress. I have an update, AND I have a tutorial of sorts to bring to you. This is not a step by step guide on how to take great images (how can you explain that?), think of it instead as a discussion on my style, with observations and insight into how I utilise the Gran Turismo 4 Photomode application. My aim is for you to get a better understanding of the often overlooked power that is in your hands each time you grab hold of a Playstation pad. I feel that I'm very strong in this area, especially when it comes to clarity, focus and particularly lighting.

Artists vs. Photographers

The emphasis within this community has always been towards an artists ability with Photoshop (or whichever image editing application they prefer) - there are many tutorials out there, and the underlying theme of the most popular competitions here are biased heavily towards artists. Don't get me wrong, there there are many awesome images (and artists) out there, but more often than not it is the artists skills within Photoshop that are on show and not the image itself.

I'm not an artist, and I'm not ashamed to say that my Photoshop skills are poor. I think I'm lying there, my Photoshop skills are actually pretty good, its my tool use that's poor. I was right about not being an artist thought, because I'm not - I'm a photographer. Its that distinction between artist and photographer that is important. Whereas an artist will take a shot and 'clean it up' within Photoshop to make it look better. I take better shots in game so I don't need to 'clean it up' later on. By taking better shots in game, I have negated a part of the image creation process that can take artists considerably more time.

Gran Turismo 4 Photomode application

I'm going to talk a lot about the Gran Turismo 4 Photomode application in successive tutorials, because I feel that 99% of all images are created there, and not in Photoshop. If you think that Photomode is a 'simple' image taking process, then your in for a rude awakening, if you know better, then you've no need with this tutorial! 👍 I have a number of discussions in this area, in fact all but one of my discussions will be about the Photomode application, the other one will cover (in greater detail) what I do in Photoshop.

The Gran Turismo 4 Photomode application is actually a high fidelity system that simulates (though, not entirely accurately) the actions of a 35mm SLR camera. I'm not a professional photographer, but I do have a 35mm SLR. Thanks to the Photomode section on Gran Turismo 4, I have a better understanding of what some of the actions a 35mm can do. Of course I could of practised with my actual camera, but the cost of film, and the lack of immediacy where big draw backs. I now better understand focal length, shutter speed and depth of field, where before I kind of struggled with the concepts. You need to understand these concepts too, because your skill at mastering those three abilities will determine overall image quality.

Photoshop as a tool and not as a crutch

Photoshop is a part of my image creation process, but unlike artists, everything I do is procedural, that is, it is the same for every image, no matter what. Only lighting is different for each image. You might think that having every image edited identically would stifle creativity, well it doesn't. Standardisation does the exact opposite in fact. It gives you a platform that you can build on, and that's what I do. I'm that sure of my Photomode skills now that I know exactly how a final image will turn out after taking just a couple of shots in game - Photoshop is an extension of my Photomode skill.

Also, my design process is not the equivalent of a 'get rich quick scheme', it is underpinned by a deep understanding of GT4's Photomode application. This is something that is lost on everyone here - when you look at my images, you are not seeing my Photoshop skill, you are in fact seeing my Photomode skill. I have advanced Photomode skills that negate the use of tools - I don't need them, because there are very rarely if ever any jaggies to remove! If you don't use tools, you will have better images. Use Photomode properly, and you will not need to use tools! Its as simple as that.

Blended Layers

The process I use is called Blended Layers(tm). It is a design system I created myself for eliminating or reducing noise with sharpen, blur and lighting effects. The system I use is deeply integrated with my Photomode stlye, and like all systems, it has thresholds and tolerances. That is to say, if you cannot create sharp and well focussed images then it will not work as expected. On top of that, you have to understand the lighting model within GT4, to leverage the full power of this design process. Don't worry, I have further discussions to follow that will explore the aspects of Photomode I exploit in my image creation process.

Each image I post here has anywhere between 5 and 10 layers depending on the complexity of the lighting effects I use. The first 5 layers form the core of the image, and that's where the blended layers design system starts. (Working from top to bottom) Each layer has progressively less blurring, but progressively more opacity. Combine this with progressive or contrasting light, and strong Photomode skills, this design system can create fantastic images very quickly. How quick? Well, because the Photoshop side has been standardised and streamlined, I can output a finished image (without signature) in less than 5 seconds!

For those that must know the Photoshop part, I will discuss in detail this part at a later date, but for now, here is a quick breakdown of what I do. It is split into two parts. The first part will create a very sharp image that can be posted as is, or finalised with the second part (which softens).

First Part

* Create four copies of the same layer set to these opacities (lowest opacity = topmost layer) 25%, 50%, 75% the bottom layer is the background layer so that will be 100%.

* 25% layer - sharpen (normal or more) this layer and add blurring (Gaussian, surface, smart, lense blur etc)

* 50% layer - as above.

* 75% layer - sharpen (normal or more) this layer to your hearts desire (but keep an eye on the detail!)

* 100% layer - DO NOT ALTER.

* Alter layer blend modes for best lighting.

* Once this has been done add a curves adjustment layer on top of the stack. Alter the curve to get best lighting conditions through dialog and blend mode.

Second Part

* Create copy of first composite (you don't have to do this, but I do)..

* Flatten into a single layer.

* Create three layers in this image set at 33%, 66%, and 100% opacity (from top to bottom)

* Top layer is blurred a lot (Gaussian, surface, smart, lens blur etc).

* Middle layer is blurred not so much (Gaussian, surface, smart, lens blur etc).

* If you want to add a smidge more definition, sharpen the 66% layer (only sharpen, not sharpen more!)

* Bottom layer is not altered (it's a perfect copy of first part).

* Alter layer blend mode for 33% and 66% layers to get best lighting.

* Add additional adjustment layers as necessary for lighting (adjusting opacity, blend mode, and dialog details), I sometimes place up to three at the top of the stack (brightness/contrast, colour balance, curves etc.)

* Improve image quality by reduction. 640x480 (or vice versa) is my standard, though anything less than 1280x960 will do the job.

* If I decide to go for image desaturation, I always CTRL+SHIFT+U the 33% and 66% layers, and i may desaturate in game too.

...And that's it!

Of course some parts may or may not be used, and in the case of competition regulations, they will obviously not be. I hope that you have latched onto the recurring message in this discussion - great Photoshop skills are NOT necessary to create great images! Improve your Photomode skills and you will improve your image quality, (and thus reduce), no, eliminate tool use!

For my next discussion, I will talk about good focus, and how to spot the subtle differences between the states of focus present within the Gran Turismo 4 Photomode application. This is an important first step in creating great images. OK, I've gone on enough (sorry if I've bored you), I've got to get the girls ready for bed. When I return, I will post an update. Take care, magburner.