Graphics Reference
In-Depth Information
I give Festa my camera focusing analogy. “I think that's true,” he
agrees. “You're looking for the sweet spot. And the only way to find that
is to go too far. That's probably true for color correction in general. You
really have to push it around to somewhere you don't want to go to find
out where you do want to go. I think that's a good statement.
“Then I can look into the neg and look for things that I can bring to
life. So I look at the ratio of foreground and background. But in addition
to balancing, I'm also looking at adding value.
“I like to show my commercial clients a whole range of opportunities
based on that. The most classic thing I like to do is show three or four
different opportunities based on either warmer, cooler exposures, more
or less dynamic range, more or less contrast. And then we start getting
very, very specific using the classic photographic techniques of the day—
dodging and burning—and actually creating the look that's based on that.”
Festa continues, “What I like to do is show people some choices. If you
give them one, two, or three different choices, they can actually point their
finger up at the screen and say, 'I like A, B, or C,' instead of being very gen-
eral about 'Where do you think you guys want to go from here?' I also like to
look at the work picture, just to see what these people are used to looking at.
Whether it's right or wrong in my mind, they may have fallen in love with it
and not even know it to some extent. So I'll give them an option that might
have some relationship to the work picture. That makes the dialog a little
easier, I think. I think initially I tell them that this is going to be very general,
for starters. And it's very broad-stroke based. And once you get dialed in
through a series of 1, 2, 3. After a while you get into a very close place. Then
the brushstrokes become much more fine and more dynamic, I think.”
Communicating with Clients
Festa continues with a discussion on communicating with clients: “It
wasn't so much techniques or tools that helped me communicate more
with my clients, but I actually started listening. I would actually not say a
damn word, but I would tell people, 'Before we get started, tell me in 20
words or less what today's theme is going to be.' I'd rather let them spill
their guts for 20 words or 20 minutes and then turn around and deliver
the goods, because then I have a good idea about what their perception is
and what their ambitions are for the session. So if anything, I've become
a good listener in my old age. Also, you give them a choice. Work like an
eye doctor. Show them A, B, or C and before you know it, you've worked
your way into something that's really in focus. And not only have you lis-
tened to them, but you've shown them and they've made the decisions as
you've worked your way down into it. So how can they not be happy?”
Chris Pepperman extends this conversation: “Typically, the way I work
when I color correct is, I'm one of those guys who verbally expresses
 
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