Re: Is this a real picture or CGI?

On 2008-05-07 20:09:03 -0700, Jeff <jeff@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> said:

> Doc wrote:
>> Looks to me either like CGI or extremely enhanced by CGI. Seems to
>> have a sort of "plasic" patina to it. Is an actual photo of a pristine
>> new car not good enough anymore?
>> 
>> http://www.toyota.com/matrix/
> 
> 
> It's a real photo that's been dodged and burned. It looks like the top 
> surfaces have been burned in. The rest is just superb lighting.
> 
> The way it is lit is just stunning. Take a look at the catch lights and 
> the shadowing and you'll see that the lighting is very simple, but it's 
> some of the best modeling I've ever seen. You can really feel the three 
> curves of it.
> 
>    It appears to be one longish softbox almost directly overhead. A bit 
> of fill to soften the shadows.
> 
>    Jeff

You are probably right. You see the reflection of the softbox in the 
car windows, plus the reflection of a couple of spots on the front of 
the car. Subtractive shadowing around the floor. The color has been 
carefully calibrated to match an actual Matrix. One shot, no Photoshop. 
It could easily be the work of Claude Jodoin or one of his students. He 
does this sort of thing, although his i2i Studio has become more 
oriented toward wedding and portrait photography. Claude does not dodge 
and burn much (though he certainly might have here) but instead uses an 
enormous collection of Scrim Jim panels to both highlight and screen 
light where he wishes.

There are also rental studios in Detroit and elsewhere that have these 
20 foot long softboxes suspended from the ceiling. You drive the car 
(or other large object, even an airplane) right through the big doors 
of the studio. The softbox is suspended from beams and can be easily 
moved in any direction or tilted as needed.

-- 
Waddling Eagle
World Famous Flight Instructor