After the Camera : Digital Transformations for Conceptual Nude & Portrait Photography

Thom Rouse seems to have an unbridled artistic sensibility. In this book, he offers up for review sixty of his favorite fine-art images. Rouse takes photographers behind the scenes of his creative process, showing the starting point-always a portrait, captured by him-and then details the Photoshop tools and techniques he used and, sometimes, some "accessory" images that he adds into the mix, to create a dramatically different work of art. While the components and tone of each image vary from page to page, Rouse strictly maintains that his creative process is based on the idea that each work of art must, at its core, remain photographic. In other words, his fine-art works are enhanced, stylized portraits that transcend the limits typically self-imposed by portrait artists. His goal in creating the book is to educate and inspire other photographers-or, in the words of the artist-to "show you something you haven't seen before." This book features a collection of beautiful portraits that collide with a strange collections of elements-one portrait, entitled Shhhh, is coupled with ornamental wooden fish, goose wings, and parts of an aircraft; another, called Andromeda, uses complex Photoshop blending techniques and texture layers to create a Gustav Klimt-inspired feel in the photograph-to create a storytelling piece that elevates the portrait to a fine art category. On page after page, you'll discover how Rouse conceptualized the featured work of art, the steps he took to bring the concept to life, and the curiously beautiful artistic portrait result. Thom Rouse seems to have an unbridled artistic sensibility. In this book, he offers up for review sixty of his favorite fine-art images. Rouse takes photographers behind the scenes of his creative process, showing the starting point—always a portrait, captured by him—and then details the Photoshop tools and techniques he used and, sometimes, some “accessory” images that he adds into the mix, to create a dramatically different work of art. While the components and tone of each image vary from page to page, Rouse strictly maintains that his creative process is based on the idea that each work of art must, at its core, remain photographic. In other words, his fine-art works are enhanced, stylized portraits that transcend the limits typically self-imposed by portrait artists. His goal in creating the book is to educate and inspire other photographers—or, in the words of the artist—to “show you something you haven’t seen before.”

This book features a collection of beautiful portraits that collide with a strange collections of elements—one portrait, entitled Shhhh, is coupled with ornamental wooden fish, goose wings, and parts of an aircraft; another, called Andromeda, uses complex Photoshop blending techniques and texture layers to create a Gustav Klimt-inspired feel in the photograph—to create a storytelling piece that elevates the portrait to a fine art category. On page after page, you’ll discover how Rouse conceptualized the featured work of art, the steps he took to bring the concept to life, and the curiously beautiful artistic portrait result. Contents 3 About the Author 5 Infinite Turtle Theory 6 Wild Ride 8 Firebird 10 Shhh- 12 Andromeda 14 The Ones We Love 16 Dance Within 18 Electra 20 Angelic 22 Country Girl Dream 24 Snapshot of a Dream 26 Masked Dance 28 Balancing Act 30 Twisted Sister 32 Portrait in B Minor 34 Cubist Blue Spirit 36 Mirage 38 Escape Velocity 40 Etched in Stone 42 Gravity’s Consent 44 Grief 46 Haiku 48 I Dream of Fish 50 Urban Mermaids 52 Alone on the Planet 54 Mistake 56 Butterfly Torso 58 Balthus 60 Venus in Transit 62 Megan and Shadow 64 Catherine 66 Economic Recovery 68 Zebra Ass Hand on Fire 70 Isis 72 Kandinsky Tattoo 74 Thanks Ed 76 Particulation 78 Leap of Faith 80 Let the Dead Bury the Dead 82 A Breeze in the Woods 84 Oceanides 86 Oracle 88 Performance 90 Persephone 92 Debra 94 Lilith 96 Ophelia 98 Charles Street 100 Hidden Desire 102 High Stakes Chess 104 Exile 106 Serious Moonlight 108 The Fisherman’s Daughter 110 Sisters of Mercy 112 The Unbearable Lightness of Being 114 Wood Nymph 116 Time After Time 118 Windswept 120 Side Show 122 Symbol Tree 124 Index 126