Alright, let’s talk about that di maria 2014 thing. Man, what a trip down memory lane! So, back then, I was messing around trying to figure out some image processing stuff, and for some reason, I got super fixated on replicating the kinds of image edits you’d see plastered all over sports websites, specifically the over-the-top dramatic lighting they’d use on player photos. Di Maria’s photo from the 2014 World Cup was basically my muse.
First, I grabbed a bunch of images of Di Maria from the tournament. You know, the kind where he’s running, kicking, looking intense – the whole shebang. The goal? To make him look even more epic.
- Step 1: Cutting him out. This was the most tedious part. I used Photoshop back then, just painstakingly tracing around him with the pen tool. Ugh, so much clicking. I wanted a super clean cutout, none of that fuzzy edge nonsense.
- Step 2: The background. I wanted something that screamed “drama.” Think dark clouds, stadium lights, maybe even a hint of fire. I ended up using a stock photo of a stormy sky and then messing with the colors to make it even moodier.
- Step 3: Lighting, baby! This is where the real fun began. I used a bunch of different layer styles and blending modes. I added a strong directional light source, like he was being lit by a spotlight. Dodging and burning were my best friends. I painted in highlights on his face and uniform, making sure to accentuate his muscles and the texture of the fabric.
- Step 4: Color Grading. I messed around with curves and color balance to give the whole image a more cinematic feel. I remember pushing the blues and oranges to create a strong contrast.
- Step 5: Sharpening. Gotta make those details pop! But not too much, or it looks like garbage. I used a high-pass filter with a subtle radius.
It took a lot of trial and error. I’d spend hours tweaking one little thing, stepping back, and then realizing it looked awful and starting over. I remember watching a ton of YouTube tutorials about lighting and color grading. Those things were lifesavers.
The Result?
It wasn’t perfect, not by a long shot. But honestly, I was pretty proud of it. It looked like one of those over-the-top sports edits you see all the time. Mission accomplished!
Why did I do all this? Purely for the fun of it. I wanted to learn more about image manipulation, and this seemed like a cool project. Plus, I was really into football back then (still am, to be honest), and Di Maria was a baller. So, yeah, that’s my di maria 2014 story. Just a dude messing around in Photoshop, trying to make things look cool.
