Single Photo - Photobash Concept art Exercise

Photobash exercise using only one photo. One of the questions I get the most is how do I find the right photo with the right angle/lighting/perspective when photobashing, pretty much 80% of the time I can't, I wish I can but its super hard to find that exact photo you want, so most of the time its about taking what you have and make it work.

Mike Nash posted some hard surface photo references the other day and I loved the look of one of the couplings in the bunch, so I figured I should do a quick exercise using only 1 photo to create a concept of a bust, while using the elements of the original photo as a base, such as the decals/texture/ratio/colors etc. Seeing the new space force logo was officially revealed the other day, I thought it might be fun doing a prototype version of the Combat Astronaut concept I did a while back.

Real time was around 3.5 half ish, I will probably do a narrated voiceover on the real time video as a gumroad tutorial soon, an official full length tutorial I supposed? :P Also, I can record in 4k now! yay!

Soundtrack: Destiny 1 OST (The bestt!!)

EDIT**:
Whoah thank you guys for watching! Just noticed the sudden influx of viewers and subscribers. Thank you for the support, I guess I will have to post videos more frequently now XD Also heres some answer to some of the comments:
1. This is Photoshop CC and I used a Wacom Cintiq 24 Pro, though a tablet would work just as great, I use Photoshop's default round brush and airbrush (soft brush) for the whole painting.
2. Soundtrack is from Destiny 1's OST, one of the best! I'm also lucky enough to be a part of the team working on Destiny 2.
3. Photobashing is absolutely not recommended for beginners, its easy to be overwhelmed by it or become reliant on photos to produce artwork. Photobashing is a technique concept artists commonly use to speed up the creation process, it allows us to produce more artworks within a certain amount of time compared to handdrawing all of it, it still takes a lot from one's visual libary and painting fundamentals. Its a fun technique to explore but if youre just starting in digital art I would not recommend focusing on it, foundation matters!
4. I've been drawing digitally for about 15 years now and have been working in the gaming/film industry for a decade.
5. This took 3.5 hours in real time, excluding the toilet break or snack times :D
6. I am also known as the man with too many photoshop layers. Its a habit mainly due to work because I constantly have to go back and change stuffs so having more layers on gives me that flexibility.
7. The initial idea is that this is a prototype/in-development suit for the Combat Astronaut concept I did a while back (you can view it on my artstation, link in the description), so I want it to look rough and prototype-ish

[csper]

This is genuinely the best Photoshop project I've ever seen.

[kamaracso]

True... we only need one single photo, and THE TECHNIQUE OF A REAL ARTIST.

[MarkArandjus]

I feel stupid for never trying this, it seems so obvious now :D

[opchase]

"Wake up Guardian we've got work to do!"
simple yet so sophisticated.

[brasik]

It looks like something that adobe would put on the loading screen.

[nyxview]

how many layers that you need?
"yes"

[oscatMeow]

this is just on a different level. in school we were taught to use a picture of an umbrella to form into a bird sitting on a branch with the sun setting in the background. it was so simple but so difficult and time consuming

obviously the blows it out the water, big time. but the amount of respect i have for you and your skills is off the charts. you’ve done a great job

[CyrusEppie]

When the video started I got chills and had the most nostalgic fucking trip ever

[icollective]

This gave me nostalgia for a game that doesn't exist yet

[jackmiller]

“Woah this guy is a talented artist, I wonder if I’ve seen anything he’s done”

Literally does artwork for destiny 2

“Ahaha ok then shoot”

[elxta]

Hitting me deep and hard in the feels with the Destiny music.. :(

[fruitexe]

Clicked for the art, stayed for the OG destiny soundtrack (my entire middle school life was that game)

[ilyfoggy]

This video filled me with huge Destiny nostalgia. I miss that game.

[senselocke]

"Did you have any inspiration for this work?"
"Couple a tubes."
"...a couple--"
"Okay, like, FOUR tubes."

[Dogeman]

All my school years suddenly flashed back into my head.... Destiny made my teen years special

[xpeterson]

Yeah, well I can take a picture of a can, and turn it into a picture of 2 cans...

[tomparke]

Notice he was zoomed out for the first 3 minutes of the video. GET THE FORMS RIGHT BEFORE YOU ZOOM IN AND ADD DETAILS.

[JohnsonTing]

Whoah thank you guys for watching! Just noticed the sudden influx of viewers and subscribers. Thank you for the support, I guess I will have to post videos more frequently now XD Also heres some answer to some of the comments:
1. This is Photoshop CC and I used a Wacom Cintiq 24 Pro, though a tablet would work just as great, I use Photoshop's default round brush and airbrush (soft brush) for the whole painting.
2. Soundtrack is from Destiny 1's OST, one of the best! I'm also lucky enough to be a part of the team working on Destiny 2.
3. Photobashing is absolutely not recommended for beginners, its easy to be overwhelmed by it or become reliant on photos to produce artwork. Photobashing is a technique concept artists commonly use to speed up the creation process, it allows us to produce more artworks within a certain amount of time compared to handdrawing all of it, it still takes a lot from one's visual libary and painting fundamentals. Its a fun technique to explore but if youre just starting in digital art I would not recommend focusing on it, foundation matters!
4. I've been drawing digitally for about 15 years now and have been working in the gaming/film industry for a decade.
5. This took 3.5 hours in real time, excluding the toilet break or snack times :D
6. I am also known as the man with too many photoshop layers. Its a habit mainly due to work because I constantly have to go back and change stuffs so having more layers on gives me that flexibility.
7. The initial idea is that this is a prototype/in-development suit for the Combat Astronaut concept I did a while back (you can view it on my artstation, link in the description), so I want it to look rough and prototype-ish

[eross]

i did this process several years ago with a mountain dew bottle. And submitted and won an art contest with it. something about combining real world photography and digital painting that really grabs people attention. excellent work! You have re-inspired me to do this kind of designing again. that you! awesome work.

[jojijosef]

The dislikes are from people who believe that digital art is not art LMAO

THIS IS AMAZING

I NEVER THOUGHT OF USING PICTURES FOR PAINTING WOW