portrait post

[AaronLLockhart]

used my mother as a guinea pig. been tinkering with post on people. c&c welcome.

pptest.jpg

[Ads]

[o hey tyler]

Aaron, I do not find this processing to be pleasing. The skin tones are quite over saturated, and the skin smoothing is heavy handed. Because of the skin smoothing/oversaturation, parts of her face become slightly posterized.

I think it could be re-worked into something better, but as it is, her skin looks a bit too plastic-y. What method did you use for skin smoothing?

[AaronLLockhart]

Aaron, I do not find this processing to be pleasing. The skin tones are quite over saturated, and the skin smoothing is heavy handed. Because of the skin smoothing/oversaturation, parts of her face become slightly posterized.

I think it could be re-worked into something better, but as it is, her skin looks a bit too plastic-y. What method did you use for skin smoothing?

I used a combination of blur and the healing brush tool. Any tips would be helpful. I'm new to people

The hair is done using the "oil painting" filter. Which I know makes it look completely fake, but I needed something to smooth out her nappy, sweat filled hair, lol.

[joeho636]

Aaron, I do not find this processing to be pleasing. The skin tones are quite over saturated, and the skin smoothing is heavy handed. Because of the skin smoothing/oversaturation, parts of her face become slightly posterized.

I think it could be re-worked into something better, but as it is, her skin looks a bit too plastic-y. What method did you use for skin smoothing?

I used a combination of blur and the healing brush tool. Any tips would be helpful. I'm new to people

The hair is done using the "oil painting" filter. Which I know makes it look completely fake, but I needed something to smooth out her nappy, sweat filled hair, lol.

It looks like you put a good amount of time/effort into this. I like the photo and I see what you were trying to do, but I tend to agree with his "plastic-y" comment. It is not the editing I would have gone with. I'm not really sure what I would've done, but maybe just tone down what you did and you may get a better result.

I actually like the "oil painting" filter idea. It's pretty cool, but it won't work if you don't 'caractureize' the rest of the photo as well. Post some more examples and I'm sure you'll get more suggestions on what to change.

[o hey tyler]

The hair treatment is excusable, however now that I look at the hair it does strike me a bit funny. Not a technique I would use personally, but some people might like it.

I know this is going to sound kind of high and mighty, and I don't mean it to, but I don't know how to say it. Part of my photographic philosophy is that I try to edit my images as very little as possible. Getting it "right" in camera has always been in my mind first and foremost before ever actuating the shutter. Granted, that cannot always be done for portraiture, but it carries over into my processing as well.

I don't like to heavily doctor people's skin unless I'm specifically asked to by a client (it's happened, plenty of times). If someone has a really gnarly blemish, or something very minor stuck to their face, I'll clone them out. If someone has wrinkles, I will soften JUST the wrinkles so that the rest of the contrast and tonality is preserved. I mainly do the majority of my editing in Lightroom, even for portraits. If I have something really tough that I need to edit, or remove individual pixels, I'll throw it into PS.

A lot of times (IMO) less is more. Lighter treatment leads to a more natural feel, and looks better. Sure, there are things that you'll want to remove or minimize. There always are. You just have to find out what needs to be removed or minimized and localize your edits to just those areas.

Just my .02 Euros.

[Kolander]

You must do it every day in fashion photography.

Filter - Noise - Dust & Scratches (around 10 depending measures). Then, Gaussian Blur (id). Then, layer mask and invert. Then, white brush 50%.

I can try if you want to see the result.

[AaronLLockhart]

You must do it every day in fashion photography.

Filter - Noise - Dust & Scratches (around 10 depending measures). Then, Gaussian Blur (id). Then, layer mask and invert. Then, white brush 50%.

I can try if you want to see the result.

please do...DSC_00861.jpg

[MLeeK]

Aaron, I am sorry, but it's really NOT so great. maybe decrease the opacity on the smoothed layer a quite a bit?
The first think I thought is that all it would take for her to look like The Mask is some green. I am sorry! Your mom sure as hell doesn't look she needs all that skin smoothing. A lighter touch would definitely help

[MLeeK]

I forgot to ask... did you shoot this in raw? I am assuming that from what's open on your desktop you did.
I opened the image in Adobe Camera Raw. All I did was fix a little bit of the white balance. Then at the bottom in that hyper link there is an option to open to photoshop as a smart object. Click that box. Close that dialog and on the ACR window of the image click the open button.
Right click on the image in your layers pallet. "Create new smart object via copy"
double click on the image in the bottom layer to take it back to ACR
There i reduced the clarity by 25, I bumped the luminosity and color noise removal up to 50 to minimize any fine lines. Click OK. (your settings will be different because you will be working with the full sized image)
Now on your top layer in PS begin masking on the skin leaving the eyes, mouth, details, etc.
Aarons m om as Smart Object-1.jpg

[AaronLLockhart]

Yes I shot this in RAW. This was my very first attempt at post on people (not making excuses, just letting you know). I have toned the processing down a bit on the skin tones to avoid the plasticy look on all of my others ever since I did this one... I posted that original image up about two posts up for anyone who wants to toy with it.... I am open to seeing new methods

[Trever1t]

Yes, way too much but if you tone it way back you might have a presentable image. I love the brush tool in LR4.

[MLeeK]

Yes I shot this in RAW. This was my very first attempt at post on people (not making excuses, just letting you know). I have toned the processing down a bit on the skin tones to avoid the plasticy look on all of my others ever since I did this one... I posted that original image up about two posts up for anyone who wants to toy with it.... I am open to seeing new methods

I did process it in the one I posted...
Here's yours and mine side by side
Aarons m om as Smart Object-2.jpg

[Trever1t]

much more realistic and pleasing

[Kolander]

please do...

Sorry, I forgot this thread. Just a slight treatment.
(It appears bigger, don't know why)