This is one of my favorite shots I've ever taken. What do you think?

[Alpha]

The easiest way to explain is that there should be a backwards J-shaped shadow that runs approximately from the ear to the upper lip, and the cheek-bone itself should be a highlight.

I'll go through and do a step-by-step cheek-bone retouch and post it in a new thread (which I'll link to here) if that would help. I'll need an original of this shot though.

 

[Alpha]

I actually like the first version best. I prefer pictures with a little skin smoothing. I always run all my portraits through Imagenomic Portraiture.

Lauren

Well then I'd say you have a pretty high threshold for "a little."

 

[Artograph]

The one thing no one has mentioned...but is distracting to me is the "chunk" of hair in the center of her face. It looks very much like you 'put it there'....which I'm sure you did!! LOL!! But I would like to see it look more natural, as if she had just turned and that's the way it landed. I think if the chunk of hair wasn't seperate from the hair on the right...and just a little more to the right, so you see a titch more of her nose....???

;O)

 

[Sw1tchFX]

I agree with everything Alpha said, I'd just do some patching to take out any zits or anything and not do any skin smoothing, she's probably got awesome skin anyway.

Even after the edit, still too much stray hair, the hair competes with her face for attention. Her chest and shoulder blade are too hot and brighter then her face, i'd being them down to match her other skin tones by painting over it.

Other then that, i'm diggin the lighting, color, and composition.

 

[Alpha]

Wow, that's pretty nasty. :x

Well, if categorically smoothing all of your subjects' skin is your thing, then more power to ya. I'm simply of the opinion that it has a time and a place, and it's also possible to do too little or too much of it.

 

[Alpha]

I may have a high threshold for "skin smoothing" but a very low threshold when it comes to sarcasm aimed at people's honest opinions.

I have an 11-year old son who is deaf-blind and in a wheelchair, and I can tell you from my experiences as his advocate, there are way too many judgemental people out there who think they are smarter then than everyone else and love to criticize someone's point-of view. I won't tolerate it. Sorry. I think you need to knock that chip off your shoulder and let people give a compliment without insulting them in turn. I don't see how anything you've written toward me was meant as anything other than a backhanded insult.

I am stunned these folks let you get away with your rude comments.

I'm stunned that you feel compelled to bring up your deaf-blind son in a discussion of skin retouching. I think it's positively appalling that you would senselessly use his condition as a means to make a point about something entirely unrelated, and that you would go so far as to imply that because I think you may have a heavy hand in post-processing, that I'd be judmental about your son. You need ask yourself whether the defense of your son over the years has consumed you, to the point where you associate every feeling of defensiveness with an attack on him. In the meantime, feel free to add me to your ignore list. I'm not afraid to have a discussion about your son. But he has nothing to do with retouching.

 

[Lacey Anne]

Wow, what a thread this turned into. These threads always make me chuckle.

I like the second edit of the photo, but the hot spots on the skin really bother me. The second photo (third one posted) is definately my fave!

 

[Rachelsne]

Alpha is blunt, but always helpful and truthful, I find the more edits I make the more i dont like the 'smoothed faces' I try and have a good make up base now and go from there...

 

[Artograph]

Yeah, OK, OK....but what about the HAIR!!????? LOL!! ;O)

 

[Lacey Anne]

I never said you were judgemental about my son. Please go back and read what I wrote. I said that because of dealing with people who always have an "opinion" (he being the reason), I have a low threshold for it. I run into bullies and know-it-alls every day because of my situation, and I don't tolerate it. So in that regard, yes, my son has changed my attitude about being bullied and belittled by people who don't know me. THAT is what I was trying to get across. I did not come on this thread for you to insult me, only to offer a friendly word of support to the poster. Yet that is exactly what you did: insult me. Trust me, I do not wish to discuss my son with you. He is an amazing person and I don't need to discuss him with anyone here. Be appalled if you will, but until you are in my shoes, don't judge me. I hoped that maybe you would see how your comments might hurt someone's feelings. If I wanted your opinion, I would have asked for it. THAT was my point.

I'm sorry about your son. I know what it's like to have a child that's different from society's "norm." One of my twins is on the spectrum. But with all due respect (because I know you've been through hell and back fighting for your child) this forum is all about opinions. We come here to learn. We can't do that if people who know what they're talking about aren't allowed to share what they think. Yes, sometimes Alpha is blunt, but you can generally take his info to the bank and blunt or not, I'll take it. You have to put on your big girl panties to post here. If you're easily offended, it's just not the place for you. But if you're serious about bettering your photography, I can tell you from experience, this is the place to be. My work has improved so much since posting here and even though the C&C sometimes stung (a lot) I'm thankful for it.

 

[Sw1tchFX]

BACK TO THE PICTURE



I did a quick and dirty edit of what I think it should look more like, you can take it or leave it.


I screened her skin, dodged the eye, got rid of a bunch of stray hairs, burned the background and her shirt so they're more subtle and patched out some blotches on her skin and props. I also made some minor color adjustments.

 

[Alpha]

Not bad but you clipped the highlights in the hair, and the cheekbone still needs a little work.

 

[Turn]

Whoa! I've been a litte busy planning a project, i guess a lot has gone on while i've been away.

The one thing no one has mentioned...but is distracting to me is the "chunk" of hair in the center of her face. It looks very much like you 'put it there'....which I'm sure you did!! LOL!! But I would like to see it look more natural, as if she had just turned and that's the way it landed. I think if the chunk of hair wasn't seperate from the hair on the right...and just a little more to the right, so you see a titch more of her nose....???

;O)

^^Actually, that's how it happened, she turned and that's how it landed.

Originally Posted by Alpha
Well then I'd say you have a pretty high threshold for "a little."

^^made me laugh

Alpha is blunt, but always helpful and truthful

^^ Alpha is blunt (agree 100%), but always helpful(agree 90%) and truthful(Agree 100%)

You have to put on your big girl panties to post here. If you're easily offended, it's just not the place for you

^^SO true...well played.

Even after the edit, still too much stray hair

^^ I never even got to the hair! C'mon!

 

[Turn]

And to all the nice things everyone has said so far, thank you very much.

 

[Turn]

Since we're already on the subject, here's a few more from the shoot. More, untouched. I hate the way my images look in a browser. Colors look all wonky to me. Yeah, thats what the pro's say, "wonky".

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4.