Black Friday Portraits...

[enezdez]

There will always be differences in opinions on skin tones when looking at the same image on different monitors - differences in the human eye, differences in calibration/brightness, even taste differences affect how we see tones. As such I don't give much weight to opinions regarding skin tones. Additionally most portraits, (unless they're kids with blemish free skin), require hue/saturation/brightness adjustments, dodging and burning, and other adjustments because the the skin colors change across the facial structure. The skin on Seniors is problematic due to the skin being stretched thinner on the cheekbones, then you have the discoloration/age spots to deal with. The secret to post processing on seniors is to minimize - not eliminate the harshness, and remember there is no one adjustment that fits all areas equally. Learning how to create and use masks goes a long way in helping here.

Rather than depending on my eye, monitor or opinions, I go by the numbers for HSB when checking skin tones. The numbers I use as the standard for the skin tone on a Caucasian is Hue=18-22 degrees, Sat=30-40 percent, Brightness=71-89 precent with a medium suntan being in the 77 range of Brightness. For example a sample in the highlights of your image gave H-26, S-37, B-99, while a sample in the darker areas of the forehead gave H-20, S-71, B-78. In this example the excessive brightness in the highlights are causing the colors to wash out, while the high saturation and the lower brightness in the shadows, causes it to appear darker than it should.

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Way more pleasing, enezdez!

The closer you'll get to the first, the better I think!

IMHO there was nothing wrong with the first one. Nice work.

Looking back at all three versions of this image I agree with @Rickbb. The first version of this image in the original post is spot on.

I want to thank each and everyone of you for your comments/suggestions...in the end I went with an image closer to the original post...only with a few adjustments/modifications.

Thank you again & Happy Holidays to all!

Enezdez

 

[jeffashman]

Wonderful images! I like the redo of #3, the light seems to be more natural.

 

[NS: Nikon Shooter]

only with a few adjustments/modifications.

…but still, no smile!

 

[fotodoug]

I continued to work on portrait #3...and I think I have made some significant improvements...


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You are the only person you should be pleasing...if YOU think you have improved it, you have!