How'd you do that?

elsaspet · Feb 20, 2007

I've learned a lot here over the years, and I know lots of others have as well, so I thought it would be fun to have a Portrait Version of "How'd you do that?"
I'll start, but I hope lots of others pop in with cool things you have learned, and how you do it.

This is a photo I took at an e-session on Saturday. I shoot RAW, so this image already has white balance and exposure adustments. It's definately not the best of the session, but one that has a lot of different things done to it.

and this is the final result:

First, I cropped to the size I know the image will end up being. The power source on the tree was driving me crazy, so I cloned it out first. (I always clone at 40 percent opacity or lower because it gives a much more natural effect.) I always go over a clone with healing brush, as it brings back texture. Ditto with the nail in the second column. Had to go.

The second part has to be done with extreme TLC. Put the photo into liqufy, and GENTLY shape the bodies into a flattering proportion. Most people don't like their own photos because they are unaware of their true body image.....so make it a bit more pleasing....they will buy LOTS of photos.

Once happy, render, and go back to edit.

The third thing I do, is heal all the skin blemishes on the original image. Then I go back and on a dupe layer and heal out stuff like lines and creases. That looks pretty fake though, so because I'm on the dupe layer, I can go back in and lower the opacity to something realistic, yet appealing.

Then a little dodging on teeth and eyes, each done on their own dupe layer so I can adjust.

The final thing I do, is step back and look at the light. I'm not good enough to nail it in camera yet, but have a couple of cheats in PS.
On their own dupe layers, do overall general dodging an burning. I also use another separate dupe for a Vivid Light burn. Open your layers, and select burn at about 20 percent opacity. In your new dupe layer, you will see a pull down menu where it says "Normal". Play with all the options! I like vivid light, so I use that to draw the eye to the subject. Then, I lower the opacity. Painting with light is fun once you get used to it.

How long did it all take? Under 5 minutes. Huge difference though.
Ok, let's all post a neat trick, 'cause I'd love to learn your short cuts too!

Icon72 · Feb 20, 2007

Excellent idea Elsa. Nice photo as well. I'm definitely subscribing to this thread. I hope it's popular.

elsaspet · Feb 20, 2007

I hope so too Icon! I get bored doing the same old stuff day in day out.

Big Mike · Feb 20, 2007

Great idea for a thread...I'll try to contribute when I get a change...but it won't be anytime soon, unfortunately.

elsaspet · Feb 20, 2007

Comeon Mike, throw a quickie up there! As soon as I get done with this e-session, I'll try to do a quickie on catchlights. But you first!!!!!

Tangerini · Feb 20, 2007

Wow yes! I love the idea of this thread. I'm very much a visual person (go figure) and for me it's easier to learn when I'm being showed... so short of me standing over your shoulder this is perfect!

elsaspet · Feb 20, 2007

Tangerini said:
Wow yes! I love the idea of this thread. I'm very much a visual person (go figure) and for me it's easier to learn when I'm being showed... so short of me standing over your shoulder this is perfect!

I hear ya! I'm on a forum where Kevin Kobuta (sp) posts occassionally, and he does all these cool video tutorials. I learned a TON. You can tell me, but without photos, I can't grasp it.

PNA · Feb 20, 2007

Well you just taught me something new.....Liquify, wow.

THANKS!!!

I need to push more buttons to see what they do.

Paul

elsaspet · Feb 20, 2007

PNA said:
Well you just taught me something new.....Liquify, wow.

THANKS!!!

I need to push more buttons to see what they do.

Paul

Isn't liquify wickedly cool? It takes a little playing with, but it's killer. Once you get the hang of that, on big stuff, use Free Transform, and Scale Transform for big stuff. Remember you have a freeze tool here. If you don't want something to move, freeze it. I do this alot with people with large gums to lower the lip line. I don't want the teeth small, just the big gap between the lip and teeth, so I freeze right at the tooth line.
Liquify and Transform are used CONSTANTLY in commercial photography. You have never opened a mag and seen a photo where this wasn't used to some extent.
No wonder we all have f-ed up self images! LOL

Stevedevil · Feb 20, 2007

Sounds like a Good thread so will post this one

Started with this portrait and finished to this ( was a bit quick, could spend a bit more on each process )

1) Firstly I used the Spot healing, with a brush of 30, and took away all the little moles etc, by holding ALT and clicking left mouse on a good area then release both and click on the blemish / Mole

2) I then used the paintbrush set at 40, with opacity at 15% to smooth over the lines in the eyes, and to take the glossy look away, like using foundation, again hold the ALT key and left click on mouse, then left click to finely smooth eyes and gloss

3) Added some eyeliner, again paintbrush, set at size 10, opacity 15%, and just gradually build up black ( but any colour would work )

4) Added a little eye shadow and cheek shadow by lasooing area over eyes and the cheekbone area, and feather by around 30, then using the hue / saturation adjustment I set Hue -5, Sat +18 Light -23, to give some eyeshadow

PS I used seperate layers for each as then you can add a bit later

5) Lipstick, again lasoo the lips and feather by 5%, then again Hue / Saturation and I used Hue -6, Sat +25, Light -12 but again you could play with whatever colour you like.

6) Eyes whitning, again lasoo the whites and hold shift to add extra lassoos after the first, then you can adjust all white together, then using the curves adjust layer, just added a little up, but you can add more / less as to suit.

7) Then I made a curves on whole picture, on RGB added a little, then selected RED and added a little red, then chose the paint brush with various sizes and opacity 100, then as long as your still in the curves pallette just wiped out the colour adjustment as just to leave hair

8) finally used liquify and forward warp to add to the left cheek area as to take away dimple.

Thats about it, took 10 mins, but you could take longer as to get finer results

Cheers

Steve