K again...new processing (to me) (Maybe NSFW)

[Bend The Light]

You remember K, the first boudoir/sexy shoot I did? Well I am trying some new processing out...wondered what you thought?

So here is before:


K before by CTS.Studio1, on Flickr

and here is after:


K after by CTS.Studio1, on Flickr

Let me know the good/the bad/ and the downright ugly. Thanks.

 

[ronlane]

To me the skin tone looks better after and the color of her clothes pop more.

 

[Parker219]

Yep, the "after" is better. I would even try and tone down her legs a little more, so it more matched the rest of her body.

 

[Derrel]

I prefer the hair and face rendering of the "before"...it looks more realistic. She looks pretty good in both shots though, so,either way--nice!

 

[Bend The Light]

To me the skin tone looks better after and the color of her clothes pop more.

Yep, the "after" is better. I would even try and tone down her legs a little more, so it more matched the rest of her body.

I prefer the hair and face rendering of the "before"...it looks more realistic. She looks pretty good in both shots though, so,either way--nice!

Thanks guys. I am learning that when shooting a lot of skin that you end up with large areas that could blow the whites very easily, hence the bright patches on the topside of her legs. Need to watch that in the shot, and see how to minimise it in camera.

And I also agree about the hair. Done the same as the rest, it seems too much. Need to maybe paint some original back in to the face/hair...will have a go.

Cheers

 

[amolitor]

I am pretty much with Derrel here. The "after" also looks slightly too-much to me, a bit too make Vargas and not enough cute wife. Somewhere right in the middle, with the face particularly closer to "before" would be about perfect. She's ridiculously cute.

 

[Bend The Light]

I am pretty much with Derrel here. The "after" also looks slightly too-much to me, a bit too make Vargas and not enough cute wife. Somewhere right in the middle, with the face particularly closer to "before" would be about perfect. She's ridiculously cute.

I'm glad it looks Vargas! It was that I was going for with the processing

But you are right...having met the girl, the first is what we wanted, less 'shopped, more natural. But that doesn't stop me working on my processing.

She is exceedingly cute, shy, and nice. And she's also going to model for me, regularly, not all semi-naked. It will be nice to have a good looking young thing to practice with, as well as my old mate Andy who does the "Bulldog chewing a wasp" look so well.

 

[mommy-medic]

The first thing I noticed in the before was her dark shoes and the stark contrast to the lightness of the rest of the image, the girl included. In the "After" they aren't as much of a contrasting item- well done. Excellent work!

 

[Bend The Light]

The first thing I noticed in the before was her dark shoes and the stark contrast to the lightness of the rest of the image, the girl included. In the "After" they aren't as much of a contrasting item- well done. Excellent work!

Yes, I see what you mean...it's levelled everything a little.

A lot of folks don't go with the shoes, but it was what she wanted...she has her "quirks" does this girl, but they are quite endearing quirks.
So the shoes stayed, even with more skimpy undies than these here.

 

[Jaemie]

To me the skin tone looks better after and the color of her clothes pop more.

I read that as, "To me the skin tone looks better after her clothes pop off."

Now we all know where my mind is at, tonight. :er:

I like the processing in the first image more than that in the second. It just looks more natural to me. In the second, she appears somewhat tanned.

 

[NikonNinja89]

Pretty good!!

 

[eleganteye]

Can you tell us if this is "whole image" processing (applying your effects uniformly to everything) or selective processing (using masks or other methods to control which effects are applied to specific areas)?

 

[Bend The Light]

Can you tell us if this is "whole image" processing (applying your effects uniformly to everything) or selective processing (using masks or other methods to control which effects are applied to specific areas)?

I was using some plug-ins which involved painting in areas selectively, and some others which were whole image processing. A little of both, although I believe that I can do any of these things selectively using a brush setting etc., and can change the settings as well so it's less of a "one size fits all" process, and becomes more bespoke.

The plug ins are on trial, and I may/may not purchase the full licence. But some of the effects i used here can be created using normal PS techniques I believe, such as dodge/burn/layer blend modes/sharpening methods etc.

 

[Bend The Light]

Pretty good!!

Thank you.

 

[Bend The Light]

To me the skin tone looks better after and the color of her clothes pop more.

I read that as, "To me the skin tone looks better after her clothes pop off."

Now we all know where my mind is at, tonight. :er:

I like the processing in the first image more than that in the second. It just looks more natural to me. In the second, she appears somewhat tanned.

Yes, and the first is the one she wanted (although she'd not seen the other - she asked for less processed, and make sure the freckles stay!). I feel the need to practice other techniques though, and there will certainly be a market for some like the second...well, I KNOW there is a market like the second.