My first Photoshop "Diet" Opinions please!

[tirediron]

For the first time I had a serious request from a client for a "Photoshop diet". This is not something with which I have a lot of experience, other than messing about for my own edification. I would greatly appreciate opinions on the result (which still needs some minor polishing) and any suggestions for ways in which it can be improved.

Thanks!

Original:

Result:

 

[acparsons]

Was it a liquid diet? Very difficult maneuver to make it look natural. You gave her a nice tummy tuck.

 

[SquarePeg]

I'm surprised that someone who is concerned about looking big would wear a tight white tank top for photos. She could easily have accomplished a similar transformation on her own with Spanx and a more flattering top.

 

[Designer]

Looks good to me. I think you artfully whittled off about 30 lbs.

 

[tirediron]

Was it a liquid diet? Very difficult maneuver to make it look natural. You gave her a nice tummy tuck.

Thanks!

I'm surprised that someone who is concerned about looking big would wear a tight white tank top for photos. She could easily have accomplished a similar transformation on her own with Spanx and a more flattering top.

True; however this was part of a series shot for a major Wounded Warriors event, and as such, I didn't get a chance to do my normal pre-shoot consult with anyone.

Looks good to me. I think you artfully whittled off about 30 lbs.

Thanks!

 

[vintagesnaps]

Figured you hadn't done a consult because yeah, the white isn't helping. But it looks natural and isn't really noticeable; if you hadn't told us I don't know if we'd know you slimmed the abdominal area.

 

[Designer]

Also her hips, but my lips are sealed.

 

[PixelRabbit]

I see you took out what appears to be his finger below her elbow, I think the white that is wrapping around it needs to go too, it really drew my eye when I was looking for the edits you did and now I can't unsee it. I agree with Sharon, if I didn't know you edited I wouldn't have noticed it.

 

[tirediron]

Figured you hadn't done a consult because yeah, the white isn't helping. But it looks natural and isn't really noticeable; if you hadn't told us I don't know if we'd know you slimmed the abdominal area.

Thanks! That's what I was hoping for!

Also her hips, but my lips are sealed.

Since when?

I see you took out what appears to be his finger below her elbow, I think the white that is wrapping around it needs to go too, it really drew my eye when I was looking for the edits you did and now I can't unsee it. I agree with Sharon, if I didn't know you edited I wouldn't have noticed it.

Argh! Can't believe I missed that. Thanks!

 

[The_Traveler]

I would add some at top and left to get them a bit more off the margins.
I would also lighten his face considerably so it looks as if it has the same light as she does.
In the past I have had some (bad, tough, disappointing) experiences shooting dark-skinned people as their skin needs more light than I was used to. (My most difficult shoot ever was the choir of a local African Methodist Epicopal church who insisted on wearing their white satin choral robes.)

 

[tirediron]

Excellent points, thanks Lew! This was the only mixed-ethnicity couple in a large group (about 40), and quite simply I forgot to change my lighting. What I should have done was bumped the fill about 2/3 of a stop to account for skin tone, but I didn't. Fortunately, her white top is actually a good reflector and is bringing some light back to him (the rest I can fudge in post). If she'd been wearing a dark black/blue top, this would have been a whole different kettle of fish!

 

[Parker219]

I think what you have done so far is a really good start. What stands out to be now is right under her elbow. Her white shirt jetting out like that makes her look bigger, however I see how that might be really tough to fix. You will have to "freeze" her elbow so the pinch tool doesn't effect that any more and try to pinch in the white shirt. I am not sure you want to take the time to do that depending on how many other photos you have to edit, the deadline, and how much you are getting paid.

 

[tirediron]

I think what you have done so far is a really good start. What stands out to be now is right under her elbow. Her white shirt jetting out like that makes her look bigger, however I see how that might be really tough to fix. You will have to "freeze" her elbow so the pinch tool doesn't effect that any more and try to pinch in the white shirt. I am not sure you want to take the time to do that depending on how many other photos you have to edit, the deadline, and how much you are getting paid.

Meh... I just hit that with a blast of clone tool and made it go away.

 

[W.Y.Photo]

Where the front of her shirt meets her arm (below her arm) there is a bulge you could straighten out with the clone tool that would subtlety make her appear a lot thinner just take out the part that sticks out to the left and make the shadow fall off in a bit more of a straight vertical line. If I'm not being clear let me know and I'll send you a quick example edit.

 

[tirediron]

Where the front of her shirt meets her arm (below her arm) there is a bulge you could straighten out with the clone tool that would subtlety make her appear a lot thinner just take out the part that sticks out to the left and make the shadow fall off in a bit more of a straight vertical line. If I'm not being clear let me know and I'll send you a quick example edit.

Thanks! That and a number of other items were dealt with in the final polish (but I admit I totally glossed over that bulge/wrinkle until someone pointed it out to me).