Photoshop Layers- what's your trick to get that finished, polished look?!

[NaturalLight]

Hi guys. I would really appreciate your feedback, especially, those who are great with photoshop. I have become very good with using lightroom and have been using it solely for my shoots. I'm just starting my own portrait business, still vey new. I find that other pros have a more "photoshop" look to them and especially the skin on the subjects. I like the natural look that lightroom does with the skin softening and have been using that. Do you guys use portraiture? What are some of your tricks for getting that "polished" look. Any resources that you recommend for learning photoshop and/or any books? I have scott kelby's book for lightroom.

 

[ceejtank]

...get a book on lighting. a book on portraiture.

Aside from that, DO NOT START YOUR OWN BUSINESS IF YOU'RE ASKING THESE BASIC QUESTIONS. If you're asking how to edit a portrait, yet are starting a portrait business - you don't understand your camera enough to take professional portraits.

 

[Awiserbud]

I wanted to start a TV repair business....does anyone know how to get the back off one of these things?

 

[o hey tyler]

I wanted to start a TV repair business....does anyone know how to get the back off one of these things?

Hammers and hacksaws. That's all you need.

 

[Overread]

Guys lets try to remain mature and respectful shall we.

It's very difficult to give any advice because we're not sure what kind of output you are already producing nor the specific "look" that you're attempting to get to. The look you are after would most likely be the result of lighting and shooting in camera with the specific intent of then tweaking the results in editing to get to the final finished product and is unlikely to be solely the result of editing.

That said you should post a photo of your own that showcases your typically current style and then link to (do not upload or embed in the forum) examples of the look you are trying to get to. From there we can better identify your current position and your intended outcome.

You might also want to list your method of photography and what equipment you use and have access to.

ceejtank also raises a point that you are likely going to hear more than once which is that if you are charging and working as a professional you should really already have the experience to produce the product. Charging for your professional services whilst also (apparently from your post) learning what most consider to be the basic building blocks of the craft is generally viewed in poor light.

 

[raaskohx10]

There are tons of video tutorials on youtube. Watch as many as you can and practice.

 

[Awiserbud]

My comment was very tongue in cheek if i'm honest, not meant to be disrespectful and i duly appologise if it appeared so.
But of course Ceejtank and you Overread are absolutely right in what you say, One should only really consider starting a business once he or she has the necessary skills to provide the service.
I won't suggest for one minute that the OP falls into the "I've just got a new DSLR, time to earn a living with it" brigade, but there are so many of them about thesedays that sometimes its hard to tell the difference (until you see the finished product that is.)
Millions of people have photoshop, but many believe once you have it you then have the necessary tools to produce amazing images, this is so far from the truth its unreal, Photoshop can take years to master, Its like giving a man a snap-on tool kit and expecting him to fix your car. having the tools is one thing, knowing how to use them is something else.

 

[Buckster]

For a hundred years, people started portraiture businesses without Photoshop. I guess they all sucked. And, of course, "getting it right in the camera" + tweaking in Lightroom cannot possibly produce good portraits, so even if that describes the OP's level, it's just not good enough. Rite guis? :er:

My advice to those who want to learn Photoshop is to take courses that incorporate a real curriculum to follow, so that the student learns the necessary basics first, then builds upon those to the intermediate level, then on those to the advanced level, then finally on those to the master level. Because of the daily schedule commitments of most people, online courses that can be taken at one's own pace without being rushed work really well. To that end, I recommend the courses at Lynda.com and especially those offered by instructor Deke McClelland.

As to the specific question about the software "Portraiture", I do use it from time to time, and I think it works quite well. What anyone else thinks about it doesn't really matter to your work, your work flow, or the results you're trying to achieve however. So just download the free trial and try it out if you want to know if it's worth it to YOU.

 

[ceejtank]

I agree Buckster. And honestly - that's how a lot of my photos are. For events that I do, I do very little tweeking. If I get the settings correct in camera, then the photoshopping, or retouching is minimal.

 

[2WheelPhoto]

Big Watermark and a "suchandsuch photography" Facebook page, and the rest will fall into place ?

 

[12sndsgood]

I'd say keep them natural. way to many over photoshopped photos as it is. i just work on one thing at a time until ive got it down and then move onto the next thing. find out what you feel your photo is lacking and search youtube for a tutorial on how to do that action.

 

[amolitor]

Some clients like a pretty heavily processed look.

They started modifying portraits to look better pretty much with the daguerreotype, carried on through film, and now we use photoshop. Lots of techniques, especially with photoshop.

 

[ronlane]

It's the media's fault. All that airbrushing for magazines. Shame on them.

 

[NaturalLight]

well, I do have the camera skills. people ask me to take THEIR photos. I do not rely on fancy photoshop cause I do have photo skills- I will post some of my work to prove. I was merely asking about how photoshop users have a distinct look on how the skin looks on their subjects skin

...get a book on lighting. a book on portraiture.

Aside from that, DO NOT START YOUR OWN BUSINESS IF YOU'RE ASKING THESE BASIC QUESTIONS. If you're asking how to edit a portrait, yet are starting a portrait business - you don't understand your camera enough to take professional portraits.

 

[NaturalLight]

Thanks, I do like the natural look, that's why I use lightroom and I've had clients say that's why they like my photos, because they do look "real"

I'd say keep them natural. way to many over photoshopped photos as it is. i just work on one thing at a time until ive got it down and then move onto the next thing. find out what you feel your photo is lacking and search youtube for a tutorial on how to do that action.