Portraiture?

[chmille]

So, I was wondering if anyone has an tips/techniques on how to soften skin and get portraiture like effects in ps, or lightroom. Or if there are any actions you can run in ps/lightroom. I've got an image and the skin needs to be softened really bad, suggestions/help please

 

[KmH]

Lightroom cannot run actions.

 

[chmille]

Lightroom cannot run actions.

Lightroom 3, can run presets (actions).

 

[ghache]

if your using lightroom.

I would use the spot healling brush and clean up a little bit.
Then i would use the adjustment brushe in clarity mode and put it at a - value and a low opcacity and go over the skin area you wanna smooth. this is pretty much the only skin smoothing technique i know in lightroom that has some decent result. Just watch not to go too far because you will loose all skin and details.

 

[KmH]

Lightroom 3, can run presets (actions).

Presets and actions are not the same thing.

Unless you have Elements, the ACR that came with your Photoshop CS can do presets too, since Lightroom's edit function is ACR, bit neither can run actions.

Photoshop can run actions, but not presets.

 

[table1349]

A better way to soften skin in Lightroom | Dan Edwards Photo

 

[RSPhotography]

in Photoshop you can add a 'dust and scratches' filter and a bit of blur to create a smooth skin tone. Use that with a layer mask.

Hope that makes some sense...!

 

[KmH]

You can also find a ton of video tutorials:
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=skin+smoothing+with+photoshop&aq=f

and other online sources:

skin smoothing with Photoshop - Bing

 

[maulrat]

why do you need the skin soften? and how much? it all depends on your subject and how far you want to push it.

for light retouching, I usually run noise ninja filter on a duplicate layer then mask in the skin.

for medium retouching, I usually run surface blur filter on a duplicate layer and high pass filter on a third layer (top layer) with hard light opacity then mask both skin layers in to taste.

for heavy retouching,... hmm, i think i'll stop here. LoLz.

btw, all editing i ever do is in photoshop. i don't mess around with lightroom though i hear its priceless at mass photo enhancements.