Practicing on my post process (self portraits)

[Vaporous]

Some folks may know that my husband does alot of my post process because I'm a little in the dark with photoshop.

So last night I got to practice a little and I learned quite a bit and I figured out a few new tools he didn't know about along the way! So today I practiced on some self shots I took last night in the studio.

I may get ripped on these ........C&C welcome as always.

I realize I must be careful not to overprocess the skin. Oh and NJMAN thanks for all the hints and tutorials over the past few months your a big help.

 

[Leech]

You've got an awesome look !

The first image is really dark but the others are pretty good, I think you could play with the curves a bit more and really pull out those highlights and shadows giving yourself less mid-tones. I really dig the 3rd photo most I think.

Good luck exploring photoshop, I use it all the time and I'm STILL overwhelmed by the sheer amount of choices I have to alter shots , there is just so much it can do!

 

[Jbs]

nice hair

looks good for just learning PP.

 

[Sweetsomedays]

I know some people dig it but I don't like color casts. Still learning to get rid of them myself.
I think the skin looks way to touched up in your last one.

 

[petey]

beauty

 

[kundalini]

You have an awesome vision on self-portraits and I appreciate your efforts.

#1 is probably my favorite pose. But a couple of spots that bother me. There are two flash points on the teeth IMO should be cloned out. It makes the rest of your teeth (that don't show) look very dingy. The catchlight in the right eye does not add to the image and the left eye has two.

#2 is quite seductive, but me thinks 'Fatal Attraction".

#3 is my next favorite pose, very evocative. However, the cigarette looks like it's been added in. The size nor the position looks natural. If humor was the effect, well done, but I would prefer not to see it that way.

#4 makes me think of 'Whatever happened to Baby Jane' Betty Davis and Joan Crawford. I can't remember which one was mental, maybe both were, but this look has that effect on me. The dark line going down the chin is not an enhancement IMO.

Very nice series. Hope you and hubby don't take my comments as anything other than what they are. Opinions.

 

[Vaporous]

Thanks for the input folks.......post process on people is difficult as I'm still in that learning stage. So any input/advice at this point is good for me.

kundalini-I appreciate the comments thanks. Just trying to experiment a little

 

[kundalini]

Your experiments will definitely payoff. Keep on trying. I think you're on to something very positive. I like your style, on the edge, but just this side of paradise. However, the other side is in sight and oh so exquisite. Seriously, hats off to you.

 

[anuragbhateja]

Leave everything!!!! lights/aperture/exposure everything!!! Only one thing to say YOU ARE HOT!!!!

Nice potraits!!

 

[NJMAN]

First of all, thanks for mentioning me vaporous!

Your posing is great. You certainly have a knack for being in front of the camera.

One thing that I think still needs work is white balance. #1 and #3 look too orange, and #2 and #4 look too magenta. What helps for me is to shoot in RAW and compensate for the lighting afterward in post processing. You can also set your white balance in camera before you shoot by snapping a pic of a white card or piece of white paper in the existing light and then setting custom white balance with that pic. Im not sure what you're using for camera though. Another thing that can help is to use a gel filter on your lights to offset flourescent or tungsten lighting.

One more thing, if you are shooting in horizontal/landscape format, try to keep yourself to one side and not in the center of the frame. And in #3, I would try to crop off the wasted space in that one.

I like your work, and I love the fact that you keep at it and try new things. Thanks for sharing.

NJ