How to retouch like this photo?

[Lisa Neal]

This is my version of Serra's photo using the tutorial at photoepix that I have listed in my post earlier. It may not look exactly like the model but this was a quick job and don't do this for a living either. With a little practice and/or guidance, good results are achievable.

Before:



After:



--Keep on shooting!Lisa

 

[Lisa Neal]

http://www.pbase.com/image/1590029/large.jpg

Before:



After:

--Keep on shooting!Lisa

 

[Shay Stephens]

Good example Serra, while I am not knocking the skills of any of the editors, the corrected photos look blurry, it's the first thing I see. It looks processed. Ideally you don't want it to look processed, you want it to look natural. So starting out with the makeup and lighting give you the head start needed to fine tune with PS to achieve the "perfect" results desired.--Shay My Sony F707 Gallery: http://shaystephens.com/portfolio.asp

 

[Errol Gibbs]

I agree. This is not hard to do, if you know the steps. And you
don't have to have a perfect photo to begin with.

Really? Ok, prove it.

Here is a photo to work with, it is a direct flash snapshot taken
by a guest at a wedding I went to with a Nikon 995, I think?

Make her skin look like the model's.



A little bummed out here after 4min of download nothing showed up

 

[Andy Salva]

Very impressive. You do some wonderfull things with photos.
Regards,
Andy

Vikki
http://www.lifetimephoto.com

I agree. This is not hard to do, if you know the steps. And you
don't have to have a perfect photo to begin with.

Really? Ok, prove it.

Here is a photo to work with, it is a direct flash snapshot taken
by a guest at a wedding I went to with a Nikon 995, I think?

Make her skin look like the model's.

--G1 Rules!

 

[Vikki Hansen]

This is a fairly common technique that is often misused.

Duplicate your layer and apply a gaussian blur (just enough to blur blemishes, etc).
Apply a layer mask to the layer (hide all).
Use your paintbrush on the layer mask to "paint" out all the blemishes.
Tip: Go lightly on this.

If you find that you need to add some noise/grain to those touched up areas, flatten your image, and do this technique again - but add noise, instead of gaussian blur.
Vikki

How did you make that, Vikki ?
Could you tell me step by step, I would like to learn your technique .

Regards
Jusko

 

[Tin Man]

For dodge and burn, do I need to make another layer first to get better result? I found it quite difficult to burn and dodge to the extent I want from changing randomly from exposure percentage. any advice?

 

[Vernon D Rainwater]

How did you make that, Vikki ?
Could you tell me step by step, I would like to learn your technique .

Regards
Jusko

Hello Vikki,
RE:
"Apply a layer mask to the layer (hide all).
Use your paintbrush on the layer mask to "paint" out all the
blemishes."
Tip: Go lightly on this.

My question of course is very basic for someone with your talent, however; using the layer mask that (hide all) -- how do you see the blemishes in order to paint them out.
Thanks for your help,
Vernon...

 

[Vikki Hansen]

Hi Vernon,

"Hide All" (add layer mask) will hide the top layer (the blurred layer) from view, and you can see all the blemishes.
Try it, and you'll see what I mean.
Vikki

Hello Vikki,
RE:
"Apply a layer mask to the layer (hide all).
Use your paintbrush on the layer mask to "paint" out all the
blemishes."
Tip: Go lightly on this.

My question of course is very basic for someone with your talent,
however; using the layer mask that (hide all) -- how do you see the
blemishes in order to paint them out.
Thanks for your help,
Vernon...

 

[ireno]

I like it! How did you do quick fix???? Please tell us...

Quick fix.

 

[MagicAngel]

Yes, that was my point too. It is difficult to edit a shot like my example with a less than perfect subject. None of the examples I've seen look any where near what that model looks like.

Of couse, this shot was taken by a very amature photographer who, and I'm guessing, hasn't used digital much. A lot of his shots were really not very good to start with. I'm sure that most of the people who are in this thread could do much better to start with, so that would give the editors an advantage over my example shot.

Good example Serra, while I am not knocking the skills of any of
the editors, the corrected photos look blurry, it's the first thing
I see. It looks processed. Ideally you don't want it to look
processed, you want it to look natural. So starting out with the
makeup and lighting give you the head start needed to fine tune
with PS to achieve the "perfect" results desired.
--
Shay

My Sony F707 Gallery: http://shaystephens.com/portfolio.asp

 

[MagicAngel]

A little bummed out here after 4min of download nothing showed up

Still works for me, now on 4/8. It is very large, but I didn't want to cheat any of the editors by giving them a tiny photo to work with.

 

[MagicAngel]

Quick fix.

But still not up to the quality of the example photo, I don't think it is a skill problem, I think that it is impossible to duplicate. Your edit is very good though.

 

[MagicAngel]

Although I don't feel that I personally need to "prove" anything to
make it so....

Very good edit, but still not the perfectness of the original picture. I still think that it is impossible to reproduce the quality of the sample image without a near perfect model, lighting and make-up. Your skills are top knotch, but you can't sow a silk purse from a sow's ear.

(Sorry for taking so long to respond, I was out of town.)

 

[Vikki Hansen]

Your tough.

Curious: What do you think is the exact quality of the original post, that I missed? The original poster was looking for a "technique", which would be relative to each image.

I wouldn't say your image was a "sow's ear", she's actually quite attractive - with a bit of "makeup".
Vikki

Although I don't feel that I personally need to "prove" anything to
make it so....

Very good edit, but still not the perfectness of the original
picture. I still think that it is impossible to reproduce the
quality of the sample image without a near perfect model, lighting
and make-up. Your skills are top knotch, but you can't sow a silk
purse from a sow's ear.

(Sorry for taking so long to respond, I was out of town.)

 

[Hans Bolte]

Serra

But still not up to the quality of the example photo, I don't think
it is a skill problem, I think that it is impossible to duplicate.
Your edit is very good though.

You are right. You would need a good photo to start out with. Then you could enhance it to achieve much better results.

Vikki Hansen did a very good job, did you check it out.

Regards,

Hans

 

[Vernon D Rainwater]

Your tough.
Curious: What do you think is the exact quality of the original
post, that I missed? The original poster was looking for a
"technique", which would be relative to each image.
I wouldn't say your image was a "sow's ear", she's actually quite
attractive - with a bit of "makeup".
Vikki

Hello Vikki,

You did an excellent job. I have not observed a better solution and/or job with retouching the photo as well as providing the specific details on the procedure you applied.

In fact, if my Wife ever decides to get my face improved, I hope you will be the one to do it.
Vernon...

Although I don't feel that I personally need to "prove" anything to
make it so....

Very good edit, but still not the perfectness of the original
picture. I still think that it is impossible to reproduce the
quality of the sample image without a near perfect model, lighting
and make-up. Your skills are top knotch, but you can't sow a silk
purse from a sow's ear.

(Sorry for taking so long to respond, I was out of town.)

 

[RPK]

Lisa, can you detail your steps for the matte and frame? It's great and I'd like to try it.