Ok so I'm experimenting with lighting and came up with this.......

http://www.upload3r.com/serve/170407/1176774493.jpg

I'm going for a more stylized look so here are my tweaks

http://img140.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=74453_d_hill1_122_460lo.jpg

http://img16.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=74458_D_Hill2_122_745lo.jpg

any ideas or comments? Do you have a preference? What would you do?

Thanks

Somewhere in the middle......

http://img24.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=80231_Better_122_824lo.jpg

the skin on his forehead particularly, is very blotchy. If you were to take care of that but leave some good gritty texture, then I think they would look great

I agree with Nancy.
I hope you don't mind me trying this one.
You seem to be going for the desaturated look, not really to my taste but if thats what ou want thats Okay.

Peter

Larger version if your interested

[img=http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/7664/1176774493go2.th.jpg] (http://img441.imageshack.us/my.php?image=1176774493go2.jpg)

Thanks for the feedback, Nancy I was trying to even the skin tone a bit by creating a new layer, adding gaussian blur to taste and setting the blend mode to colour but it didn't work as I expected, is there a technique for achieving this?
Peter, I like it that's the trouble with that whole 'look' I'm going for it makes people look really harsh and emphasises imperfections. I don't know if this is a little bit too far down the harsh road for me (be aware I'm biased as it's actually a self portrait!) I'm aiming for the middle ground and just trying to make something a bit more interesting than your bog standard image. It's interesting to see your take on it tho and thanks for the time and input.

This is what I did with it originally before I got on a mission to mess it up! ;)

http://img124.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=63949_IMG_0445_copy_122_423lo.jpg

Boy am I glad I didn't slam the subject.

Peter

:) Well like I said I wanted to mess around with lighting and the only person around was me. Don't worry I can take it, I know I'm no model!

I've been trying this effect without much luck.. even with the local contrast enhacement plug-in.
Not sure what I'm missing out. :(

Care to share some tips?

Here's my try at it,

Fairly simple process really. Color corrected the image initially, dodged and burned to emphasize highlights and shadow detail. Did a little contrast adjustment then did a saturation adjustment around -30 to -40.

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a398/gmonkeh/1176774493-1.jpg

lxgalang, that's really good. Like it alot. Sounds like a relatively simple process but I guess it's how you do it that counts!

Good stuff

S

(Photoshop, hints for bigger version ;) )

Oh yeah, when you say colour corrected are you talking about cuvres? I haven't found a tutorial that tells you the 'technically' correct way of doing this, I'm doing it by eye at the moment (with varied results!!! :D )

Wow, Peter S, can you tell me how did you do this?.
Please.

lxgalang, that's really good. Like it alot. Sounds like a relatively simple process but I guess it's how you do it that counts!

Good stuff

S

(Photoshop, hints for bigger version ;) )

Oh yeah, when you say colour corrected are you talking about cuvres? I haven't found a tutorial that tells you the 'technically' correct way of doing this, I'm doing it by eye at the moment (with varied results!!! :D )

If someone recommends a good one or you find one on your own, I'd be interested.

not bad............ http://www.awesomelyactive.com/archives/00000065.htm

Hi

This is my try

inverted b channel in lab
history brushed the blue light down right
sharpened with linearlight highpassed
create mask from channel G and B
screen 2times op30% masked by B, op 70% masked by B
contrast adjustment

saby

Ok so I'm experimenting with lighting and came up with this.......


Hi S,

I like this one 74453_d_hill1_122_460lo.jpg looks cool

saby

I agree with Nancy.
I hope you don't mind me trying this one.
You seem to be going for the desaturated look, not really to my taste but if thats what ou want thats Okay.

Peter

Hi Peter,

How did you achieve this kind of skin i like it very mutch?

saby

In GIMP, I used (on duplicate layer) the dark 1 gradient and set to screen to enhance the separation (contrast) betweet light and shadow on the face. I then flattened and dupped and ran a Contrast mask to open up the shadow details copying the base layer to the Top and set to lighten. Flattened and did a few other things (mainly for cleanup). :)

The few other things: Dup (3 layers) ACE, Grain Extract Overlay, merge down, Overlay with adjusted Opacity and erase throughs (for selective noise reduction; it's a GIMP thing). I also desaturated a bit. :)

Here's my version. MAN!!! Looooove working with photos!!!!!!!!!
This guy looks completely different to the original, but that's just my taste...He now looks like he is modelling versus guy next door. Oh and B&W: much more stylish. Enjoy.

OMG, just read the entire thread again, nearly died when I read "self portrait"...hope you didn't mind me having a go and calling the subject 'guy next door'...The point is you have a good face for retouching, not that you need retouching...I'll just shut up now:blush:

Lmao, no problem ;)

Like I said I know I'm no model but I wasn't trying for perfection or I would have at least had a shave! lol
I was trying to get a gritty, relatively 'truthful' picture. Hey you gotta make the best of what you got!!

Ok, so it's been a while. I'm reading up on d + b and I think I'm making some improvement. It's like anything, when you first get something new you do it to excess. Here's my more refined touchup....

Am I getting any closer?

And as far as tweaking to make me look better, this is probably as far as I would go otherwise it all starts looking a bit unrealistic ;)

I think it depends on what the image is being used for as well as personal taste. The first of the above 2 is a nice clean retouch job, the second; whilst it's a more intense retouch work compared to the first it doesn't showcase the extent of the subject's potential in terms of looking good. Yes there needs to be a balance between real and unreal, but I go back to my original point - what is the image's purpose?

how about?
http://img175.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=57635_1176774493a_Large_122_340lo.jpg