Any ideas for me. Personally, I wish I had the client list to hire a pro but, the reality is in order to get there, I need to be able to do some good stuff on my own. Photoshop. I am a photographer primarily!


I am interested in learning Higher end techniques. I have learned some of the blurring techniques and really I am interested in more realistic retouches.
I am getting decent with the 50% overlay and zoom way in DB method, and getting better with curves to start doing it on the curves mask. Seems like more control there.



My goals are things you see in fashion type magazines.

I have read Katrin's book and seen Skin and think they are pretty basic.

Here is an image I am sort of stuck on, will probably start over on it soon.
www.chipwillis.com/images/rachpsdemo.psd

Hi, Chip! Welcome aboard!

Great image you got there, but there are a few areas that concern me.

If you zoom in on the blue circled areas you'll see some red outlines on the image. I don't know where these came from, but I'm sure you don't want them there.

The red areas I've circled
1. subject's right inner eye and left lower lid are blown out and very distrcting.
2. subject's left eye lid where the eye shadow ends is almost too abrupt. To me it looks more like a bruise than makeup. Other side is fine since it is in the shadow.
3. Necklace, Two spots that are blown out and also distracting. They lead my eye away from her eyes.

It is quite obvious that you are a professional photographer. You caught a great shot here. Lovely model.

Hi, Chip! Welcome aboard!

Great image you got there, but there are a few areas that concern me.

If you zoom in on the blue circled areas you'll see some red outlines on the image. I don't know where these came from, but I'm sure you don't want them there.

The red areas I've circled
1. subject's right inner eye and left lower lid are blown out and very distrcting.
2. subject's left eye lid where the eye shadow ends is almost too abrupt. To me it looks more like a bruise than makeup. Other side is fine since it is in the shadow.
3. Necklace, Two spots that are blown out and also distracting. They lead my eye away from her eyes.

It is quite obvious that you are a professional photographer. You caught a great shot here. Lovely model.

Thanks,
Yes, still alot of work to do on this. The red circles are notes to myself on areas of concern.

Overall does the skin look believeable? Depth of field was pretty narrow so only certain spots show the real texture, which she had great skin so I havent done a ton.. well, you can see in my layers I think.

Any ideas the best way to fix the makeup or highlights?

Chip, sad to say, retouching is NOT my forte. I have a pretty good eye for seeing what needs to be done, but offering the best solution for the fix(s) is where I'm weak. I'm sure other's with more expertese in retouching will jump in here. It's such a great shot.

Her skin looks pretty good except for the blown out highlight on her nose and a tad on her forhead.

Love the DOF. Like the sharper hair on her widow's peak and softer focus on the rest.

Is this something like you had in mind?

http://edgework.tripod.com/samples/rachpsdemo.jpg

Is this something like you had in mind?

http://edgework.tripod.com/samples/rachpsdemo.jpg

that looks very good. I tried that technique myself, but yours is better.

I am going to go back and redo it, with DB and selective masking to smooth it out and see what I come up with.

that looks very good. I tried that technique myself, but yours is better.

I am going to go back and redo it, with DB and selective masking to smooth it out and see what I come up with.Which technique was that? I used a few.

well, the main skin texture looks like a blend between the Gaussian/Lensblur combined with varioius layers of highpass.

I toyed with it, but yours is much nicer. I need to learn better masking and then combining.

What all did you do if you dont mind my asking?

I am assuming
D/B and heal for blemishes.
The blend of skin tones looks good - color wise - is that part of the skin texture technique used or something seperate.

Here's my quicky, and my first post on the forum! :)

I didn't address all the issues you pointed out in the notes, but I was moreso attempting the magazine-style effect with lighting, etc. Let me know what you think, and do tear it apart if it's not to taste! I'm a big boy!

--Chris

original:

http://www.pbase.com/mvc/image/84414667/original

Hi Chip,

I had a go at this one.

Heres my attempt. Hope yall like it :>

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd295/funkyboy4/rachpsdemo2.jpg

Thanks everyone... got some good ideas and hope some of you had good practice on the file.

I still have to go back and redo the file myself, then again Edgework's version is very very good!

I have had a hectic couple weeks, someone broke into my house and stole most of my camera gear and I am waiting on insurance now.

Chip