T's away for a few days - so, this month, you'll have to put up with me :bigthmb:

Add your comments, questions or general discussion about the Contest entries here. This is also a great place to share your techniques or ask others about theirs.

Most members are eager to hear comments/suggestions about their entries, so please take the time to help each other out.

Rô

Sorry about the delay folks.

I was going to post a very fiendish contest :devil:
Another one of those terrible restoration projects. :eek:

But then I remembered that the most terrifying prospect of all is a piece of white paper.....

So here you are....
No holds barred, no guidelines, just a base image.
Let's see what you can do. :bigthmb:

(Don't worry, T will be back soon)

Rô

See the link to a larger version of the image in the second post.

I'm surprised with the lack of comments on this month's contest :-)

Me too.

Either it's too easy - or too hard?

Rô

i may be in the minority, but while i think the idea of the contest is a good one, i.e., fashion/glamor/artsy magazine color for retouchpro, i believe the photograph that was chosen is the farthest from fashion/glamor/artsy, and i personally would not purchase nor want to look in a magazine with this cover.

it does not evoke fashion/glamor/artsy in any way, shape, or form nor can it be transformed to represent a fashion/glamor/artsy magazine cover.

looks more like a wildlife/hunting/fishing magazine cover :wink:

just my 2 cents :grin:

i think the idea looks more like a wildlife/hunting/fishing magazine cover :wink:



That was very funny :-)

My guess is the image was carefully chosen: a not very flattering pic of a model, shot with a very wide lens thus the distorted lips and bulging eyes.

I would say, it was done on purpose...

I would say, it was done on purpose...

:wink: :bigthmb:

"...nor can it be transformed to represent a fashion/glamor/artsy magazine cover."

hmmm, doth i hear a challenge, a gauntlet being cast to the ground? methinks, sir, thou art without skill, without wit, and without chivalry. surely, yon maiden couldst be made to be HOT! and is that not the entire point of this contest? dost thou spit upon yon maid/model casting aspersions upon her, artist and admin? dost thou throw down thy gauntlet and yet not take up said challenge thyself? art thou coward? dost thy cahones trail behind thee some distance like a cowering curr mongrel? to arms with tablet, mouse and pc, i say! be bold, be brave and cast light upon said maid that she may shine ever brighter! or be gone and stay thy tongue forever more! ;)

OMG!! Craig you put words to my thoughts!

What Craig said....!!

There is no choice in life when U got a problem to solve Pixeltek, can U imagine what could have happend if Michelangelo told Pope Sixtus: This ceiling is too concave.?

no offense, but in the real world, a photo such as this would never be "chosen" for a fashion magazine cover....never, ever, ever :)

i mean, please, it's kind of insulting to suggest that such a photo would be...there is no "challenge" here...it just simply is not a fashion photo nor can it ever be!!!!!!!!!!!!

more of my 2 cents :)

...simply is not a fashion photo ...

I agree with U in this,

and just chating about, I think sometimes it's profitable to tinker

cover pict for the magazin of a wedding business, A5 retouching 18K HUF what is about 100$

what do U think (not about the picture exactly just about tinkering in this contest)?

..it just simply is not a fashion photo nor can it ever be!!!!!!!!!!!!

You may have noticed that, even though this site is directed at PRO-Retouching there are hardly any real fashion shots on this site.
We can only post images that do not have any usage problems.
We need permission from the photographer and permission from the model - in writing.

Which is pretty much why the pro's amongst us are never able to show their work - copyright problems. :(

If someone wishes to help by supplying a good base fashion image with due written permissions we would be only too glad to run a contest with it.
There's a thread set up exactly for this - here (http://www.retouchpro.com/forums/contests/9949-contest-images.html).

In the meantime - what Craig said. :bigthmb:

Rô

pixeltek can i ask a question? (i just did) :grin:

where and who said it was a fashion/glamor/artsy image?

the following is the only mention of it
8. Tasks:

*Turn the image into a cover appropriate for a fashion / glamour / art magazine.

and that is only mentioned as a task
which means you as the contestant have to try to make that a fashion/glamor/artsy image for a mag cover.
(this is a retouch forum after all)

i believe any half decent image can be retouched for a fashion/glamor/artsy mag cover.
its just down to how good of a retoucher you are.(im not 1 of them :grin:)

so in conclusion Get Over It

dataflow, chill...

when i think fashion, i think "vogue" not "field and stream" -- that's all i mean.

sure, you can "retouch" her to have flawless skin but she is not a fashion model nor does she belong on a fashion mag cover, imho...just 'cause she can be "retouched" doesn't mean you can magically transform her into a fashion mag cover...all the retouching in the world won't do that for this photo.

i think i'm up to 6 cents :)

Guys, a challenge is a challenge, so step up to the plate

I will simply refer pixeltek to the old "Dove Evolution" short video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYhCn0jf46U&feature=related

I will simply refer pixeltek to the old "Dove Evolution" short video...]

thanx for sharing this 0lBaldy, it's nice when there is a team working and make perfect.

:depressed there isn't in my space

yup, that's what i was talkin about, OB :)

Hi hankw. Welcome to the Contest forum. It's always nice to see new members here. I'd hate to see you disqualified though. As the rules state, "Final image must be exactly 600 pixels wide and 800 pixels high" -- a vertical (aka Portrait) format. To achieve this you will need to CROP the horizontal (aka Landscape) source photo, NOT just resize it. I'm not familiar with Elements' tools, so you'll have to find out how to crop with it on your own. It should look something like the attached.

Hope that helps,

Lonk... Thanks I'll try the crop. As stated had my moments on the sizing.

okay, so i took you up on your challenge, olbaldy, and did my version of the "dove evolution" retouch...they're all her parts, just a lot of manipulation...i only added eyelashes (thanks rudd)...hope you like :)

excellent, pixeltek. that's the spirit :)

Pixeltek, Looks pretty good!

Thanks for joining in!

...they're all her parts, just a lot of manipulation...i only added eyelashes (thanks rudd)...hope you like :)


little changes achieves more, I like Ur contribution

kraelin, olbady, saby...thank you! i know it's waaaaaaaaay overdone but i was trying to go for the whole "evolution" thing.

Lonnie, I think you just set the Bar up a few notches! A very nice job my friend......well done...!

Thanks 0lBaldy. That's very kind of you to say.

It was an absolute joy for me to work with this gorgeous young lady's photo. As has been noted, the source photo is certainly less than ideal, but that should never stop a determined, creative retoucher. Confronting such challenges is, after all, what most of us do!

I took the liberty of adding a complimentary new "do" to accentuate a demure, "girl next door" digital makeover. While not necessarily glamorous, fashionable or "artsy", I believe the result is surely appropriate for a 'zine with the requisite title of _RetouchPRO_.

lonK...i double that, you definitely set the bar...each challenge retouchpro has, i always look forward to seeing your entries, they are always exceptional...keep up the fantastic work!!!!!!!!!

My RetouchPRO Magazine covergirl effort...

Love the hair ..LonK

Gilbert, moved your post to here.

The contest thread is only for the entries.
Comments go here. :bigthmb:

Rô

Thanks for the compliment, pixeltek. Even though I use an old, cheap, obscure editor (PhotoImpact 8), I do my best to compete with all the Photoshop folks in these parts. I'm glad you also decided to enter.

Thank you too, Gilbert. My first thought when seeing the source image was that she had a bad hair day that would require special attention. I spent quite some time finding a suitable style and getting it just right.

Savy; is a really good retouch but a really bad title design; take your time for it.

asims28; is a nice font but some stuff in the retouch like her painted eyelid looks fake; soften those and also blend the image with the original face (with some basic retouch maybe) and you will get a really nice effect.

Critique on mine retouch (http://www.retouchpro.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=57508&d=1208226759) is very welcome, plus you can make the other voters notice some problem on it.

maaaan.... i've found this really hard :( getting frustrated with mine now, will post regardless tho

laura.lara, you should consider using a displacement on the image if you're going to put it on crumpled newspaper, or whatever that is. It would give the image the appearance of following the contours of the folds, shadows, etc., rather than being flat. It might give it a more realistic look.

laura.lara, you should consider using a displacement on the image if you're going to put it on crumpled newspaper, or whatever that is. It would give the image the appearance of following the contours of the folds, shadows, etc., rather than being flat. It might give it a more realistic look.

Thanks for your advice. :) I must admit I've tried, but the final result was kind of deformed. I mean the faces were. As the project seems to be so difficult (I totally agree with what was written here previously) I don't know if I'm going to keep this choice. I have one "reserve" and I might change my cover if it is allowed.

Well, I'm a new member and decided I'd submit my sample work too. Everyone's work looks great, BTW!

Nice job!Welcome to the contest.

artofcmarie, if I might make a suggestion ...

Two things.

1) The top two images, the eyes are almost Thriller-like. Either they are too bright, or the pupils are too small. I can't quite tell which with the images being so small. Unless you are going for that sort of look, you might consider toning them down somehow. Back off some of the brightness in those two, or enlarge the pupils to their original size (again, I can't quite see which the problem is).

2) The background images in your three alternates look great, but the contrast doesn't match the foreground subject matter in any of them. They all have a suitable depth of field, but the lighting looks like it came from another photograph (though the top left image is close). Try adjusting the contrast (you might even try the legacy mode in this instance if you're using CS3) to match that of the foreground subject.

Your overall presentation is fabulous. It just needs to be tweaked.

Time's nearly up!!

If you wish to enter and haven't posted yet - better get a move on. :bigthmb:

Rô

Lonk, I love it!! "No country for cover contests"?!

Ladies and Gentlemen !!

May I invite you all to vote (http://www.retouchpro.com/forums/contests/21633-april-2008-voting-thread.html#post190904) :bigthmb:

Rô

Well I've made a right dog's dinner of voting this month. Realising a post I thought I had cancelled had posted, in my haste sought to amend, and being in a rush this morning, made a bigger dog's dinner of it. Under the rules can I amend the incorrect spelling of KathyH to CathyH and can I post another vote for 5th place. Trully embarassing.

I agree with 0lbaldy about the branding issue, but I didn't place that much voting emphasis on it. I did find some of the masthead creations just plain garish though. Branding is a very sensitive issue with publicists.

Since this is "RetouchPRO", I looked primarily at the facial retouching. Most (like the source) remained too washed out. I think some got too carried away with trying to modify the subject's facial structure and features. Indeed, a few no longer look like the same girl. I feel many put too much emphasis on the distracting background and layout aspect rather than concentrating on retouching/enhancing the main subject.

Didn't care much for the 2-in-1 renditions or those that included a "before" image. These looked too "busy". The 4-for-1 entry was really confusing -- didn't readily know who did it anyway as the filename lacked requisite identity (walk-cover-I.jpg ?).

I was surprised that noone addressed the subject's cross-eyed gaze (possibly caused by the photo being taken close-up with a wide angle lens). I think moving her right eyeball just a bit would make quite a difference (see attached). Of course in my case, I just concealed that eye with hair!

Was this a self-portrait byRo? I suspect the deep shadow on her face was cast from her own outstretched arm holding the camera?

Overall I think everyone did a wonderful job. The diverse approaches taken are truly reflective of the vast talent of RetouchPRO members.

*Please note that these are ONLY my personal opinions, not meant to offend anyone, offered only as food for thought.

--------------------
"a photograph is usually looked at — seldom looked into."
— ansel adams

Was this a self-portrait byRo? I suspect the deep shadow on her face was cast from her own outstretched arm holding the camera?

Congratulations !!
...and, yes, I didn't want to tell before the contest.
This is my daughter, who is doing a Doctor's degree in Biology in Stuttgart (Germany) :) <- proud Dad.

She was experimenting the cell phone she had just bought.

To those who thought the picture was taken in autumn, sorry but it was taken a couple of days before the contest started. (It's autumn here in Brazil, but that doesn't count)

Ah, and I didn't mind the comments about cross-eyed, bulging lips, bulging eyes, not a fashion model etc. - and I'm sure she won't either. :bigthmb:

As to the "silk purse out of a sow's ear" discussion......
Images could be rated from 0% (useless) to 100% (wonderful). But if we invert that by measuring the defects instead, we get a more useful scale.
So rubbish = 100%, perfection = 0%.

Clearly, a retoucher will try reduce the defects.
Let's suppose a good retoucher will reduce the defects by a factor of 10x.
Starting with a bad image 90% he can get to 9%.
Starting with a good image 10% he can get to 1%.

By my little mathematical treatise here, we get:
1) A good (10x) retoucher can take just about any bad image (90%), and make something presentable out of it (9%);
2) However, taking that same bad image to magazine quality (1%) is going to take an awful lot of retouching skill (90x);
3) Inversely, to get to magazine quality (1%) a high-end retoucher should rightly demand a good base image of maximum 10%.


(Hope this makes sense to some one out there)

Rô

I think now that the votes are in and tallied, we should hear Germany and Brazil ring in with thier top 5.

Congratulations LonK! :bow:

Great participation ALL! It was very difficult judging with all the excellent work presented!

Lots of excellent entries.. hope to see all of you Plus the lurkers in the next contest.. Good Luck!

Well done everyone, and congratulations to Lonk.

cathy

Well done Lonk, congrats. And well done all participants, great to see such wonderful participation and great submissions as well as a good turn out of voters.

Congratulations LonK for the first prize and to all those who got the podium. :)

Thanks all for your compliments and votes.

A belated 'well done' to Lonk in a very close run race