Crtique request :)

[sirespen]

Hi there! Could anyone comment my last retouch? Thank you very much

http://img378.imageshack.us/my.php?i...4629487ii9.jpg


Have a good Weekend!

[Swampy]

Overall, I'd say that's a pretty good retouch. A couple areas trouble me.

Forhead hairline: Too blown out.

Cheek: Needs softer transition from shadow to highlights

Ear: For all the light that you are casing on her ear, the adjacent hair is getting none of it.

Neck: It's like you forgot to retouch this area at all. What's the angled crease?

[sirespen]

Hello Swampy! Thanks for your comment! I agree with the most. And yes...I totally forgot the neck I retouch it now. I haven't understand what you mean with:

"Ear: For all the light that you are casing on her ear, the adjacent hair is getting none of it."

You mean the ear is to bright and it catches to much attention?

That angled crease have to be removed.

The fore head should be ok, I think... I checked the Numbers and they look ok. Look at the attachment! What brightness values should the highlights in the skin have to preserve detail?

[Swampy]

You mean the ear is to bright and it catches to much attention? Basically yes.

I was referring to the hair at the top of her forehead not her forehead itself as being a tad too light. Some of the hair strand detail is lost.

[sirespen]

Ok! Cool! Now i have something to work on! Thanks for your help!

[Markzebra]

You've blown the whole thing - highlights are far too high, basic retouching nightmare. Also creasy texture on neck. Before looks better than after, terrible.

[sirespen]

Hmmm, that's interesting. but your comment doesn't help me really much...Have you an example how it should be for you? Why do you think the highlights are far to high? I measured it with the eyedroppertool (3 posts above) and i don't think the values are far to high.

I need a few good arguments, you know? Because if you only judge what you see on your screen, probably a lot of people see something different.

I'm a totally beginner in retouching, so I asking you for detailed explanation! I hope I'm not asking to much!

Then there is also this thing called taste, somebody likes it and somebody not haha

Thanks!

[sirespen]

Ok, probably you mean the Highlights near the eyes, right?

[Verywierd]

As you say, so long as the highlights are not burned out (white), the degree of contrast is a matter of taste and style. Some comments (which are all my personal opinion and not a Law Of Photograph/Retouching) not covered by others so far :

The shadow over the corner of the left eye is so dark that it actually changes the shape of her eye and looks a little unbalanced.

The blusher/shadow on her right lower cheek has shifted a bit higher than in the original and with the higher contrast, makes her face look too angular and thin.

The left side of her sweater has gone completely black on my monitor. Even though you are working towards a dramatic high contrast look, I think pulling back just enough to leave traces of the fabric texture would be better.

Given the stark, almost black and white look, I think that the hair should be more blonde and less saturated, especially since she is a natural blonde.

You might want to tone down the shadow under her adam's apple.

The lipstick on the lower right lip has a distinct edge that does not match the edge of her lip. This was already there in the original image. If you have fairly pale lips, you can apply lipstick ending before the actual edge of the lip in order to make the lips look smaller, but her lips are naturally quite red and it just looks like carelessly applied lipstick.

The highlight on the background needs to move over to the(her) left as it does not match the lights on her face and the highlights in her eyes.

[Markzebra]

Sorry Sirespen - I meant the flat highlight on her face. The way you've handled the contrast in the image has destroyed it in my opinion. Concentrate on retreiving midtones. Use of overlay, Softlight modes as an overall adjustment is not the way to go. A much more careful and controlled use of contrast could perhaps be achieved by desaturating the image and looking at a greyscale version independantly, as a reference only. My screen at work is a calibrated Eizo.

[sirespen]

@ Markzebra No problem! Btw, i didn't used any softlight layer for overall adjustment!

@Verywird: Thank you very much for your post!

I'll post my result later!

Ciaoooo!

[smoothfluid]

I think it looks very dramatic, but maybe a bit too much. i.e too contrasty with not enough mid tones. But more than that I find the background very distracting (but guessing it is just a temp (surely?), particularly the edge between her and the background. The transition is too sharp (?) esp in the hair on the light side.

[sirespen]

yeah....that left edge is also a big problem... I have no idea how to mask it that it looks realistic...

[Verywierd]

Originally Posted by sirespen

yeah....that left edge is also a big problem... I have no idea how to mask it that it looks realistic...

When you select the background for editing, remember to feather the selection (refine edge button at the top) and the edges will blend in better.

[sirespen]

lol! of course i feather the selection But it's not so easy... I think I've found a good way now. haha fortunately the weather isn't so good here, so i can sit the whole day in front of PS.

[sirespen]

Here is my second try! I have problems with the skin on the neck (especially where I marked it in red).

Btw Marzebra you're right, the first try was awful! I hop this is a bit better! But don't forget, I'm not a pro (not yet ).

I have problems with D&B, because when I lighten areas that were very dark, they become grey...Do I have to paint colour over this areas or add a solid colour layer? What is the best?

Thank you in advantage!

http://www.mediafire.com/imageview.p...k0y20j&thumb=5

[Markzebra]

Much better - but I still dont like the blown shadows - yep you can paint colour into there in a vairiety of ways- or using Soft Light technique use a colored dark brush

[sirespen]

Wow, you are fast! What is the advantage setting the layer to soft light instead of normal?

[sirespen]

Markzebra do you have a own website where I can see some of your work?