Need you opinion on retouching. Thank you

[nebulaoperator]

Hello everybody again. Have been ,,away,, for a while working on some images. I am looking for advice. opinion from gurus and amateurs. does not really matter. What you think.

[nebulaoperator]

here is link to larger file :
http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/...g?t=1306405214
http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/...g?t=1306405254
I am reposting this message as old links were at no use. Thanks.

[LunaLuna]

Hello.

In my humble opinion, it's a little bit blury... I believe the model has a nice skin and there's no need to blur it. The bluring makes it look a bit flat.
I understand the original shot is already flat. I would try some D&B just to make it pop up a bit.

The face has something like a blue veil, that makes her look too cold. I just coment that. I don't know if it was the idea.

Well, I hope it helps you ins me way ! :-)

Regards!
Lucía.

[nebulaoperator]

I should have apply some sharpening in the end I suppose. Hmmmm...how would you start selective D&B ? Thank you for comment and advice.
By the way this one is later touched up work. I don't know about that blue veil it happened I just like it. But people say it is blueish though.
http://s1119.photobucket.com/albums/...t=PINKLIPS.jpg

[LunaLuna]

Well, for D&B, in this case, I would try to enhance the lightness the photo already has.
What I mean is burning where the image is darker and dodging there it's lighter, with very low opacity and a very soft brush.

This photo has low contrast, so if it's difficult for you finding where to D&B, may be you can make a "help", one saturation adj. layer with saturation slaider all at left, and one curve adj layer with an "S" curve, to give you contrast. You can group this two layers so it's easier to show/hide it if you don't want to see it.

I hope this is helpful!

[nebulaoperator]

Thank you Luna,

just tried sat all the way left and curves S. The latter is good for hair but I found face to be even more blown out. so I just enhance the shadows and mid tones. Simple and effective.
I would try luminosity mask but again as you mentioned the photo is blown out. So I guess image wasn't so great in the first place.

[Crapaud]

I agree with Luna^2: slightly unsharp, skintones and flat.

I did a quick correction: curves to add yellow to the skin and applied curves and a levels adj layer to a luminosity layer to add contrast. Unsharp masking to the luminosity layer to sharpen up the eyes, lips and hair. It still needs a bit of work and it's brought out, I presume, some D&B work and an untanned area of bikini top.

[nebulaoperator]

Hi Crapaud,

Do you mean Levels , curves on luminosity layer as on duplicate layer? Thank you.

[Crapaud]

Here's the stack ... 1 curves layer is to add contrast to the hair, the other to the highlights, levels to set the black point.

[nebulaoperator]

I got it . Thank you a lot. I am working on the other project at the moment but I think I will be back to this one to correct it. Unsharp can also be applied on the luminosity layer?

[Crapaud]

Originally Posted by nebulaoperator

... Unsharp can also be applied on the luminosity layer?

Yes.

Did you take this pic yourself, Neb? Only, looking at it again, I'd be prepared to put money on the background being a neutral. Just curious.

[nebulaoperator]

It was someone else but I think I know what you mean the way I did background come blueish. Am I correct?

[Crapaud]

When I forced the bgrnd to neutral the skintones dropped in well, but I was working on your first re-touch. Going back to the original it doesn't work.

Note to self: look before you leap.

[JAYKAT]

Here is my version....

[nebulaoperator]

tHANKS Crapaud. Sometimes I have same experience just like you said.
I will be more careful.

[nebulaoperator]

Jaykat what plug-in have you used? Thanks