my first post

[denisp]

Hi all!

i'm really happy to join this great forum and website both full of amazing ressources to help every enthousiast improving their skills in retouching.

Here I just want to start with my first post and a best possible advice from experienced retouchers. Knowingly that i'm a self learner and im just trying to produce quality images at my best actual level. Below are links to screen captures showing the original image on the left and retouched on the right. First image is the general view, the second is the 100% actual pixels detail view.

Before and after 33%
Before and after 100% view (no sharpening applied)

For technical details: this image was taken using a Canon D60 6mp digital camera, RAW, iso 100 then it was cropped and converted to a TIFF 16bit image file.

I was batteling hard using the adjustement layers, taking off a litle bit of everything possible i have read through the tutorials and other forums. My goal was to try to magnify and enhance the skin tones and contrast and make them as much bright and clear as possible, also some masking has been done for skin defects.

Thanks for commenting and bringing advice.

[Duv]

I really like your photo and the correction. You might want to consider a 5 pixel feather lasso and select the side of the nose where the pores seem to be noticable. Try a Gaussian Blur set to about .7

Cheers
Dave

[denisp]

hi Duv

it was exactly what i was annoyed of, the pore on the nose that needs to be softened. I will try your method.

thanks

[tzec]

Originally Posted by denisp

Hi all!

i'm really happy to join this great forum and website both full of amazing ressources to help every enthousiast improving their skills in retouching.

Here I just want to start with my first post and a best possible advice from experienced retouchers. Knowingly that i'm a self learner and im just trying to produce quality images at my best actual level. Below are links to screen captures showing the original image on the left and retouched on the right. First image is the general view, the second is the 100% actual pixels detail view.

Before and after 33%
Before and after 100% view (no sharpening applied)

For technical details: this image was taken using a Canon D60 6mp digital camera, RAW, iso 100 then it was cropped and converted to a TIFF 16bit image file.

I was batteling hard using the adjustement layers, taking off a litle bit of everything possible i have read through the tutorials and other forums. My goal was to try to magnify and enhance the skin tones and contrast and make them as much bright and clear as possible, also some masking has been done for skin defects.

Thanks for commenting and bringing advice.

The skin looks very much better now. I agree about the pore reduction; I also think that the eye and lips could do with with slightly more color and bit more sharpness. The overall color might be very slightly too yellow; but that's a matter of personal taste! The attached file gives an idea of what I mean. The second image is a less stylized smoother version.

[Ed_L]

I agree with tzec regarding the shadow area. A good, contrasty image like this adds a certain feel of mystery. But the shadow area in the first post seems just a little too dark to my taste, almost like something is missing. Being able to see through the shadow, just a little, adds to the overall image IMHO. It's a great idea that could promote different feelings in different people. Nice work!

Ed

[LQQKER]

Creative photo.
The only thing I might suggest (and of course this is subjective), is the shadow/lighting you’ve chosen. I took the liberty to show my thoughts with this rather quick rendition of my own, hope you don't mind.
Just another suggested direction to go. Other portions of the subject’s features may benifit from high contrast lighting style, not just the eyes.

[denisp]

thanks to all for your interresting suggestions and recommendations. I think the main problem the image has is the low resolution and not enough of details on the skin, knowingly its a tight crop out of a 3028x2048 RAW image file, there is nothing much left for the crop. Next time i shoot ill just try to compose closer