Strong Shadows in Wedding Pix

[Caitlin]

You're right - the eyes on my last attempt did look a bit odd - Amber did the substitution far more successfully.

And now simply because I couldn't resist (it's the wedding portrait cliche after all...) a white marque.

[dbelmo]

Caitlin.......This is exceptional. Love the vignette....the texture is just a hint too strong but love it anyways.!!!!!
The grooms eyes came out very nice...nicely done!!!
I am a bit curious on how you did the face replacement so eloquently?

[Caitlin]

dbelmo - this is my layer just with the inserted torso. As you can see I've used a layer mask to feather around the edges. I used the Color match tool in CS2 to match the two layers with a selection. (Apologies for being slack and not naming any of my layers!)

[Dreamypix]

Caitlin- That rocks! I didn't think about adding an entire torso! I tried pasting the other face but the perspective was just way too different to pull it off. But it never occured to me to add the entire torso. Looks great!

dbelmo- Just curious, Is there anyway I could use your photo in my portfolio as an example? If not, I understand. Thought I would ask anyways..



~Amber~

[Cassidy]

As per dreamypix's request also, if possible, Dbelmo.

Wow Caitlin, always learning, never knew a colourmatch option was tucked away in CS2. All that adjustment etc to match the colour and then trying to remove the shadow cast.

Dreamypix, have a play with that photo again, the face neck and upper body are about as close as you can get to ideal for transplantation.

[Panpan]

Hi Dbelmo.

Could I get some feedback on the image I posted? It's obvious by your polite silence that there are problems with it, but I much prefer negative comments to no reaction. I wouldn't publish if I couldn't take it .

Pierre

[Cassidy]

Hi panpan,

Whilst this was not directed to me, from one not very skilled (me), at first look at your photo, you've done a fine job however the tone of the replacement face does look a little flouro in spots and there appears to be a jaw line which upon close scruitiny would give away the face transplant to the trained eye. I personally found taking the face, neck and upper chest area together with some shoulder a better fit. The jaw line is probably only apparent due to the flourescence of the transplanted face.

[dbelmo]

I'm sorry for the delay...Just got your message. I agree with Cass that the face does look somewhat disorganized on her body but overall better than what I completed on this task. I am still trying to get the correct placement on Caitlin's excellent retouch but can't quite seem to perfect it as she did. Once again, I'm sorry for the delay of comment. I appreciate your gracious efforts though. !!!!!

[Panpan]

Thank you Cassidy and Dbelmo. These comments help a lot because the fluorescence is not apparent on my system. I'm going to recalibrate my monitor. The face transplant was a shortcut that didn't quite work. Caitlin's use of the torso works well. I might have another go with a morph of both faces that would mitigate the shadow mismatch problem. Morphing is the technique I was trying to sidestep because it's more involved than just copying.

I think the only correction to the 1st image that people forgot so far is to get rid of the two strips of light between the groom's nose and mouth near the cheeks.

Cassidy, your feedback is very welcome. I addressed my request to dbelmo because I had more of a claim to his help since I tried to help him.

Feedback from others is also very welcome. I'm aware that critique is work; people hesitate even more when they only have negative comments to make. Im sure I'm not the only one who would like those negative comments made anyway. I suspect those of us with less skill or experience don't get feedback out of misguided courtesy.

Pierre

[Caitlin]

Hi Pierre,

I just had another look at your submission, and I certainly think that your retouch of the groom is probably the best that has been done. His face now looks clean and bright with a good eyeline.

I think the problem that you have run into with the bride's face is a tricky one - which is why I ended out taking the easy path of transposing the whole torso instead. If you took at her face and pose carefully you will see that not only is she squinting on one picture her face and head are actually in different positions. Her head is slightly down in the squinting shot, while it is fully erect in the other one. This means that the proportions of the face change, and even the placement of the eyes etc.

In your retouch you have carefully matched the positioning and size of the facial features, but this does not look completely realistic, because the features have been photographed from a different angle.

I've taken the liberty of doing a comparison (attached) just by roughly pasting each version of the face in place.

As you can see, the features are higher up, and a bit smaller in the straight head transposition (no.3). Her features appear to be a diiferent proportion as she is no longer straining for a big smile, and her nose is no longer accentuated by the angle.

I think the fluorescence the others are referring to to me appears as some blotchiness of the skin, particularly around the jaw line, and if that was not there the face would look more real.

[TokenArt]

here it my attempt at one of them....

TokenArt

[Panpan]

Hi Cailtlin.Thank you for your thoughtful comments.

I agree that the angles are different. It's seems to me that the lens is level with her eyes in the second and level with his eyes in the first.

Your idea of copying the torso is a better one than just the face. In this one, I blurred her freckles to avoid some of the blotchiness of my previous attempt.

Pierre

[Panpan]

Originally Posted by TokenArt

here it my attempt at one of them....

TokenArt

Hi TokenArt.

You're braver than I am. I didn't even try the second image because the lighting is very difficult .

It seems to me that this image's main problem apart from the harsh light is the groom's eyes are almost closed. Since copying the bride's features from this one to the first image worked, maybe you could try the reverse here and copy the groom's eyes from there?

I think you lightened the image and lowered the contrast too much. That makes the suit look grey and the dress look bluish and puplish on my monitor. I would target the highlights and shadows more directly in their own layers if I were trying this one.

Pierre

[Cassidy]

Looks great panpan

[Panpan]

Originally Posted by Cassidy

Looks great panpan

Thank you, Cass.

[Panpan]

I decided to give the second one a try fianlly. I found it a lot harder than the first.

Pierre

[Cassidy]

Great Stuff panpan, glad you had a go at it. You didn't offer a penny for my thoughts, however a couple of observations/comments either welcome or not welcome, I think given the two photos the groom possibly is a candidate for some high blood pressure, so I think a little pinker is more realistic and I'd prefer a little bit more tonal range on the bride (not a slur, just my point of view). Keep in mind, I am a realist rather than an idealist so seek to maintain as much authenticity as possible. Despite that, you did a great job of removal of shadow and it may well be that the resulting colour/tonal ranges are as a result of that.

Correct me if I am wrong, but I feel you are seeking feedback

[Panpan]

Originally Posted by Cassidy

You didn't offer a penny for my thoughts, however a couple of observations/comments either welcome or not welcome,

Your observations are always welcome, Cass. And I do offer a penny .

I was so focused on the shadows that I didn't pay enough attention to the couple's skin tone. I'll see if I can fix that and edit the picture when I get something satisfactory.

Pierre

[Panpan]

Here is the edited image. The groom's face is now redder and the bride's skin has a little wider tonal range. She's very pale so it's not a lot.

Let's hope for the groom that it's sunburn instead of high blood pressure .

Pierre

[Cassidy]

yep makes a difference panpan