skin tones

[Doug Nelson]

By paulette conlan on Monday, June 11, 2001 - 03:30 pm:

The file on the skintones inspired me to create skintone files of my own. First I took a sample of a "good" section of skin from a picture I was working on. It was a nice picture but the woman had a very blotchy skintone from sunburn. I can handle red-eye what I need are fixes for rednose!Since I am in Florida this is a very common problem with many pictures taken down here. Second I made a selection of it and kept copying it until I had about a one inch square. Third(got this hint from the Eisman book) I did a gaussian blur on it. I also did a tone lighter and darker of my original sample for additional clone sources.It really worked quite well.I used it sparingly and it really did improve the skin. Next I'm going to see if I can take it further by making it a pattern and using the pattern stamp tool.It has been my observation that most of the woman I know like to see their skin looking like the models in the magazines.I'll leave the reality to the photojournalists and dermatologists and continue to create pictures that make people feel good about themselves.Paulette


By Ed Ladendorf (ed) on Monday, June 11, 2001 - 06:39 pm:

Hi Paulette,
That sounds good. It seems like there is always a need for good skin. Let us know if you use it on a restoration. About the red nose - just take the booze away for a day or two before taking the shot .
Ed


By paulette conlan on Monday, June 11, 2001 - 06:53 pm:

Ed.. Considering that some of my best candid shots are taken at social functions that's going to be quite a challenge!Paulette


By Amanda K Jones on Wednesday, August 01, 2001 - 01:22 pm:

Hi All,

I got this tip from Ben Willmore who wrote a great book on Photoshop called Studio Techniques. He recommended signing up for a catalog of images you can receive from any popular image company like Stockbyte or PhotoSpin. They usually provide a CD with the catalog that contains images you can load on your computer. The images themselves probably aren't that useful but there are lots of pictures of people from which you can take samples of skin tones. Just look through the catalog, find the person that matches what you need, open the image from the CD, grab the eyedropper and VIOLA!

I haven't tried it but I imagine it would be useful.

Amanda