[bullys1974]

hi all...

i´ll post 2 pics for comparison...
the first one is the original file .. the 2nd is the retouched and finished file...

i like desaturation and after skinretouching i desaturate a merged layer and duplicate this layers twice...put one in blend mode screen and the middle layer to blend mode softlight... with the opacity slider i dial in or out my colours...

some photographers i know have brilliant sharp images... like these:
http://www.fotocommunity.de/pc/pc/ex...isplay/7481603
http://www.fotocommunity.de/pc/pc/my...isplay/6718093
http://www.fotocommunity.de/pc/pc/ex...isplay/7477132
http://www.fotocommunity.de/pc/pc/ex...isplay/7471051


and i know they do not do much retouching...

i like my pics but i find that the last kick is missing... is it the sharpening ? is it the retouching workflow ? or even the lightning itself.. ? i sharpen my pics with smart sharpen, bu the eyes do not have brilliance.. the skin looks flat and not shiny.. but matte...dont know what i do wrong...pls help

i work with a canon 30D and several lenses.. had them at the service... no front or back focuses ... so thats not the problem ...

whats my problem with the retouching ? what can in do better ?
would like to have some more glamour and fashion look in my work... even the lips are dry. they wont get glossy pls help..

[miguel]

imo, you are on the right track and may be being to hard on yourself. i think the problem with the eyes in this pic is that they are very dialated...the black center is large and don't see the iris much.

[Swampy]

The desaturation has taken much of the contrast out of the picture. Add a Curves level and set an "S Curve" by taking down the 3/4 tones and lifting the 1/4 tones. Even though you're using a soft palette, the photo lacks pop or contrast.

[KR1156]

discard my message

[bullys1974]

Originally Posted by Swampy

The desaturation has taken much of the contrast out of the picture. Add a Curves level and set an "S Curve" by taking down the 3/4 tones and lifting the 1/4 tones. Even though you're using a soft palette, the photo lacks pop or contrast.

the s-curve helped a little bit.. the image looks fuller .. the person healthier... thats good... but the grainyness remains... the matte look is also not gone...

i´d like to have little contrast... fine lines.. but sharp eyes... like this one...
http://www.fotocommunity.de/pc/pc/my...isplay/6843063

or this one...
http://www.fotocommunity.de/pc/pc/my...isplay/6438685

but overall.. i´d like to do really sharp eyes... sparkling eyes... my eyes always look unrealistic... although i dont do much moore than little dodge and burning ...

thx for ur help btw...

[admirer]

Is this what you wanted? I used the blue channel as a mask gaus blurred the image in a new layer with the mask and set to soft light. The layer above i used highpass filter to taste with the same layer mask set to overlay.

[bullys1974]

Originally Posted by admirer

Is this what you wanted? I used the blue channel as a mask gaus blurred the image in a new layer with the mask and set to soft light. The layer above i used highpass filter to taste with the same layer mask set to overlay.

thx admirer.. this technique was one of the first tehcs i learned..) but i lost it totally out of my mind... this makes the skin also healthier... thx a lot .. that helped...

can u give some more advice on how to make the lips mor shiny and the eyes realistic ...?

[KR1156]

sorry i started to comment earlier, got caught up and forgot what i was commenting on!

I was messing around with the image, desat. a little and did a little painting with light to bring back some highlights to the face and chest area. just to give it some dimenssion and allure to her skin, but my color is off, i have trouble with my color when i save for web, it's always way off from my monitor...i click on add profile and everything...not sure hwat it is.

I also did a little blurring then sharpening on the image with the custom filter.

i would just be careful with the contrast curve that you dont totally blow out the white parts of her eyes.

[CathyH]

here is my try on this photo.
I used a selective color adjustment layer to take out the reds in her skin.
I changed the background color too, to match the over all colors.
the I used Dodge and Burn on a 50% gray layer set to soft light. here I added highlights and shadows to her hair.

[superkoax]

well, I just tried for 2 min...I know the cut out is bad

But I tried to desaturate and add a warm brown filter...and a new black background with halo!


gerry

[HandMadeGod]

I made a different version Hope you like it

[superkoax]

maybe this?


Gerry

[superkoax]

to comment your selection of pictures that you like, the picture you uploaded from your own photoshoot versus the collection, the other picture have more "bang" to them due to background, make up and lighting...the lighting is direct to face/body (or highlated more) , background is more dark...Then desaturated and facial retouched...Your picture works in completely different areas then the other pictures...Not negative way, but to enhance this picture to be similar to these isn't possible IMO(!!!)...I have seen people try this with patrick hoelck...Next time use real life background...Maybe I misunderstood your deires towards the retouching bit...

Gerry

[DCobb]

Let me start by saying I am not a photographer. I do this type of thing for fun. On the first one I did a brightness/contrast and the second one I moved to the LAB colorspace to make my corrections. I don't know if this even comes close to what you are looking for.

dc

[BillFrey]

Hi bullys1974,

Based on your samples I adjusted the midtone contrast and changed the eyes.