D&B & speed!?

[JD Spears]

Two things I learned here is;
It's all about speed.
Always use D&B to smooth skin.
I get how you do one or the other but how do you do both?

[lurch]

You get really good at d&b?

[SteveDel]

Uh... OK, I'm sure I'll eventually get caught up on all the lingo (I read too many forums on too many varied topics, so I know...). But I find it polite to, at least in the first entry of a thread, to write out or explain any abreviations that I use. Therefore, please let all of us not-so-cool-and-up-to-date-folks know what D&B is. Sorry if this is a very newbie question! Thanks! Steve

[DWThomp]

dodging and burning

[saby]

may be I don't understand the matter of Ur quest. but if U mean how can U use the tools together: the 'alt' key solve Ur problem

[stevek]

Hi JD,

Sorry, but I think the root of your problem here is in your assumption that 'speed' is everything.

If you're talking about 'hi-end' retouching - or anything approaching that kind of level - speed has NOTHING TO DO WITH IT.

If you're not prepared to spend anything from 3 hours right up to 3 days or more on the dodging & burning phase of a single image, then you're fooling yourself about the level of retouching you're executing.

Obviously, if you're working for a print shop and processing 150 images a day, this type of retouching is most definitely NOT the type you should be using (which is fine), but I'm assuming that your question is in relation to high fashion editorial and commercial work.

If you want a Vogue cover look - forget speed.

SK

[DJSoulglo]

FAST
CHEAP
GOOD

You only get to pick 2.

[JD Spears]

Thanks guys. Actually, I'm not a professional but would like to be. I do like the results of B&D for cleaning up skin but concerned if anyone would be willing to pay for the time. My interest is in hi end Portrait, wedding headshots etc.

[SteveDel]

Ah. Thanks DWtomp for the D&B response!

[Live the Lie]

I work in a slightly different method than others but shift and "O" seem to speed things up a bit better, but not at the rate you are talking about. Just learn quick keys and figure out the costs of working on the image vs your time.

[Qstudios]

You can increase your speed by using a layer set to softlight and then paint with white or black at a very low opacity. I also have a folder above with 2 adjustment layers in it. A hue/sat layer with -100 sat and a crazy high contrast curve. The high contrast curve with show you the flaws in the skin much easier. I tend to start fixing the highlight areas first and then adjust the curve till I see more things that need to be fixed, repeat. I also do this at fit to screen first before I zoom in at all.

I wouldn't hold Vogue Covers up as any standard they have sucked for years.

[JD Spears]

Thank you for the tips.
Actually, I do use softlight on an empty layer, but will try the other tips. Qstudio, I have seen your website. Very nice work!! Therefore, I tend to believe you know what your saying about Vogue Covers. I was at the grocery store magazine rack when this "Psychologies Magazine" May issue stood out. Monica Bellucci was on the cover photographed by Bettina Rheims. Thought it looked like the something to strive for. Wondered what you or others thought.

[flice]

Yeah, I'm one of the Alt-key guys... tablet pen in right hand, left middle finger on alt and index finger free for space to move around the image.
It's a matter of habit

Plug into your iPod with some upbeat music you enjoy and off you go