how to make this bikini photo pop?

[kenwood]

The photo as is looks uninteresting. The skin tone looks off as well. Any suggestions on how to correct the skin tone and make it stand out?

[jam1212]

Something like this perhaps?

Color correct using curves to get a better skin tone
Curves to fix contrast
The "Amy Dresser" technique applied to a luminosity highlights mask to add some white to the highlights
A little sharpening with a high-pass layer set to overlay

More could be done, but that should give you some ideas for one way to take it.

Here's a less compressed version:

http://i25.tinypic.com/2yytdlt.jpg

[dsgoen]

I think that the main problem is the background. There's not enough separation between the two models. I also prefer the skin to not be so pale, and their bellies are too bright, calling attention to their abdomens rather than to their faces.

[superkoax]

Just tried a quick fix with color adjustment to better the tanned look and to add highlights with d/b...

[LonK]

If looks could kill...

[Kraellin]

nice one, lonk

[LonK]

Thanks, Craig. Just playin' around. (And who can resist such seductive creatures?)

[morpheus1870]

subtle changes to give a nice POP

curves adjustment
saturation boost
added more warmth and tan to skin
strengthened the sky contrast
sharpened

[kenwood]

Thanks all for the ideas ans suggestions. Can anyone explain how to turn the skin tone to look like the one here:

http://www.retouchpro.com/gallery/sh.../size/big/cat/

[emilianoarano]

here´s my version
some correction with "selective color" (less cyan/green)
gaussian blur and overlay mode

[Cyber Cat]

i rather like this photo
- down a bit blue/cyan saturation
- paint w/light
- curves
- levels

[synthetamine]

the girl on the right's facial expression. modify it.

[dvool]

Ugh, I wrote out a bunch of info and I hit "back" on accident and lost it all. lol

Let me type out a briefer explanation on how I do it.

New layer > blending mode: color - paint a "make-up/tan color" brown over the skin

For this particular image, I duplicated this layer and set the blending mode on multiply to get the skin a darker brown. (play with the layer opacity)

At this point the skin looked flatter for me, so I went back in and painted in the highlights and shadows using the original image as reference.


I hope that helps.

[Gary Richardson]

New BG and re-lit it to brighten the girls faces. Played with contrast a little.

[vdsq]

just lightroom
pop.zip contains lightroom adjustments/preset

[chrisrod]

Cute Picture. And everyone did an awesome job on thier plays.

[singlo]

since i am bored, I give it a quickie try.

[secretagents]

Here is a little something...

[des151]

Hi Kenwood,
I tried a b&w version.
Ray

[kenwood]

Thanks All!

[secretagents]

I have enjoyed working on that pic so I did quite a few more. I thought I'd show some of them.

In the first one I managed to fix the parts of the body that were overblown with light quite nicely with a free plugin called reluminate I think.

In the second I used difference clouds and lightning effects for the background. It's not very very well done but the general effect is quite good I think.

The other two involve quite a few plugins. One gives a sort of underwater lightning effect and the other is a LSDish water reflection thing I guess.

I had great fun with this pic. Thanks for sharing.

[r_dg]

well here is my try, i think my picture looks like an american eagle or hollister ad lol
the picture is great itself including the girls... hope u like and i think this pops!!

[byRo]

I found it rather strange that, for me, the best version is Ray's B&W.
Strange, because the best part of the image was supposed to be the colours!

I thought the crop was taking things in all the wrong directions, so I got in closer and made it a vertical image (cost me an arm, or two ).
Also changed the lighting to move the focus from the bodies to the faces.

Rô

[PrivatePaula]

I like the picture. My fantasy: I'm sun bathing somewhere in hot Spain. My eyes are closed. Then, I hear a whisper. I open my eyes. Two hot girls are standing surprisingly close to my deck chair at the hotel pool. They are young, arrogant, but very hot. Teenage dream somehow.

My attempt:

[scorpio_e]

Nice job lonk. I think you nailed it

[LonK]

Thanks, scorpio_e. Welcome to RetouchPRO.