hello - need some input!

[P_fuzz]

hello all,

this is my first post here... I have been looking for a good pro phtoshop forum for a while... I thought I would give this one a try!

so,
I am working on this shoot and I thought I would try get rid of old habits when retouching...

I would like to ask what you guys think of the skin in this pics, as much as I like I managed to keep a lot of the skin texture, I am a bit worried that it goes against the beauty "rules" of plastic skins and such !

all input will be appreciated!

links:
tiger
ear

thank you!

[Swampy]

P_fuzz.. Welcome to RTP!

Excellent work. I find the texture on her cheek (the "ear" shot) distracting, but over all I like the works.

[Verywierd]

I certainly don't advocate plastic skin, except where absolute smoothness is specified by the client or particular market.

Although you mentioned only the skin, my comments cover the overall image. Hope you don't mind. All comments are from the point of view of a retoucher and not an art critic.

Tiger:

1. Facial hair is a matter of taste, both yours and that of your client. However, the direct lighting has made the facial hair pretty obvious.

2. The lips of the blonde model look a bit dry. Also there is a speckly texture especially on the upper lip that may be a component of the lipstick. Under these particular conditions it does not look that attractive.

3. You may want to cut back some of the stray (non facial) hair on both models.

4. The pore texture on the neck of the blonde is a little too pronounced. Even allowing for the natural look, she appears to be getting goose pimples. Also her right eyelid looks a bit corrugated and does not match the other eye.

5. The pendant could use some more light. Both the gold and the jewels look dull.

6. There are stretch marks (or what look like stretch marks) visible on the right breast of the blonde.

7. There are bumps and pimple scars on the chin of the dark haired model that could be fixed.

8. Several gold strands of the long earring are out of place.

Ear:

1. The textured make up on her eyelid looks more like a skin problem. Softening it a little would help.

2. There is a small dark bump at the tip of her nose that looks out of place, as well as the strand of hair rising from the bridge of her nose.

3. I have already addressed facial hair, but the hair at the edge of her upper lip is really obvious and affects the line of her lip.

4. Her lips look really dry.

5. The scars on her chin again.

6. The stray hairs over her ear don't serve any purpose. Stray hairs in general.

7. Even if you want to leave the short hairs running down her neck, there is a lightish strand jutting out from the back of her neck that does not look good.

8. The indentation in the dress at the tip of her left breast is not matched by the right side and makes it look like there is nothing filling the breast cup.

I hope that I don't come across as too critical and I certainly don't mean to be.

[P_fuzz]

great....
I dont mind constructive criticism at all... this is wicked!
thank you for pointing out all that, there are a few things that I agree, just sort of overlooked because I am in a tight schedule... and too many pics!

I will run through the session and do some adjustments,
verywierd, good critics is only going to make be a better photographer/retoucher!
thanks guys,
f

[P_fuzz]

really great input here... so this is a follow up...

I worked around the suggestion and just start dabbling into DnB (thanks to this forum!) so here its is, its a mix of previous retouch and d'nb!

hope I managed to improve pics, but as all jobs there is a bloody timeschdule so I had to stop....

Tiger
ear
twenties
shhh

for those who would like to take a look there is more stuff at
my flickr

thank you all for the input,
f

PS: how do I attach picture here? is it really only 100kb?

[sirespen]

Cool work! I like the first one! And yes, only 100kb for the attachments