Pageant Retouched Photo

[Chandra]

Hey everyone I'm new to the forums and I'm in need of some help!

I am semi new to photo retouching. I know the basics of it but my daughter has just recently started doing the higher level pageants and we're in need of a glitz pageant photo.

I searched the word pageant on this site for some instructions as to how to do it in depth but I'm using Paint shop pro 12 and alot of the instructions arent compatable with my program and then 90% of the posts where bashing the idea.. so I got really no help??

I was just wondering if anyone had any pointers as far as skin and mainly the doll eyes... to pay someone to do it is MONDO expensive so i thought i'd give it a shot at doing on my own.. and try to get some help here

Here are two pictures of my daughter natural and then an example of how I'd like to make them look..

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...aSmith/1-2.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...draSmith/6.jpg

And how I'd like to TRY to make them look..

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i2...llard_pink.jpg

http://www.bellevisagephotography.co...hotography.htm


I know probably everyone is going to bash this thread and I know my daughter is gorgeous but its just used for a competition.

Thank you very much to the ones who help me!

[igot2pman]

Most of that look is through masking. Surface blur only the face. Sharpen everything else. Vibrence/saturation select parts.

The rest is painting and D&B (Dodge and Burn [50% grey set to soft light blending mode painting with B&W]).

Look below at the screen shoot for more details. I did 2 version's one with and with less of the skin surface blurred. I do not have or used the program you own but I hope this puts you in the right direction. I don’t have fake eye lashes so I could not add them. You could also change the background but I do not have a pink one.

Larger image should lead to much better results. And hopefully others will add their own thoughts.

FOR NEXT TIME> If you’re going for a Barbie doll look, the neck should not be bent so much. Like the example picture, the neck is perfectly strait. I'm not saying its a bad picture or pose, just a comment.

Hope this helps,
-Keven

*Starts with the original, then the slightly blured, then the full blur.

[igot2pman]

Another thing you can do is try the same lighting setup the example picture used. Its called butterfly lighting, you can look it up to find the exact set up.

[Chandra]

Ok that helps out alot.. I'll start with those pointers and see what I can come up with!! Thank you so much! The last picture you posted is very close to what I'm aiming for. I also have to figure out how to do the doll eyes. I cant figure out if they just redraw them or use a brush or tube for them.

[igot2pman]

Its over sharpening and masking only that area.

-Keven

[lolli]

First that is a beautiful child... I too work with Pageant pics and althouigh I wish you did not have to do them like this it is what's expected now. I have done a little but pic is small and I am a novice.

[pixeltek]

this was done literally in less than 5 minutes...ignore the extraction details...i just wanted to show you that if this is the photo you have your heart set on using, you can straighten your daughter's head, replace the background, and have a nice photo...i didn't do anything else to the photo.

[Chandra]

Originally Posted by pixeltek

this was done literally in less than 5 minutes...ignore the extraction details...i just wanted to show you that if this is the photo you have your heart set on using, you can straighten your daughter's head, replace the background, and have a nice photo...i didn't do anything else to the photo.

Oh my gosh I love how you straightened it!!

And the eyelashes in the photo before are awesome!

I have so much to learn and it looks so easy to you guys... I played with it last night and just can't get it to look right

[igot2pman]

If you need more help, tell us what you have done, then post where your at and also a screen shot of you layers pannal (alt + print screen then paste into a new PS doc).

pixeltek, I realy like the straiting also. What method did you use? Looks crazy when you flip from original to the strait...lol

-Keven

[Chandra]

Originally Posted by pixeltek

this was done literally in less than 5 minutes...ignore the extraction details...i just wanted to show you that if this is the photo you have your heart set on using, you can straighten your daughter's head, replace the background, and have a nice photo...i didn't do anything else to the photo.

How did you straighten the photo?? I know there is a straighten tool on paint shop pro but i haven't figured out exactly how to use it yet?

[pixeltek]

Chandra, first be sure to work off a copy of the original as a second layer keeping the first layer "background" eye closed (not sure what your program has) so you don't see or work off of it.

So, on the second layer, which is a copy of the entire photo, first, I *quickly* cut and pasted just her head/hair/hoodie to a new layer (should be your third layer) and then straightened her out...obviously you would take your time to get a clean extraction. When you're happy with how the head meshes with the body, merge the two layers (2nd and 3rd).

Next, for the background, again you'd take your time extracting or erasing, whatever method you're comfortable with, around her hoodie. I would make another copy now of the photo with her head in the straightened position and not work off a second copy of the fixed photo. This should now be your third layer. Add a blank layer and move it underneath your top layer (which should have the erased background). On the blank layer for simple-sake, just "pour" a color into it so you can see the result. I just added a pink-tinted background, nothing fancy.

There may have been something else done that I'm not remembering but just ask if you don't get it. I'm not the greatest at explaining. I started confusing myself

Take your time, experiment, and good luck!

PS: Keven, I'm sure this'll be easier for you to follow.

[igot2pman]

pixeltek,

Thanks for shairing.

-Keven

[Chandra]

well i played with it for a little bit and you gotta remember this is my first time... i dont think the editing is that bad but its still NOTHING close to what im looking for.. imay jst have to break down and dish out the the money for someone to make me one... but here's my go at it..

Original

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...draSmith/6.jpg

Retouched

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...Smith/test.jpg

[Chandra]

I sharpened around the edges way to much but i dont think the face is that bad

[igot2pman]

You are correct on the sharpening, It is too much. But the retouch of the face is not bad. Your not quite perfectly strait but the crop is much better. But with that said i would come out a bit and straiten and center a bit better. [View >>> show>>> Grid] should help with the straitening

Add some D&B, a simple D&B is shown below. It just adds definition. The re-crop I did in my view is to tight and should be zoomed out.

-Keven

*starts with original then with D&B and next straitened and last D&B layer

[lolli]

Pageant pics are generaly tilted and not so close . I do like what youv'e done though. I wish I could the d&b but to old to get it or something. Pat

[Chandra]

i dont know what d&b is... and I agree its to close.. I'm just going to have to pay someone most likely... there are some EXTEMELY talented people out there and i jst can't compete with that...

[igot2pman]

I know its long, but from what you have done so far, it will just take it one step further.

The Dodge, Burn, and Sponge Tools
These three tools mimic photographic techniques to lighten or darken images. Dodge is
used to lighten an image, Burn darkens an image, while the Sponge tool increases the
(colour) saturation. Select the desired tool and scroll over the area or selection of the
image you want to darken.

(Dodge and Burn (non-destructive) [New 50% grey layer set to soft light blending mode, then paint with Black (burn) & White (dodge), and a 5% opacity brush). My before post shows my soft light layer I used for your picture.

Movie tut of how to make layer and use it.

You can use D&B to make 2d appear 3d. See ball below found here The next picture is a picture of a light and shadow map of the face. Use it as a guide, but you do not need to use all of it all the time. The light present in every picture should be your MAIN guide. A basic guide Is to make lighter inner and darker outer or make the closest part lighter (always lightn tward the light).

Try it out,
-Keven

[MeganKris09]

Okay, So I realize it's been a while since this thread was active, but I just had to try the steps that everyone suggested to edit two photos.

The one that was supplied above, and a picture of my cousin.

Makenzie Before -
http://i589.photobucket.com/albums/s...nCuties/b4.png

Makenzie After -
http://i589.photobucket.com/albums/s...nCuties/af.png

Pageant Cutie Before -
http://i589.photobucket.com/albums/s...Cuties/b41.png

Pageant Cutie After -
http://i589.photobucket.com/albums/s...Cuties/af1.png

I'm not too good with photoshop so bear with me

[valerism]

Hiya, I just found this board from another photog board I regular. I am so happy to be here! I had a try at your little darling. I chose to do the one no one else attempted yet... it is a small photo so the results are limited but I hope you like what I came up with... being new to this board I hope I can manage to attach the file properly


1-2.jpg

1-2_rvsd2.jpg

[moonchild64]

My 2 tries here:

pageantBabyWeb.jpg

pageantBaby2Web.jpg

[BobJones]

I thought I would give it a try too. I didn't attempt the "pageant hair" so I guess you could call this a "semi-glitz"

[feppe]

Wait a second - it appears this is not a joke thread. People actually want their daughters to look like this?

[moonchild64]

Originally Posted by feppe

Wait a second - it appears this is not a joke thread. People actually want their daughters to look like this?

Yes, there are those who do and then again ... those who do not. I imagine if you google about it you will find a forum in which to discuss the pros and cons of such.

Did you have a retouched photo you wanted to share with this thread in the retouch forum? I would love to see what you came up with.

[moonchild64]

I opted to try yet another ... actually ... same one but I added lashes and touched up the lips. She is just so naturally beautiful that I only did a little play with the lighting in the first tries (and a tad D&B).

If you need an even more plastic look ... just holler. (I am not trying to be disrespectful to you when I say "plastic look". That just happens to be the look I see them going for in the pageant retouch genre.

pageantBabyDollWeb.jpg

Slightly lighter than one above:

pageantBabyDoll2Web.jpg

[feppe]

Originally Posted by moonchild64

Yes, there are those who do and then again ... those who do not. I imagine if you google about it you will find a forum in which to discuss the pros and cons of such.

Did you have a retouched photo you wanted to share with this thread in the retouch forum? I would love to see what you came up with.

If it wasn't apparent, it's against my ethics so I won't. I won't bother the thread anymore.

[frate]

Thank you for the great walkthrough.

[mcole]

Here's one I did awhile back.

[buhritany]

i have never retouched photos before but i do do glitz pageants and i have won ultimate grand supreme! this only took me 15 mins to do and its my first time! you would have to fix up the eyeliner and with the hair and doll eyes and eyebrows i selected and then copied them off the photo you added with the girl in the pink!


1-2.jpg

1-2 ,.jpg

[W.Smith]

Originally Posted by Chandra

I know probably everyone is going to bash this thread and I know my daughter is gorgeous but its just used for a competition.

Indeed! Let her be a kid! Don't use your daughter to inflate your ego! She is not a plastic doll!

Having said that, your pictures are not ideal to turn into 'pageantry' images: they are unsharp! So, go and retake them! (With better lighting and background, and without black or other dark colors! Shoot RAW for careful tweaking)

I did a Quick & Dirty on the pinkish one nevertheless: brightened darker parts, smoothed skin, brightened eye-whites and teeth, saturated irises, dodged eye keylights, enlarged eyes, unsharp mask.

I did not add heavy make-up as I refuse to make a sweet 4 year old look like a prostitute.

ChandrakidB4After.jpg