An image for retouching...not manipulation

ezprod · #1 02-23-2010, 06:50 PM

So I always considered myself pretty good at basic retouching. Getting rid of the bags under the eyes, cleaning up the pores and blemishes etc. Even stray hairs and that sort of thing. Color correction, balancing tones, all that stuff. But some of you guys are simply magical. I have to admit the blur technique I have used for years, still bringing enough of the image back that pores are still visible but I would love to see what people can do with the following image.

Any help you guys can do on this thing would be amazing. Would love to see what certain members such as flexmanta can do to her skin. I have been trying out the d&b method and man it is a skill! I am getting there but no fast enough.

Bear in mind the following information. The composition is exactly how I wanted it. I LOVE the way it is lit. However, there are issues with the models skin. The professional makeup artist did as good of a job as she could, but there is lots of work to be done to make the skin magazine worthy. I have uploaded a fullsize jpg for now for download and will update this thread with a dng later if people want to work with that instead. The jpg can be found at
FULLSIZE JPG

Aiden · #2 02-24-2010, 03:03 AM

Just say if you'd like a look at the full size version.
Here's a slightly bigger version: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2801/...972124_b_d.jpg

ezprod · #3 02-24-2010, 12:40 PM

Aiden. Not bad. What techniques did you use. What exactly did you change? "work on" etc.

Aiden · #4 02-24-2010, 01:19 PM

Not alot, a little bit of D&B on the skin, and mainly cloning and healing elsewhere. And a bit of a colour treatment that I thought fit the photo quite nicely.

flexmanta · #5 02-24-2010, 02:10 PM

We need the raw to recover that hair.

ME_wwwing · #6 02-24-2010, 03:17 PM

new guy post. 2nd post. my 1st posted was posted in the wrong thread.

http://www.pbase.com/me_wwwing/image/122292845

shelly_and_roy · #7 02-25-2010, 09:27 AM

It sounded like you were mostly concerned with fixing the facial skin, so I focused there. This is not a complete retouch, but a "proof" to see if this is the direction you wanted to move in.

I used frequency separation, and then applied smoothing to the low-frequency layer, masking as appropriate. I also enhanced the eyes and did a couple of heals on the skin but did not, for example, fix flyaway hair.

The crop is at full resolution, which required a lower quality setting than I might have liked to get it to the 100k limit. Still, should be good enough for proofing.

ezprod · #8 02-25-2010, 12:46 PM

Shelly and roy...looks good. I like the way you balanced the harsh edges the makeup artist did on her blush to create a real nice shape. Great job with the eyes as well. You didnt go too blue. I approve

Gary · #9 02-25-2010, 04:37 PM

Clone and healing brush to fix the skin blemishes; select curves to even the skin tones; Saturation/Highlights to regain some detail in her hair; smooth skin and apply Smart Sharpen to the lightness channel in LAB.

Cheers.

ezprod · #10 02-25-2010, 05:00 PM

Gary...I love what you did to her, but I shot the background dark to help her pop. If you darkened the background then she would really "POP!" Looks great though, even small.

Gary · #11 02-25-2010, 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ezprod

Gary...I love what you did to her, but I shot the background dark to help her pop. If you darkened the background then she would really "POP!" Looks great though, even small.

Thanks. I overlooked the darker BG from your original. Is this more of what you would prefer?

http://www.pbase.com/image/122292481

Cheers.

ezprod · #12 02-25-2010, 07:26 PM

very nice work. People on this forum love to push everything to extremes. You have a nice eye.

0lBaldy · #13 02-25-2010, 10:47 PM

LOL, I guess I went sort of extreme!

I like what Gary ended up with!

haymelter · #14 02-26-2010, 01:45 AM

Some healing, not much, light gaussian followed by low sandstone texture

Gary · #15 02-26-2010, 03:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 0lBaldy

LOL, I guess I went sort of extreme!

I like what Gary ended up with!

Thank you. Appreciated.

And whether or not you went 'extreme', is subjective.

Cheers.

meganite · #16 02-26-2010, 03:52 PM

Use dodge and burn, curves and sharpening

Full size
http://img692.imageshack.us/img692/9...24retouced.jpg
Details
http://img72.imageshack.us/img72/917...24detailed.jpg

shootphoto · #17 03-07-2010, 03:09 PM

http://i531.photobucket.com/albums/d...touchsmall.jpg

here's my take on it

shootphoto · #18 03-07-2010, 03:11 PM

http://i531.photobucket.com/albums/d...touchsmall.jpg

marek · #19 03-08-2010, 10:57 AM

oh another image to practice on... thanks for this wonderful image... will post my work in two days
(cuz ive got only 1.4 ghz sempron for a kick hahaha and a 750 megs RAM, beat that apple user... hahahah)

ezprod · #20 03-08-2010, 01:34 PM

Meganite it looks great.

I am surprised nobody noticed the twosided tape on the plaid behind the broach and removed that and the flap of fabric on her right hip. But great work so far with skin and tones. That tends to be my focus in retouching my work. Removing any clips or safety pins and blemishes that sort of thing. I rarely get so involved in perfecting the skin. The work here looks great!

marek · #21 03-09-2010, 03:00 AM

ok... here's my work... ^_^

My Work

ezprod · #22 03-09-2010, 03:57 PM

Marek I really like the richness of color you achieved. It might have created a little harsh of contrast for my liking on the highlights of her skin, but DAMN! I love how full and deep all the colors are.

marek · #23 03-10-2010, 10:11 AM

thnx... yeah the highlights is a bit harsh, my plan actually involves tanning and shine hahahah but dont really know how to tan...

qbic · #24 03-31-2010, 03:38 AM

Hi.
Acc. to me there was nothing special about the skin. Typical problems as most photos have... I would edit it this way...
Nice shot btw.

LaurenW · #25 03-31-2010, 07:08 AM

heres what i did...

not as much skin retouching as i usually do, but other than that this is how i retouch my photos... i do mostly alternative and horror/macabre photography, so i like my photos to have a dark, yet vibrant look.. (if that makes sense lol!) i did some "extreme" eye enhancement, color enhancement, some light correction, brought out the details..

Full Size

hadleysunshine · #26 04-29-2010, 11:44 PM

Really love what Shelly and Roy did. I am photographer from a very small country town...sports for the local school, senior portraits, new babies,...etc. First time on here, I can not believe the world that I was missing out on..!! Love reading everyone of you guys post and seeing how talented you all are...

ME_wwwing · #27 04-30-2010, 08:22 AM

you also might want to read these 2 web sites aswell.

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/forum.asp?forum=1006
http://www.modelmayhem.com/t.php?forum_id=18

petrus · #28 05-05-2010, 11:02 AM

what about this....

W.Smith · #29 05-05-2010, 11:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aiden

Just say if you'd like a look at the full size version.

I'd appreciate that. Can you post a link to the original?

Quote:

Here's a slightly bigger version: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2801/...972124_b_d.jpg

788x1024 Is far too small to seriously work on.

TonyRios · #30 05-05-2010, 12:46 PM

That was fun. What's next? JK. I hope you like my work.

How do I post something larger to show my work? I am not sure how to on this forum.

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