Try Retouching This Gal

[dvbear]

Hey,

So I've been crawling around retouchpro and have evolved as a retoucher quite a lot. I've also went though Lynda.com Portrait Retouching and read some free books I found online. I'm getting pretty good at things like basic touch ups on the eye, lips and face but I want to start learning how to make simple photos more interesting.

I have a photo that I THINK has SOME potential and would like to see if anyone can make this fairly simple photo into something more interesting. I have learned it takes nothing but hard work and time to truly master retouching so if anyone would like to take a crack at this I would be grateful to learn.

Here is the Link to the RAW:
http://www.mediafire.com/?uymxwyfm3yz

[marek]

thnx for the image.... be back soon for my retouch... ^_^

[anakngpasig]

here's my try

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2698/...5d58ede3_b.jpg

[masterlizzard]

Thanks for the pic. Here's my take

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4007/...4ff1b964_o.jpg

[dvbear]

anakngpasig did you purposely make the picture look like death? LOL
I personally would have darkened the eyebrows a little because they're looking a little sparse now that you lightened her skin but damn I really like the color you've made her skin and the overall tone of the picture.

[nani98765]

Originally Posted by anakngpasig

here's my try

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2698/...5d58ede3_b.jpg

superb my friend

[Overdoze]

Heres my try. Could have fixed the background too.. But the little darker bottom of picture makes the eyes to wander up to lighter upper corner and right to the face =)

[anakngpasig]

Originally Posted by dvbear

anakngpasig did you purposely make the picture look like death? LOL
I personally would have darkened the eyebrows a little because they're looking a little sparse now that you lightened her skin but damn I really like the color you've made her skin and the overall tone of the picture.

LOL yeah i was kinda inspired by the shirt she's wearing

Originally Posted by nani98765

superb my friend

thank you!

[ME_wwwing]

http://i.pbase.com/o4/89/780489/1/12...YHwZ4.1735.jpg

[dvbear]

ME_wwwing can you describe some of the processes you used?

[ME_wwwing]

i selected the white text on her shirt > SelectiveColor>whites> + blacks
Exposure Layer>Gamma> to the left - watched the blacks
Selective Colors > Blacks> +2 blacks
Selective Colors >Red> -blacks
Selective Colors >Yellows> -blacks
selected the eyes, eyebrows and lips. put on another layer > changed mode to Darken > USM > 95%, 4.1, 0
Flatten
Dup - Dup
1st Dup moved image to the left and up
on 2nd Dup erased to add in hair

did a lot of Cloning on hairs edges.

[dvbear]

Nice. I think I'm going to try and mimic you're style if you don't mind.

[ME_wwwing]

don't mind at all.

enjoyed working on your photo.

[TopiToo]

Hi dvbear

Great picture so thought I would have a play
TBH basically just opened the image up and tried to
work on the overall red cast and bring some detail
back into the top/hair.

TopiToo

[amandaleigh]

I've been a member here for quite some time and have yet to post anything like this, so here is my first go on here posting a re-touch!

http://img52.imageshack.us/img52/5233/img1735f.jpg

[TopiToo]

Originally Posted by amandaleigh

I've been a member here for quite some time and have yet to post anything like this, so here is my first go on here posting a re-touch!

http://img52.imageshack.us/img52/5233/img1735f.jpg

Hello amandaleigh.

great work, love the hair

[TopiToo]

Hi

Had another go at this image, hope that's ok
Trying to bring back the red highlights in the hair.
Reduce more of the colour in the flesh and soften a touch.

[lkroll]

Metallic skin haters need not click. Enjoyed the play.

[Gary]

Thought that she would fit into a 'grungy' BG.

http://www.pbase.com/pictek/image/123077695/large

[rsphotocreation]

I really like the metallic skin, although on her face it's not great, but great job on her arm

[Dak Paule]

Originally Posted by lkroll

Metallic skin haters need not click. Enjoyed the play.

I love that metallic skin look, Lyle. Can you tell me how you get this effect?

Dak

[Tea_Brush]

Nice subject

[Pixarra]

Hi All,

I'm new here and thought I'd give this photo a try.

http://content.screencast.com/users/...hpro_0001a.jpg

Used TwistedBrush, Portrait Style 1 solution and a random frame solution.

Nice to view the other manipulations here.

Ken

[mepaulus]

Here is my attempt at this , i tend to do more restoration work so not sure if anyone thinks this is an improvement lol.

[lkroll]

Originally Posted by Dak Paule

I love that metallic skin look, Lyle. Can you tell me how you get this effect?

Dak

I used Three Bar Sin graidient mapping (Three Bar Sin is one of the gradient presets in GIMP), blended to taste (depending on the Image, I either using Overlay, Gradient Extract, or a myriad of other layer properties; sometimes just an opacity change. Don't remember what I used for this one).

[DaveTyrer]

Originally Posted by anakngpasig

here's my try

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2698/...5d58ede3_b.jpg

anakngpasig...what steps did you go through to get your results?

Dave

[photoc]

My quick take on this, was fun