Super Simple Eye Enhancement

[Mindbender]

Heya matrix7, and ofcourse a big heya to all the others here

let me thank you for your first post with my first post

I've just found this forum a few minutes ago and was currious about your catchlight enchancements

I've already tried your tip and it works like charm..
Thanks again..

I'm sure I will stick to this forum for a longer time

As I'm no professional I've attached a picture of the snapshot I've (tried) to enchance with your tip.
I'm not sure about the eyes, I want them to stand out, without to tend to alieneyes, may I have your oppinion please?
Does this look "natural", or already overdone?

Cheers

Mindbender

[RDKirk]

[QUOTE=Caitlin]Thanks for satisfying my curiosity guys! I suspect this is one of those 'only in America' traditions. The photos taken in schools here - including our final year, are very much in the passport mugshot tradition
[QUOTE]

That was true in the US until the 90s. Then senior photos started turning into "lifestyle memory" photos. I don't know if photographers pushed it first or just leaped onto the bandwagon, but now it's become a financial mainstay of many portrait studios, with seniors paying from several hundred to several thousand dollars for their packages (actually, of course, their parents are paying it).

This decade appears to be the decade of the "pregnancy portrait."

[Just Ducky]

[QUOTE=RDKirk;106454][QUOTE=Caitlin]Thanks for satisfying my curiosity guys! I suspect this is one of those 'only in America' traditions. The photos taken in schools here - including our final year, are very much in the passport mugshot tradition

That was true in the US until the 90s. Then senior photos started turning into "lifestyle memory" photos. I don't know if photographers pushed it first or just leaped onto the bandwagon, but now it's become a financial mainstay of many portrait studios, with seniors paying from several hundred to several thousand dollars for their packages (actually, of course, their parents are paying it).

This decade appears to be the decade of the "pregnancy portrait."

I would actually disagree with this, to a degree. I live in the middle of the country (i.e. "flyover land") and a professionally done senior portrait has been a tradition since at least the 1960s. I know my parents had them done. They are used for the newspaper (small towns, at least) and the yearbook, and hang on your parents wall all your life.

We do have the traditional thing where a photographer came to the school, you stood in line and were given a little black comb to fix your hair, then you sat on a stool, took your picture in front of a blue smudgy background, and that was it. The summer before senior year, or early senior year, if your parents can afford it you get them professionally done. If they weren't available by picture day, you got the standard blue smudgy photo.

In the 60s it was one of three poses in formal clothing...looking forward, staring off into the distance, and looking over your shoulder towards the camera. In the 80s it started including outfit and set changes, and by the 90s it was like a "fashion photo shoot".

[crabbyphoto]

Be very careful with over done eyes and esp., "catchlights". Thats what I am seeing here. A great way to avoid this is to do all of your "eye" work on separate layers so you can reduce the overall effect after the project is completed and you have a chance to get over your "photoshop madness" lol. Then the voice of reason kicks in and 9 chances out of 10 your gonna want to lower your effects. In serious portraiture people still want believable enhancement.

Also remember for the most part spot color on black & white (with the exception of halloween and special effects) is a cliche that was only popular right after Photoshop was introduced in the 80's and pretty much labels anyone who uses it as a "wanna-be" photographer and pretty much shunned especially in Senior and Wedding markets. Its fun I know, but resist the urge.