eye for a eye

[alreese83]

I am retouching a wedding photograph where the bride's left eye is closed. It closed because she had stroke, so I cannot grab an eye from a similar image. To have an open left eye all I would have to do is --- copy, paste, and warp / distort the duplicate eye to place it in the right socket, and bam a new / open eye? That's what I thought / did; but are there any different / better methods?

Please just focus on the eyes, I have not finished massaging the entire image.

Thanks,
-ar

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Pic Links -

Two Eyes

Original

[Doug Nelson]

Re: eye for a eye

Did the bride ask for the eye to be opened? Because if she no longer looks that way it seems odd to have it changed. Would she have an arm added if she'd lost an arm?

[klev]

Re: eye for a eye

It's never that simple. First the makeup looks too bright in that position. I get that it's causing a bright reflection on the other.

Dim the new one to differentiate a bit.

Don't leave a tear duct on the incorrect side of her eye. I don't think most people will spot it immediately, but you don't want anyone to ever spot that. I can't emphasize this point enough.

See the humpish portion to the upper eyelid? You'll see that as people age, and it's perfect natural. It's just that on the pasted eye, it's now on the wrong side. The lower eyelid exhibits the same effect, but it doesn't distract me there.

The sclera is too bright on the pasted eye. It isn't absurdly bright, but I don't recommend going brighter than necessary. You don't want to draw attention to your work, and once again it will differentiate them a bit better.

[alreese83]

Re: eye for a eye

Thanks for the helpful replies.

Klev, where I did notice the brightness of the eye white, I totally didn't notice your other mentions, super thanks for pointing it all out.

The bride requested an open eye, and since then her eye has reopened. I have to do a couple more images for her. Thus this is not the end of the eye molding retouch.

Cheers,
- ar

[klev]

Re: eye for a eye

The bride requested an open eye, and since then her eye has reopened. I have to do a couple more images for her. Thus this is not the end of the eye molding retouch.

I understand that completely. I emphasized the tear duct being on the wrong side with the flipped eye, because you appear to be a wedding photographer. You don't want someone to notice that and point it out to their friends. You could lose potential clients that way.