Yet another skin question

[SixHouse]

Hey everyone. If you're not familiar with the work of Keith Selle, he's a very well known photographer in the alternative/tattoo model world. For the life of me I can't figure out how he gets skin tone and texture to look the way he does.

It doesn't look anything like the amateur gaussian/surface blurs you see all over the internet, and I doubt he's using anything as time consuming as frequency separation with micro level healing/dodging and burning because he pumps out 10 images in an hour sometimes.

He produces a smoothness that certainly doesn't look "real" but at the same time it works for him in a way that I've never seen it work before.

Take a look at these few images and I'd love to hear your comments:

https://scontent-b-atl.xx.fbcdn.net/...37587237_n.png

https://scontent-a-atl.xx.fbcdn.net/...10540781_n.png

https://www.facebook.com/keithsellep.../photos_stream

[rl-retouch]

Re: Yet another skin question

From what I can see at this resolution, the skin has zero texture and is a bit smudgey, looks like he's used imagenomic portraiture for a quick fix. I'm sure its no secret, you should email him directly

[RobertGarcia]

Re: Yet another skin question

yup, looks like filter retouching. Not bad though.

[klev]

Re: Yet another skin question

From what I can see at this resolution, the skin has zero texture and is a bit smudgey, looks like he's used imagenomic portraiture for a quick fix. I'm sure its no secret, you should email him directly

It would be easier to tell for sure on a high res. I think the overall feeling of smoothness could be produced in a less destructive manner. I don't see anything special or new about the work. Many others have done similar work.

[oneredpanther]

Re: Yet another skin question

It doesn't look anything like the amateur gaussian/surface blurs you see all over the internet,

Sorry but it looks exactly like the amateur blur you see all over the internet. Find yourself a new role model.

[SixHouse]

Re: Yet another skin question

Sorry but it looks exactly like the amateur blur you see all over the internet. Find yourself a new role model.

You're right. An internationally known and published photographer with 100+ covers is a terrible role model.

[oneredpanther]

Re: Yet another skin question

Come on, look at this: https://scontent-b-atl.xx.fbcdn.net/...37587237_n.png

That's on par with some of the worst retouching I've ever seen on this site.

[SixHouse]

Re: Yet another skin question

And yet he has several best selling books and doesn't sleep on a futon. Go figure ;-)

[oneredpanther]

Re: Yet another skin question

And Justin Bieber sells millions of records. If only popularity equaled quality.

[SixHouse]

Re: Yet another skin question

Mr. Bieber also doesn't sleep on a futon. Must be doing something right huh?

[oneredpanther]

Re: Yet another skin question

Maybe you should go to a bed forum if you're unable to talk about retouching?

[Aladdin]

Re: Yet another skin question

Sorry but it looks exactly like the amateur blur you see all over the internet. Find yourself a new role model.

+1000000

Thank you...

[SixHouse]

Re: Yet another skin question

Maybe you should go to a bed forum if you're unable to talk about retouching?

Good idea. Which one did you use to find your futon?

[SixHouse]

Re: Yet another skin question

+1000000

Thank you...

What have you done?

[Eedmonam]

Re: Yet another skin question

I think he uses Gaussian blur but first he selects legs(for example) with a lasso tool(or pen tool the be more precise) copies it to a new layer(so that he has the new selection as a seperate object on top of the background), then command+clicks on the layer to select the transparency of the new copied layer and then he does a huge amount of gaussian blur but because it was on a seperate layer with a selection on it id doesnt blur the edges of the body parts. After that I think he just ALT+pushes the right slider in Blend if dialog box to the left just to make some highlights visible from the previous layer.