Insight into the post processing of this image?

[Migzzz]

In particular how the photographer gets the skin to look so painterly and smooth.

http://s017.radikal.ru/i435/1202/73/85dfd3ad4eaf.jpg

[klev]

Re: Insight into the post processing of this image

Eh this isn't that mysterious, but I suppose it would be easy to get lost with it. When you have that much skin over different regions, you'll always see considerable discontinuity. This will make the image appear to be a bit flat. Usually I would just darken regions that are too bright. Some examples might be the upper chest or part of the back. I'm referring to a region here as opposed to a smaller area where you might expect to see a specific highlight.

When you have enough continuity in skin density, you color correct the skin as well. The other thing I think you're seeing here is that nothing clashes with the skin. You don't have a background of similar density and neutral color. The dresses are drastically different in color. The stuff I mentioned focuses on the skin, but that wouldn't complete the look here. It has considerable adjustment.

This stuff isn't that mechanically difficult. It's much more difficult to envision where to go with the initial image. You may have past knowledge from prior jobs, but it takes a while to make the image look like that. There are a few signs that tell me this image was a pain in the ass. It's evident in parts of the clothing and along the spine. I get the feeling that they didn't want her to look too bony, so they lightened up that shadow as much as they could without looking too weird. There's also the shadowed hand. There's no way to make that hand look really attractive when it's dark and noisy. You just have to settle for something that isn't distracting.

[skoobey]

Re: Insight into the post processing of this image

The way hair is parting on the left girl leaves a huge blue light spot.

It's all in the pixel. No secret, lot's of work. Want the pixel to change color? You change the color, Want pixel to be lighter or darker? You lighten or darken.

[paulkris]

Re: Insight into the post processing of this image

Amazing photo.

Not only the skin, but the whole image looks like a painting. Most of the work is done by preparing the lighting, models, background, posing. The retouch part is important, but small compared to the shooting part.

It would be tough to start with a photo with 2 girls on a beach.

So to make photos like this first you need to know pretty well composition and lighting.

Check out this photographers, both have blogs and tutorials explaining their techniques:

http://apalkin.deviantart.com/gallery/

http://www.haroldrossfineart.com/ind...=10000&s=0&p=3

Harold Ross is using Hosemaster for lighting.