More Portrait Practice

[Paul Lange]

This was taken a while ago and I have just got round to doing anything with it. Not sure about this one, like some bits, not others. I gave the skin a bronze tone and softened it a bit. Just trying to work out how they smooth skin in PS without any of those plugins. I've been using a mix of 2 layers, one has the noise reduction over cooked so the image is more like blocks of flat colours, the other is with the skin smoothed out using the clone tool. I then play around with the opacity of each layer until I get a mix of smooth skin with a hint of skin texture showing through. I'm wondering the the face has been overdone a bit.

 

[Pete Askew]

Great lighting and a very relaxed looking portrait.

I do think the skin is a tiny bit over-smoothed though. As you know, there are loads of ways to do skin smoothing. I used to use a complicated lighten and darken blur layer and then adjust the ratio and paint back bit using masks (passed to me by a wedding photographer friend who'd been on an expensive course) - driven by actions. However, I now take a much simpler route (and I cannot actually see the difference - when used delicately). First I create a layer and then use either clone lighten and darken to reduce / remove imperfections in the skin (moles I reduce, spots I zap). I adjust the opacity of the layer to get a realistic impression (low opacity lighten and darken can also help if any areas of the skin are a bit coarser or if the person has more prominent pores). If the skin needs smoothing at all I will then create a new layer and apply some blur (it doesn't seem to make a huge amount of difference which one as long as the colour of the background isn't too strong). I then use a mask to paint back sharpness around eyes and mouth etc as well as hair, textiles, background and the like, then use overall opacity of the layer (maybe as low as 30%) to get a realistic and flattering complexion.

 

[adrian jordin]

Paul,

Looks like Pete beat me to this while I was checking my facts...
But he is doing essentially what I would do as a starting point...

Try the following...
- Don't tone the image to start with
- duplicate the layer twice,
- on the first duplicate apply a soft gaussian blur, just enough to even out tones without losing all detail
- on the second duplicate (the top layer), change the blending mode to overlay and reduce the opacity till you get the level of softness you want coming through.
- This may also alter skin tones, so apply any toning now.
- finally on the first duplicate layer, apply a layer mask and mask out any detail you want fully sharp.

 

[Dan Cattermole]

Yeah, what ever pete said.... :/
I like the compo Paul. It's excellent!

 

[Paul Lange]

Cheers guys, There are loads of ways to do it I know but I imagine its good to know as many as possible. I've been a bit of a turd and completely forgot you can change the blend mode of the clone stamp! I've been reducing opacity on a different layer and then reducing layer opacity to suit. Can start to look a bit too painterly though. I like the gaussian blur method but have found that it can blur the edges a bit which sometimes means difficult masking work. I've started to experiment with a free filter called Noise Shampoo. It only works in 8 bit though. However you open the image up in a 2nd window reduce to 8 bit, de noise and then change to 16 bit and add back in as a new layer if it was really an issue. Ramping up the noise reduction reduces details but smooths skin.

I saved the image as a multi layer tiff so I could reduce the smoothing, how about this. Something is odd with the base layer i might bring a new one in though, slight pixellation on it. Could just be me though.

 

[Pete Askew]

That s certainly more realistic I think. You could probably even reduce it a touch more on her face I suspect (the joys of youth!!).

 

[adrian jordin]

I think on balance I prefer the second version...

 

[Paul Lange]

Ok, Spurred on with the usual encouragement I have had a rethink. This has just a diffuse glow and slight contrast boost. The first one was more a a practice as smoothing but I think I got carried and was heading towards those terrible adverts with models that look like they are made of plastic. Also scrapped the bronze tone as well.

 

[Pete Askew]

Just goes to show, if you have good skin you don't need it smoothing!! You are right about removing the bronze effect as well. This is very nice. Natural and more full of character I think. But, as you say, it's good to practice.

 

[Vic Shaw]

Paul,

I pretty much like all these versions, although I don't really have any ideas regards to smothing the skin manualy I will confess to using a plug in to assist me at times with this from red paw media. The only thing that bothers me about the shot is her right hand it looks very unnatural.


Vic

 

[adrian jordin]

One last thing to do..and that's to brighten the eyes.
At the moment you're losing any detail of the eye and the whites look muddy. brighten them up for more impact.

 

[Brian Moore]

Paul,...it's a lovely photo. The compo is very nicely done. As to the tone and smoothing: If you hadn't mentioned these things I personally wouldn't have noticed. I would have assumed the little girl's skin color was just that bronze color so common in Southern California.

However, I agree that the third version is better.

 

[Hamish Gill]

Can i make a recommendation...
The balance of the light draws the eye to the lower left, maybe try a vignette or a grad to refocus the light to the centre??
otherwise i like it, i do see vics point on the hand, but i guess that was just how she was resting ...

 

[Paul Lange]

Hamish, any recommendation you may have I would love to hear / see. I've been playing with various PP actions in PS and I have quite a nice one that could work with this. I will incorporate a grad or vignette and see how it works out, Cheers. Cant do much about the and on this one, maybe burn it in slightly?

 

[Hamish Gill]

just a rough idea on focusing the light toward her face with some grads ... the lost hightlights look crap from the jpeg, but you will proba have more success from the raw?

 

[Paul Lange]

Nice one Hamish, Thanks!