Please give me your opinion about this try-out. I know about the hair across her upper lip, but what I can do about it which wouldn't create a line of artificial-looking skin in its wake (I would try the makeover tool in Corel PSP, which is excellent for all kinds of things)? I would also like to selectively sharpen and lighten her eyes, but tho I have the theory I've never done it in practice. Any comments about the crop, lighting and coloring, or anything else? Thanks.

Neil

Neil,

It’s a nice portrait and I like simple backgrounds like that. But the red seems a little strong in the background, in her face, and if that’s a black top she’s wearing, it seems a little too red too. I’m using a calibrated monitor but it just confirms what the numbers say, using the eyedropper tool to check cmyk values in PS.

For the hair across her face, you could magnify (a lot) and work with the patch tool in PS. If you circle just the hair in small portions, and drop the selection just slightly above or below, it should work. (Work in very small sections at a time.) However, someone probably knows a better way.

<<< I would also like to selectively sharpen and lighten her eyes, but tho I have the theory I've never done it in practice. >>>

To selectively lighten just the whites of the eyes in PS, you can use the lasso to select them (all four white areas, or as many as there are, on one selection), feather 2 pixels, cntrl J to put the selection on a layer, then apply a hue/saturation adjustment layer to affect ONLY the layer with the whites of the eyes, dragging the lightness slider to + 12 or so. Make sense?

If you want to lighten the entire eyes, and not just the whites, I’d do it in camera with the lighting.

To selectively sharpen, after everything else is finished and you’ve sized the file for output, make a background copy, sharpen, then apply a mask to effect only the areas you want sharpened.

Hope this is helpful.

Jim

Hi JimW

Yes, a big help!

Another problem is the nose shadow, which is not only not nice but accentuates the "severe" light, to use jeffreaux2's word. Should have noticed that while shooting and lit for it (inexperience seeing what the viewfinder is showing!). Difficult to correct now. Maybe just lighten around the edges?

I like the look and the mood, but it was way underexposed, so PPd it in DxO using a Kodochrome filter, lifted the exposure, dropped the saturation. Yes, it is a little red, but that is part of that filter effect. I guess you like it or not. I'm not sure I do altogether. The top she is wearing was a chestnut color, so brown with some red in it.

BTW I am not a big fan of PS (heresy!). I am impressed by the quality DxO maintains through the PP process, but the app has it's limitations at the moment. Not as great or extensive as mine! LOL I am still at the beginner stage of learning how to use editors.

Thanks again.

Neil

Originally Posted by JimW Neil, It’s a nice portrait and I like simple backgrounds like that. But the red seems a little strong in the background, in her face, and if that’s a black top she’s wearing, it seems a little too red too. I’m using a calibrated monitor but it just confirms what the numbers say, using the eyedropper tool to check cmyk values in PS. For the hair across her face, you could magnify (a lot) and work with the patch tool in PS. If you circle just the hair in small portions, and drop the selection just slightly above or below, it should work. (Work in very small sections at a time.) However, someone probably knows a better way. <<< I would also like to selectively sharpen and lighten her eyes, but tho I have the theory I've never done it in practice. >>> To selectively lighten just the whites of the eyes in PS, you can use the lasso to select them (all four white areas, or as many as there are, on one selection), feather 2 pixels, cntrl J to put the selection on a layer, then apply a hue/saturation adjustment layer to affect ONLY the layer with the whites of the eyes, dragging the lightness slider to + 12 or so. Make sense? If you want to lighten the entire eyes, and not just the whites, I’d do it in camera with the lighting. To selectively sharpen, after everything else is finished and you’ve sized the file for output, make a background copy, sharpen, then apply a mask to effect only the areas you want sharpened. Hope this is helpful. Jim

Just a thought, but you might get a better response in the finishing school area of Dgrin...where all things post production are discussed.

Originally Posted by jeffreaux2 Just a thought, but you might get a better response in the finishing school area of Dgrin...where all things post production are discussed.

Yes, good point, Jeff. Thanks.

Neil

Also, though I did use the word severe to describe the harshness of the lighting in another post of a similar photo, I might add that this is a set up that you may want to remember. The shadows present here, the harshness, is sometimes desired when photographing male subjects as it is considered masculine.

A softer, gentler approach for women is usually a hit.

I understand what you're saying, Jeff. But you know, I think, I'm no sticker with convention...

I am, however, waiting for my skills to catch up with my ideas. Something which you also already know!

Neil

Did stray hair job, eyes job, nose job and redness job. Phew!

I think I actually like it, maybe...

What do you reckon?