1st attempt at a portrait

[RinkRat]

This is my first try with taking a portrait with my Home Depot studio.

Looking for some constructive feedback, and what I can do to improve this picture.

No makeup/clothing suggestions though. My poor wife was cleaning, & I asked her to come over for a "Test Shot".

It is unprocessed. Right out of camera.

Thanks

Lens: Nifty 50
1/80
ISO 400
F4.5

http://mysite.verizon.net/vze75feo/CRW_3244.jpg

[Radtech1]

1) Corrected the White Balance
2) Boosted contrast
3) Softened up the skin (A bit too much, now that I look at it)
4) Added a little color to the lips
5) Elimnated blemishes

Keep in mind that this is a 5 minute quickie job on an already compressed jpg.

I hope she approves.

http://home.ripway.com/2004-2/78486/CRW_3244.jpg

[tpinchback]

how did you correct the white balance?

and retouch the skin to make it look like she is wearing alot of makup?

thanks

[Radtech1]

how did you correct the white balance?

and retouch the skin to make it look like she is wearing alot of makup?

thanks

What version of PS are you using? The white balance can only be done in CS. As far as the skin and lips go, create 2 duplicates of the background layer, so that when you look at your Layers Palate it looks like this:

Background Copy 2
Background Copy
Background

Then ADJUST the COPY and Erase COPY 2 to let the adjustments show through. So then it is like this:

Background Copy 2 <-this copy you erase (STEP TWO!)
Background Copy <- this copy you edit (STEP ONE!)
Background <- this copy you don't touch in case you screw up

For example, with the lips, I adjusted the middle copy (Just the COPY, not COPY 2!) so that the whole layer was red shifted. (Image/Adjustments/Variations then MORE RED and MORE MAGENTA) Then I went to COPY 2 and set the eraser to about 10% and erased the lips so that the red below was able to show through. In this manner, you get to keep the original shading and highlights, just redder.

With the skin, instead of adjusting the color, I did a gaussian blur on the middle layer. Now lets say that when I was erasing the top layer, letting the adjusted layer show through, and I over did it. Then I would erase some of the ADJUSTED layer to let the BACKGROUND show through to replace some of what I had removed.

I find this easier than undo or history, because with those, you have to undo linearly. Lets say I find that I was not happy with my second click of the eraser on COPY 2 and too much adjustment layer is showing. Further lets say I did not decide this until after my 15th click of the eraser. With history, I would have to discard my changes 3 through 15 to correct the second.

With a 3 layer editing palate, I just erase some of the ADJUSTED layer to let some of the original image to show through only where I want it.

Understand?

Rad

[Radtech1]

If you have CS, here is the instructions for white balance adjusment

1. create dupicate copy of bg into new layer
2. choose filter/adjustments/average
3. choose image/adjustments/invert
4. change blending mode from normal to color
5. reduce opacity to taste

Rad

Thanks to al606 for finding the above routine.

[tpinchback]

thanks for taking the time to explain,

and yes i am using CS,

thanks

stephen

[tpinchback]

If you have CS, here is the instructions for white balance adjusment

1. create dupicate copy of bg into new layer
2. choose filter/adjustments/average
3. choose image/adjustments/invert
4. change blending mode from normal to color
5. reduce opacity to taste

Rad

Thanks to al606 for finding the above routine.

step 2 did you mean filter- blur- average?

[Radtech1]

2. choose filter/adjustments/average


step 2 did you mean filter- blur- average?

Yes, that is correct

[RinkRat]

Thanks Radtech1, I took some of your advice, and this is what I came up with:

http://mysite.verizon.net/vze75feo/k2.jpg

Better?