Critique on editing requested (nudity)

[mgbeach]

I'm continually trying to fine-tune my retouching skills, with the hope of marketing them to publications that feature fashion and glamour type shots. Here's the original and edited version of a photo from CharlesU's workshop. This is one of the first times I've attempted to change the body shape of a model. Brooke's rear end is by no means large, but the pose accentuated it a bit too much. So I slimmed it down and also smoothed out her tan lines. I tried not to go overboard on the skin smoothing, but what I consider a moderate amount may still be considered too much by some. Please be critical and let me know what you think. If anyone is interested I'll try and work up a step by step with some screenshots to show how I go about it. Thanks!

[crusher420]

Well it looks pretty good to me. I love the way you fixed the Tan Lines and stuff. Good work.

[GyRob]

look pretty good to me too.
Rob.

[CyberPet]

I'm not too much into body fix, but that tan line fix was nice. Looks nice!

[pdrow]

Very nice job on the tan lines. However, you seemed to have left her breast the same and the pubic area is also lighter. If you are going for an all-over tan - go all-over.

[mgbeach]

Very nice job on the tan lines. However, you seemed to have left her breast the same and the pubic area is also lighter. If you are going for an all-over tan - go all-over.
good call. I'll fix that tonight. Thanks!

[Wildewinds]

That's a really good PS job.

The only thing that bothers me about the photo is the stomach of the model on the left. She almost looks pregnant, but with an odd triangular stomach.

[mgbeach]

That's a really good PS job.

The only thing that bothers me about the photo is the stomach of the model on the left. She almost looks pregnant, but with an odd triangular stomach.

That's going to be a tough one to correct, but I think I might give it a go. Thanks for the suggestion.

[Wildewinds]

Hope you don't mind if I took the liberty of doing a very quick and dirty edit. Just took out the pointy part of her stomach.

http://upload.pbase.com/image/45172818.jpg

[mgbeach]

good call man. I'll work it up on the high res version when I get home.

[BrandonSi]

Looks good!As mentioned before nice job on the tan lines.

Do you do many of these shoots? Do you need an assistant? ;)

[Feihung08]

Hey mgbeach, do you mind sharing your 'skin smoothing' technique to a not so sophisticated PSer??

And how bout you Wildewinds on how you masterfully took out the "point" in her stomach but somehow didn't warp the whole area.........like I do! :o

[Wildewinds]

And how bout you Wildewinds on how you masterfully took out the "point" in her stomach but somehow didn't warp the whole area.........like I do! :o

Everything was done with the clone tool. I just created a new edge to the stomach using the shadow from the other girl. On something like that where the edge falls off quickly, it's easy to create a new edge. Possibly on the high resolution version, where you'd really be able to see the details of the edge of the stomach, I'd have to do more work to make the edge look realistic.

As for not warping it, it's just a matter of zooming in, making a change, zooming out to see if it looks right. Rinse and repeat. Besides making the curve look natural, the key is to give the edge the same sharpness as the real edge. If you look at what I did, it still needs work to make it perfect. It's just a matter of making little adjustments.

[CyberDyneSystems]

Great PS work...

One quick note having nothing to do with your "repair work" which is awesome!

In your overall "tweeking" of levels/contrast and saturation.. you did manage to make the shadow on the left side of theright model's face a little to "contrasty"...

Don't know if some dodging could fix?

[BrandonSi]

As for not warping it, it's just a matter of zooming in, making a change, zooming out to see if it looks right. Rinse and repeat.

You can also use the "new window" function to give you two views. The zoomed in one you're working on, and the full/half/whatever size one so you don't have to keep zooming in/out. I just found out about that one recently, saves me so much time now.

[Wildewinds]

You can also use the "new window" function to give you two views. The zoomed in one you're working on, and the full/half/whatever size one so you don't have to keep zooming in/out. I just found out about that one recently, saves me so much time now.

sweet!

[mgbeach]

That's the best photoshop tip I've gotten in a very long time. Thanks so much!Here's an intermediary. Still trying to make it look right.