I suck

jlfantome · 14th of June 2011 (Tue)

So I have a picture of my little girl I'd like to make frame-worthy. Despite owning both LR3 and CS5 I can't for the life of me make this photo something that looks great. Cleaning up her skin is especially difficult. But just generally making the shot look more polished and professional is beyond my skill level.

If you're so inclined, I would love to see different takes at processing this shot, and sharing the steps you took in doing so.

Thank you in advance!

Gaussian_Blur · 14th of June 2011 (Tue)

Thats a great picture as it is!

FlyingPhotog · 14th of June 2011 (Tue)

She's beautiful. Print, Frame, Hang as is...

gonzogolf · 14th of June 2011 (Tue)

why would you clean up the skin on a newborn? print and frame it now,

Nathan · 14th of June 2011 (Tue)

I think it's a very nice shot as is. Upload the Raw and we might be able to do a little more with the white background.

KoalaCowboy · 14th of June 2011 (Tue)

I don't have LR3 or CS5 on my MacBook (at the moment), but I do have Aperture 3.

In Aperture 3, I added made Highlights = 100 (original value = 0) and Shadows = 50 (original value = 0); I then used the skin smoothing brush and it cleaned up a little. I'm sure others will have more suggestions.

Here's my attempt with the JPG:

Baby_Pic by JPeteMiller, on Flickr

D Thompson · 14th of June 2011 (Tue)

Nothing at all wrong with the OP's image.

NivoMedia · 14th of June 2011 (Tue)

Quote:

Originally Posted by KoalaCowboy

I don't have LR3 or CS5 on my MacBook (at the moment), but I do have Aperture 3.

In Aperture 3, I added made Highlights = 100 (original value = 0) and Shadows = 50 (original value = 0); I then used the skin smoothing brush and it cleaned up a little. I'm sure others will have more suggestions.

Here's my attempt with the JPG:

Baby_Pic by JPeteMiller, on Flickr

I think that is very over processed and no longer looks like what a newborn should.

I agree with everyone on this thread, this is a great capture!

jlfantome · 14th of June 2011 (Tue)

I appreciate the kind words!

I'm really going for a certain look: crisp, sharp, clean, much like you see in sassy lassy's shots:
look at the improvement from her SOOC to the final shots (scroll down that first page to see SOOC).
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/...d.php?t=898055

My little girl is gorgeous I agree! But I'd really like to learn to take my processing to the next level. In my case, the first level really!

Thanks again for your time everyone.

Also I don't have a RAW version, I only shoot jpg. Is that part of my problem?

ohata0 · 14th of June 2011 (Tue)

here's an attempt...

i added a desaturation layer (-25 sat), a small s curve to increase contrast, used high pass sharpening and selectively sharpened the edges, and increased the brightness a little (another curves layer)

Juneb · 14th of June 2011 (Tue)

the original looks the best to me so far

Nathan · 14th of June 2011 (Tue)

Do you mean like this? The original image is already quite nice. In fact, I think that your original starting point is better than Sassy Lassy's. In any case, I figure this is what you are looking for. VERY simple edit, if I'm understanding you correctly. This is a 10 sec edit. In Lightroom, the only change I did to the photo was adjust Luminance Noise Reduction to 50 (thought not necessary at all to put it that high) and increased Sharpness to 21. I think the noise reduction itself helped to saturate the colors a little bit. If you don't like the hue of her skin, you could desaturate just a tad. There're also already some jpeg artifacts in your original and the sharpness adjustment seems to have highlighted them further.

Cut the Luminance to 25 and you'll probably get a better, more natural result. I just wanted to push it further to help exaggerate what it is that you're looking to do.

kipuka · 14th of June 2011 (Tue)

I think yours is perfect, but here is my try.

baby by lilinoe.love, on Flickr

I just gave the mid tones a small bump, brightened a bit and added some recovery in LR3. Its pretty perfect as is.

I think if I had photoshop I would go in and turn down the red/magenta just a smidge (a *smidge*).

BrickR · 14th of June 2011 (Tue)

Nice job Nathan!! Like everyone else I thought the original was a fine pic. You did a great job of just smoothing the skin tones so it didn't look as blotchy (which was the only thing I could find to nit pick)

Nathan · 14th of June 2011 (Tue)

Thanks. But really, I didn't do anything but slide the Luminance and Sharpening sliders. The OP took an awesome original shot.

14th of June 2011 (Tue)	#1
jlfantome Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Indiana Posts: 37 IMAGE EDITING OK	I suck So I have a picture of my little girl I'd like to make frame-worthy. Despite owning both LR3 and CS5 I can't for the life of me make this photo something that looks great. Cleaning up her skin is especially difficult. But just generally making the shot look more polished and professional is beyond my skill level. If you're so inclined, I would love to see different takes at processing this shot, and sharing the steps you took in doing so. Thank you in advance!

14th of June 2011 (Tue)	#2
Gaussian_Blur Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 86	Re: I suck Thats a great picture as it is!

14th of June 2011 (Tue)	#3
FlyingPhotog Cream of the "Prop" Join Date: May 2007 Location: Probably Chasing Aircraft Posts: 57,300	Re: I suck She's beautiful. Print, Frame, Hang as is... __________________ Jay Crosswind Images *Facebook Fan Page* "If you aren't getting extraordinary images from today's dSLRs, regardless of brand, it's not the camera!" - Bill Fortney, Nikon Corp.

14th of June 2011 (Tue)	#4
gonzogolf Cream of the Crop Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 20,020	Re: I suck why would you clean up the skin on a newborn? print and frame it now,

14th of June 2011 (Tue)	#5
Nathan Goldmember Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Boston Posts: 4,660 IMAGE EDITING OK	Re: I suck I think it's a very nice shot as is. Upload the Raw and we might be able to do a little more with the white background. __________________ nathantpham.com \| My Flickr \| Boston POTN Flickr 5D3 \| 7D \| 16-35 II \| Σ 50 \| 70-200 IS 2.8 For Sale Click Here \| 430 EX \| 580 EX II

14th of June 2011 (Tue)	#6
KoalaCowboy Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Metro Denver, CO, USA Posts: 1,030	Re: I suck I don't have LR3 or CS5 on my MacBook (at the moment), but I do have Aperture 3. In Aperture 3, I added made Highlights = 100 (original value = 0) and Shadows = 50 (original value = 0); I then used the skin smoothing brush and it cleaned up a little. I'm sure others will have more suggestions. Here's my attempt with the JPG: Baby_Pic by JPeteMiller, on Flickr __________________ - - Pete Gripped 5D Mk II / 24-105 f/4L IS USM / 16-35 f/2.8L II USM / Lee Filters / F-Stop Tilopa BC USKestrel \| 500px-USKestrel \| Flickr

14th of June 2011 (Tue)	#7
D Thompson Goldmember Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Georgetown, Ky Posts: 2,881	Re: I suck Nothing at all wrong with the OP's image. __________________ Dennis Canon 5D 20D l Dennis Thompson Photography I have not yet begun to procrastinate! We'll be friends until we are old and senile. Then, we'll be new friends every day thereafter.

14th of June 2011 (Tue)	#9
jlfantome Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Indiana Posts: 37 IMAGE EDITING OK	Re: I suck I appreciate the kind words! I'm really going for a certain look: crisp, sharp, clean, much like you see in sassy lassy's shots: look at the improvement from her SOOC to the final shots (scroll down that first page to see SOOC). http://photography-on-the.net/forum/...d.php?t=898055 My little girl is gorgeous I agree! But I'd really like to learn to take my processing to the next level. In my case, the first level really! Thanks again for your time everyone. Also I don't have a RAW version, I only shoot jpg. Is that part of my problem? Last edited by jlfantome : 14th of June 2011 (Tue) at 22:29.

14th of June 2011 (Tue)	#10
ohata0 Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 542 IMAGE EDITING OK	Re: I suck here's an attempt... i added a desaturation layer (-25 sat), a small s curve to increase contrast, used high pass sharpening and selectively sharpened the edges, and increased the brightness a little (another curves layer) Last edited by ohata0 : 29th of September 2011 (Thu) at 00:31.

14th of June 2011 (Tue)	#11
Juneb Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: louisiana Posts: 505 IMAGE EDITING OK	Re: I suck the original looks the best to me so far

14th of June 2011 (Tue)	#13
kipuka Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 12	Re: I suck I think yours is perfect, but here is my try. baby by lilinoe.love, on Flickr I just gave the mid tones a small bump, brightened a bit and added some recovery in LR3. Its pretty perfect as is. I think if I had photoshop I would go in and turn down the red/magenta just a smidge (a smidge).

14th of June 2011 (Tue)	#14
BrickR Goldmember Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Dallas TX Posts: 3,556	Re: I suck Nice job Nathan!! Like everyone else I thought the original was a fine pic. You did a great job of just smoothing the skin tones so it didn't look as blotchy (which was the only thing I could find to nit pick) __________________ My junk The grass isn't greener on the other side, it's green where you water it.

14th of June 2011 (Tue)	#15
Nathan Goldmember Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Boston Posts: 4,660 IMAGE EDITING OK	Re: I suck Thanks. But really, I didn't do anything but slide the Luminance and Sharpening sliders. The OP took an awesome original shot. __________________ nathantpham.com \| My Flickr \| Boston POTN Flickr 5D3 \| 7D \| 16-35 II \| Σ 50 \| 70-200 IS 2.8 For Sale Click Here \| 430 EX \| 580 EX II

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