Help with processing these cleanly

Hi All,
I see lots of headshot images here at POTN. I don't seem to be able to clean my images up 'make them pop' like many here. I wonder if some of you might share you insights with what I can do to enhance this image please?

You may want to elaborate on what you envision as "clean" in the processing of images like this.

The image appears well exposed. Consider next time adding a rim/hair light (in this image, perhaps from camera right) to separate the subject from the background a little more and add some balance to the modeling of the subject. Maybe play around with hitting the backdrop with a flash to provide some interest and pop the subject from the background. The lighting you have here appears to be a large softball-ish source, camera left, with a reflector camera right.

I'm sure others here will provide various tips on retouching and dodging/burning, etc.

kirk

some retouching of her skin would probably be appreciated by the subject I know my wife loves it when I do, one good trick if it is a raw source is in acr use the adjustment brush all negative except for low clarity to soften the skin a bit

dashotgun wrote in post #17813882
some retouching of her skin would probably be appreciated by the subject I know my wife loves it when I do, one good trick if it is a raw source is in acr use the adjustment brush all negative except for low clarity to soften the skin a bit

Agreed. For all-over softening, I like to stop at -50 clarity; anything more than that might start to look fake (varies by person and number of pixels-on-target). I do more softening on specific areas if needed. -100 clarity all over is going to look mushy.

A bit of effort by an experienced MUA - BEFORE the shoot - will also do wonders.

here is another technique which is good
http://www.digitalarts​online.co.uk …toshop/wrinkle-reduction/

Your link failed to open

I don't know opens for me? search for photoshop using channels to retouch wrinkles

Thanks for the tips guys.

This was a quick shoot for a friend in her living room. The background is her white wall. I brought her as far forward as I could to grey it out as best I could given the room available. I did have a 2nd speed light for a hair rim light but couldn't get it to fire.

I only have Lightroom 5 as my software. I hit her skin with some softening, did I go too far? Also feathered her teeth with some whitening. Dodged her hair and dress a little too.

Would appreciate any further comments if you have some please.

Post a link to the RAW file and let us take a shot at it.

I like the 2nd one because I don't like to clean up the skin too much & you didn't carry it too far. Might clean up some lose hair ends though.

Okay, here is what I did with Portrait Pro Studio (v15). It found her face features and only a few small adjustments were made.

Sadly the image posted originally on the forum was very small (image quality) and there are artifacts in the final.

For me this image is more pleasing than the original.

I don't like this one as much. You've increased the shine on her face & she still has the bits of hair sticking out.

TonyKInTexas wrote in post #17816168
Okay, here is what I did with Portrait Pro Studio (v15). It found her face features and only a few small adjustments were made.

Sadly the image posted originally on the forum was very small (image quality) and there are artifacts in the final.

For me this image is more pleasing than the original

Also I. The original looks like a passport. It's harder to fix her shine in post than during the shoot. Light is hard and contrasty. The background doesn't help with the overall brightness. Hair flying doesn't bother me at all; helmet hair would be worse. Tony is on the right track.

Here's my take.

PhotosGuy wrote in post #17816242
I don't like this one as much. You've increased the shine on her face & she still has the bits of hair sticking out.

True, I did not fix her hair. That was not my immediate goal. But because it was brought up I have again worked on this image. Her hair is more under control, I've re-worked the face but there is not much to be done by the blown highlights on her checks.

Also consider I am working off a 152KB size JPG image which may have artifacts in it thus preventing good results. For this type of work I would shoot only in RAW.

Now if this were my image I would take more time with it. So going back to the OP's request, use the right tools for the job. In this case I am using a photo editing program (PS 6 in my case) to take control of her hair. Then I went back and used Portrait Professional Studio (v15) to improve the image for specific items. It does a fantastic job and worth the money I spent on it.

To make it easier to compare, I have re-uploaded the original (427 x 640 px) and my edited version (same size). The differences and the improvements made, especially to her skin should be easily seen. She is a beautiful person and deserves to be presented as beautiful.

PS: I did not mean to "showcase" this image. A wayward mouse click did that to me. My apologies.