Post Processing C&C

kjt

Hey guys,
I was going to pop this into the random thread but seen as it's my 2,000th post (I spend WAY too much time on here) I thought I'd treat myself to my very own thread. Greedy? Maybe :P

I'd like to get some feedback on the processing of these shot. Do people find it too much, too little? Does it look like much has been done? I'll post up the original in a bit if people would like to see a before and after. As always, click for a bigger image. I'm mainly looking for C&C on the processing but if anyone has any critism on the actual image I'd love to hear, you can never learn enough!!







Thanks guys & gals
Kyle

challengemaster

Doesn't really look like anything's been done tbh. Except a bit in the second pic the eyes stand out a bit..

Kinda looks like a 2 sec application of a LR preset or some such. So does it look too photoshopped? nope.

Nice pics btw

humberklog

I haven't a scooby-do re PP but they are two brilliant portraits. Particularly the first. Well shot and more importantly (imo) well caught.

Hugh_C

Love them both Kyle - damn but she's an attractive girl

I found a tutorial on portrait PP somewhere on the web using PhotoShop (not sure what you use) but one of the things talked about was a very light surface blur blended in with the original with a very low opacity, giving a smooth finish to the skin. Looks like this technique wouldn't go amiss on this girl especially in the 2nd image around her mouth and around her cheeks, really softens down the complexion.

Might be interesting to do the BW conversion in layers, using different flavours of BW conversion for different parts of the picture - here's a side by side example of one of my kids:



Obviously these are extremes but you can see the different filters used in the BW conversion make a massive difference. 'Course maybe I'm teaching my grandma to suck eggs ... Your images are great as they are ...

H

bmcgrath

Yeah I can't see much PP going on there but good photos anyway!

AnimalRights

She looks younger in the 1st pic, my type of woman tbh. :cool:

elven

Always nice to see people commenting on the photography rather than teh attractiveness of the subject...

I think you possibly want to take some care in the blacks - by going with a heavy shadow you're showing up the roots, her eyeshadow has clumped into a solid shadow and you've lost some of the nice shimmery detail in the top. On the shape of frame you've used the vignette seems slightly out of place too, i don't think you'd lose anything by skipping that, because she's filling the frame and the other lines in the composition draw your eye towards her face anyway.

I find the overall blur/smooth and blend processing gives a bit of a plasticky look, and if i'm working on a portrait i usually duplicate the background layer, then use the clone tool on a low opacity (15%) to brush over the wrinkes/shadows/spots using a smooth bit of skin like a cheek or the forehead as the source, then mess with the opacity of that layer if you've overdone it, masking if you have to. To deal with shadows, I'd create a levels layer, pull the midtone slider to lighten everything up, then invert the mask, then use a soft white brush to paint the shadows out very delicately at a low opacity again. It prolly makes no sense to read it there but if you're doing it step by step you'll see what I mean...

Grow up, kids

The responses in these threads annoy me sometimes. People feel they have to make some sort of suggestion to justify themselves as worthy. 9 times outta 10 the suggestion won't improve it at all. These portraits are perfect. Leave them be, KJT, and a job very well done.

elven

Grow up, kids wrote: »

People feel they have to make some sort of suggestion to justify themselves as worthy. 9 times outta 10 the suggestion won't improve it at all.

Worthy of what, exactly?

If someone posts asking for opinions and suggestions, that's kinda what you give, if you have any. Given that this game is highly subjective, one person's 'perfect' is another's 'needs work' and that simply isn't going to change, because we're human. The concept of improvement is also subjective so what someone else sees as an improvement may not necessarily be so to your eyes.

When someone asks for suggestions they are simply that and it's their choice whether to take them on board or not. Don't mock or chastise those who actually take time out to try and help someone by giving them a second opinion...

Hugh_C

@ Grow up: eh, what? There's a clue from the OP

I'd like to get some feedback on the processing of these shot.

challengemaster

elven wrote: »

Always nice to see people commenting on the photography rather than teh attractiveness of the subject...

It's AR...give the guy a break, he's used to seeing Punk wimmins... It's like an exotic dish to the lad! :pac:

I think you possibly want to take some care in the blacks - by going with a heavy shadow you're showing up the roots, her eyeshadow has clumped into a solid shadow and you've lost some of the nice shimmery detail in the top. On the shape of frame you've used the vignette seems slightly out of place too, i don't think you'd lose anything by skipping that, because she's filling the frame and the other lines in the composition draw your eye towards her face anyway.

Personal opinion here, but I'd go against what you're saying. I think the fact that the dark roots are showing add personality, character, and and uniqueness to the subject. Also makes it more interesting and contrasty - Visually appealing.

I'm no wimmin (shup ye lot!) so I won't get into the in's and out's of what eye shadow should look like, but to me, it looks perfect in the pictures.

I think that the vignette really works, and both focuses the eyes a little more, and adds to the background. It's not a blown-out white anymore - It's got a little bit of colour (even if it is grey) - really think it'd be missed. As said in LC - extra emphasis never hurt!

I find the overall blur/smooth and blend processing gives a bit of a plasticky look, and if i'm working on a portrait i usually duplicate the background layer, then use the clone tool on a low opacity (15%) to brush over the wrinkes/shadows/spots using a smooth bit of skin like a cheek or the forehead as the source, then mess with the opacity of that layer if you've overdone it, masking if you have to. To deal with shadows, I'd create a levels layer, pull the midtone slider to lighten everything up, then invert the mask, then use a soft white brush to paint the shadows out very delicately at a low opacity again. It prolly makes no sense to read it there but if you're doing it step by step you'll see what I mean...

Generally, yes. But a smooth skin tends to suit the model. Young and attractive - It just works well. Who's the wiser?

Oh, and Kelby tip for face touchups. Duplicate the background layer, and use the clone or heal tool selecting from the area closest. DO _NOT_ use a forehead clone selection on any other part of the face, and vice versa. The forehead has a different skin texture to the rest of the face.

Or - quick touchup. Dupe the bg layer, smudge everything - doesn't really matter how much if you just follow shadows/facial lines. Set the opacity of the layer to say, 50-60% then to get back some texture. It works

elven

The roots/eyeshadow thing is a personal preference, obviously. I just think it's a shame when shadows become one big black blob instead of being able to see actual features. We know you like your black slider and your vignette slider though

Of course the forehead is a different texture. I'm not talking about taking a 100% opacity clone brush and slapping it all over the area though, I'm talking about a very subtle use of a smooth surface - which in this sort of situation the cheek/forehead will do because you're not exactly seeing pores here, and it is definitely going to give a less plasticky effect than using a smudge/blur, because that's artificially smooth.

Does anyone remember what Guy Gowan did?

melekalikimaka

were these the headshot ones? mine came out cack :-(. Lovely shots, excellent pp on them. if anything the watermark is all I'd change... will chuck up mine when i'm happy with em... so so many shots. I would have thought the venician door shots would be up after all your planning

kjt

Hey Guys,
Thanks so much for all the replies, I really appreciate it. Sorry for not getting back quicker but I've been without the interweb for the past few days.

Given that this game is highly subjective, one person's 'perfect' is another's 'needs work' and that simply isn't going to change, because we're human.

As Julie mentioned, this is bang on the buck in my opinion. It's why I put up my pictures. Everybody has their own opinions and I want to get them. I like to go past just liking my own shots and to the point other people find them half decent. I also like to get honest feedback, even if it's a kick in the nuts. You learn by your mistake far quicker then a few hundreds pats (sp?) on the back.

Thanks again guys and gals

ps - melekalikimaka - I haven't even had the time to process those shots. Looking forward to seeing how they turn out