# Beauty Pt 2



## kric2schaam626 (Jun 20, 2012)

Here is another friend who helped me out while I practiced lights and composition... Thoughts?


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## amandamartin (Jun 20, 2012)

Looks decent, but I would try smoothing her skin out a bit, to make it a little more even


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## kric2schaam626 (Jun 21, 2012)

amandamartin said:


> Looks decent, but I would try smoothing her skin out a bit, to make it a little more even



Not really sure how? I've only tried Gaussian blur and it never comes out right...


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## MTVision (Jun 21, 2012)

kric2schaam626 said:
			
		

> Not really sure how? I've only tried Gaussian blur and it never comes out right...



Hopefully I remember the steps:

If you already have layers going you will want to ctrl-shift-alt-e - it will merge the layers (but won't flatten them). You'll want to convert to a smart object (under filter I believe). Then go to blur>surface blur. Radius 18/threshold 10 is a good starting point. Since its a smart object you can adjust the settings later if you need too. Reduce the opacity of the layer to 75%. Invert the mask and use a soft white low opacity brush to paint on the skin. You might need to build up the smoothness. 

You want to keep some of the skin texture so it looks natural!


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## Ernicus (Jun 21, 2012)

Did you run it through the stuff I put in your other thread?

Looks like you did some stuff to it....so it came out a bit more blurry/soft than I'd like when I ran it through my stuff...so I had to do a bit more things to it so compensate, still kinda dark though.  Here's what I came out with ...

oh..why'd you crop off her head?


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## MTVision (Jun 21, 2012)

Ernicus said:
			
		

> Did you run it through the stuff I put in your other thread?
> 
> Looks like you did some stuff to it....so it came out a bit more blurry/soft than I'd like when I ran it through my stuff...so I had to do a bit more things to it so compensate, still kinda dark though.  Here's what I came out with ...
> 
> ...



What did you do? It looks like you blurred almost the whole picture?


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## Ernicus (Jun 21, 2012)

actually, I changed a thing or two, this might be a bit better...not sure as my display sucks balls.


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## Ernicus (Jun 21, 2012)

MTVision said:


> Ernicus said:
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Yeah, it compounded on top of what she did, so I'd need the original instead.  I redid it and brought back out some detail in her hair/hand and parts, but not her face.  It's hard at times, cause what I see in my ps  doesn't show up in the threads as what I see.  If that makes sense.  lol


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## kric2schaam626 (Jun 21, 2012)

Ernicus said:


> Did you run it through the stuff I put in your other thread?
> 
> Looks like you did some stuff to it....so it came out a bit more blurry/soft than I'd like when I ran it through my stuff...so I had to do a bit more things to it so compensate, still kinda dark though.  Here's what I came out with ...
> 
> ...



Why did I crop the head? I don't know, i like it... 

I did run it through the first part but not the second... it kept turning out dark


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## Jaemie (Jun 21, 2012)

Dear god, now she looks like Odo from Star Trek!


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## Ernicus (Jun 21, 2012)

I tried to bring back more detail...I think this one is better.  lol.  

Thanks for sharing, its good practice.  I'm not saying mine are perfect...just practicing and learning.  I think I did ok on the face smoothing the complexion, unless anyone has anything else to offer?

oh, and in part two, set the multiply factor accordingly if it comes out too dark, instead of 50% use say 75 ish or whatever looks good, and then you can bring out the detial by setting your brush to say 15-20% and go over the hair and hands and stuff like you did the eyes...and then do it till you like it.


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## Ernicus (Jun 21, 2012)

well damn, I just noticed I brought out too much above her lip...a little fur is showing, lol...I didn't follow the lip line well.  ah well...you get the idea, lol.


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## MTVision (Jun 21, 2012)




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## Ernicus (Jun 21, 2012)

another thought occured to me also.  You can run the Imagenomic noise filter through it too, it treats facial complexion issues like noise....so it can fix pimples...bumps...etc.   Then I spot healed the little bits it left over, pot marks ... etc.  Did nothing but that noise removal filter, no gaussian or other stuff.






***edit*** 
yes, I know this is unfinished...I just wanted it to represent what the one particular filter can do.


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## MTVision (Jun 21, 2012)

Ernicus said:
			
		

> another thought occured to me also.  You can run the Imagenomic noise filter through it too, it treats facial complexion issues like noise....so it can fix pimples...bumps...etc.   Then I spot healed the little bits it left over, pot marks ... etc.  Did nothing but that noise removal filter, no gaussian or other stuff.
> 
> <img src="http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=11896"/>
> 
> ...



I don't know about the noise filter but the skin/hair looks a little unrealistic. Can you mask it back or lower the opacity when you use it?  

But then again maybe I'm not sure what the OP is going for.....


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## Jaemie (Jun 21, 2012)

The original image seems fine to me. The subject's face might not be perfectly smooth, but such is the variety of human skin and, unless she asked for cosmetic PP, I see no reason to change the image. I think she is very pretty.


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## PinkDoor (Jun 21, 2012)

Joining in the on editing fun! My thoughts. . . to blur our everything but the eyes seems odd when all of the features on on the same plane. If you shot from a high level, angled down, with her looking up at you, then the blur would make sense.  

My edit details: Sharpened all the blurred areas, adjusted for skin tone, smoothed skin overall to give it a less grainy appearance, brightened eyes, brightened overall photo. 

Orig vs my edit:


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## Ernicus (Jun 21, 2012)

MTVision said:


> Ernicus said:
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Yeah, I just hit it with the default settings...there are many adjustments to be used.  I'm not sure what she's going for either, I was just using her image for practice, which is hard to to without raws and when adjustments were already made.  Fun to practice though.


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## Ernicus (Jun 21, 2012)

PinkDoor said:


> Joining in the on editing fun! My thoughts. . . to blur our everything but the eyes seems odd when all of the features on on the same plane.



Good point...noted.  I think the process I was running it through is better for when they are not so close....being so close...a "less is more" approach is proby best.


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## 2WheelPhoto (Jun 21, 2012)

Portrait Professional - Easy Photo Editing Software


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## kric2schaam626 (Jun 21, 2012)

Jaemie said:


> The original image seems fine to me. The subject's face might not be perfectly smooth, but such is the variety of human skin and, unless she asked for cosmetic PP, I see no reason to change the image. I think she is very pretty.



I usually don't do too much cosmetic PP . . . this was the only exception in the original, I gave it that softer look that was recommended to me. I usually take out any major blemish with the spot heal as I am sure most people do. More than anything, I was going for C+C on the lighting and composition - that's the big thing I'm trying to accomplish right now.


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## yerlem (Jun 21, 2012)

PinkDoor said:


> Joining in the on editing fun! My thoughts. . . to blur our everything but the eyes seems odd when all of the features on on the same plane. If you shot from a high level, angled down, with her looking up at you, then the blur would make sense.
> 
> My edit details: Sharpened all the blurred areas, adjusted for skin tone, smoothed skin overall to give it a less grainy appearance, brightened eyes, brightened overall photo.
> 
> ...



OH GOD she looks like a cyborg! haha, no offense 

I agree with jaemie, no one is perfect !

If you are doing it for fun, then that's ok, but anything too extreme looks unatural; it's our imperfections that make us look real


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## Ernicus (Jun 21, 2012)

kric2schaam626 said:


> Jaemie said:
> 
> 
> > The original image seems fine to me. The subject's face might not be perfectly smooth, but such is the variety of human skin and, unless she asked for cosmetic PP, I see no reason to change the image. I think she is very pretty.
> ...



yeah, that's my fault for derailing off your initial C&C into editing...sorry...lol.  I was bored last night.  

<-----hides in corner


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## ghache (Jun 21, 2012)

i would drop the fog, blur or whatever filter you used here.


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## kric2schaam626 (Jun 21, 2012)

ghache said:


> i would drop the fog, blur or whatever filter you used here.


 I think it looks better than the original that I have. If someone can direct me on how to post a RAW file, I'll put it up when I get home (at work) this evening.


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## Ernicus (Jun 21, 2012)

You can always put it in a zip file and attach the zip


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## Marcelle (Jun 21, 2012)

I see on your exif that you shot at F14, try shooting with a bigger aperture like 5.6


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## kric2schaam626 (Jun 21, 2012)

Marcelle said:


> I see on your exif that you shot at F14, try shooting with a bigger aperture like 5.6



No way, an f/stop of 5.6 would have completely blown her face out. _Maybe_ down to F11...


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## MTVision (Jun 21, 2012)

kric2schaam626 said:
			
		

> No way, an f/stop of 5.6 would have completely blown her face out. Maybe down to F11...



I was wondering why they said to use f/5.6. 

I like it the way it is - except for the softness/blurring that was added. I'm not too good with lighting but you probably could've arranged the lights to reduce/minimize the pores on the face. But then again I'm not sure. And It doesn't really matter because she's beautiful as is!


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## CA_ (Jun 21, 2012)




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## Ernicus (Jun 21, 2012)

pretty cool, you've almost edited yourself a date.  lol


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## kric2schaam626 (Jun 21, 2012)

CA_ said:


> View attachment 11963



Interesting. Not as natural as I was shooting for, but then again, the softness is about as natural as a fog machine...


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## Ernicus (Jun 21, 2012)

he likes to to cool different edits...pretty neat to look at.


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## kric2schaam626 (Jun 21, 2012)

Ernicus said:


> he likes to to cool different edits...pretty neat to look at.



I can handle that


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## CA_ (Jun 21, 2012)

Hah yeah, my stuff is usually a bit out there. I'm doing a huge crazy composite photo soon that will (hopefully) be strange in a good way. haha, but, nice original photo btw, it was definitely fun to play with.


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## CA_ (Jun 21, 2012)

OH GOD SHE'S BEEN BITTEN, RUN!! AHH!!


 

jk, NOW i'm done. but to smooth skin (when I'm doing subtle edits) I use the mixer tool on about 8%. It smoothens it out without shotgunning the entire pick with a gaussian blurr. the one i posted earlier is far more than 8% though, cause I wanted to be a little silly.


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## PinkDoor (Jun 21, 2012)

CA_ said:


> View attachment 11966
> 
> 
> OH GOD SHE'S BEEN BITTEN, RUN!! AHH!!
> ...



I am going to have trouble sleeping tonight!


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## charlie76 (Jun 21, 2012)

The selective blurring is a little distracting...looks like blur, sharp, blur, sharp, blur... otherwise I love it..maybe smooth the skin a little...the makeup is very obvious


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## CA_ (Jun 21, 2012)

Haha no no, i did that as a joke in 5 mins as i was heading out the door so i hope nobody takes that edit seriously


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## kric2schaam626 (Jun 21, 2012)

Here's with the smile... same edit process, a little sharper on the eyes.


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## Ernicus (Jun 22, 2012)

I like that one.  A little "misty" for my liking...but that's not a bad thing...that is a "me" thing.  I think its a respectable edit and I think your friend will like it.


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## Ernicus (Jun 22, 2012)

...and definitely better with open lip smile...really adds to it I think...her face lights up more.

Did you sharpen back up the whole T (eyes nose mouth) or just her eyes?  mouth/teeth do seem a bit soft to me still upon second look.  Nose is good, to me, just maybe a hair more on the teeth without creating huge separation of lips/mouth.  Don't work at 100%, do like 15-20 ish or so till you like it.  Or if you like it and it's just me, leave it.  lol


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## TGordon (Jun 22, 2012)

Not to bad, good job


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## ChristianGrattan (Jun 22, 2012)

What were you using as your main light?

I would like to see some kind of kicker or rim light to give her hair a little punch.


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## chuasam (Jun 22, 2012)

Ernicus said:


> actually, I changed a thing or two, this might be a bit better...not sure as my display sucks balls.
> 
> View attachment 11891


yes no no no no no. too much gaussian blur. It looks creeeepy.
Also, very very very very few people can look good with a head on shot.


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## edirik (Jun 26, 2012)

you need to be a little carefull about blurring out the skin. not to loose details on the skin.


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