# PP-Skin Smoothing. Too Much? (maybe NSFW!)



## WDodd (Jun 26, 2007)

Too much skin smoothing? I was showing a friend my pictures and they said I needed more but I dunno if I like it.


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## The_Traveler (Jun 26, 2007)

The only part that looks a little plastic and unsharp is the right side (her right side) of her face.


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## Goldeeno (Jun 27, 2007)

Is the patchy light on her body and legs edited? I think the rest looks fine, could have done with a bit better lighting tho


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## jemmy (Jun 27, 2007)

a bit too much editing on the face for me... but, heck.. i'd kill for that body! x


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## WDodd (Jun 27, 2007)

Goldeeno said:


> Is the patchy light on her body and legs edited? I think the rest looks fine, could have done with a bit better lighting tho



I didn't do any editing but some skin smoothing. Lighting is all natural, it was mid-day and we were under a tree. The bright spots filtered through. I used a reflected to try and take them out but that was the best I managed. 



			
				jemmy said:
			
		

> a bit too much editing on the face for me... but, heck.. i'd kill for that body! x



Thanks for the comment she will be happy to hear that!


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## Southerngal (Jun 27, 2007)

Stupid question....how do you do the skin smoothing?


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## Big Mike (Jun 27, 2007)

I don't think it's too much at all.  It's probably a lot less than a typical pro model shoot.



> Stupid question....how do you do the skin smoothing?


There are many techniques and methods...just Google 'Photoshop + skin' and you will have a month's worth of reading.


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## The_Traveler (Jun 27, 2007)

Southerngal said:


> Stupid question....how do you do the skin smoothing?


*
Not a stupid question at all.*
There are lots of technique.
The simplest one that doesn't destroy pixels (assuming use of PS) is to:
make a duplicate layer.
take out all sizeable zits, blemishes with spot-healing tool
blur that layer with a Gaussian blur until all the surface blem disappear
make a layer mask that reveals all (white)
paint on mask with black brush wherever you want detail to show through from detailed layer below
adjust opacity of duplicate layer until you get the look you want.


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## Big Mike (Jun 27, 2007)

That's similar to what I do...only I do it in reverse.  I make a separate layer and use Gaussian blur...but I make the layer mask to hide all and then paint in the area that I want to smooth.


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## The_Traveler (Jun 27, 2007)

Big Mike said:


> That's similar to what I do...only I do it in reverse.  I make a separate layer and use Gaussian blur...but I make the layer mask to hide all and then paint in the area that I want to smooth.



I'm sorry that's absolutely wrong.
This thread is closed.


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## WDodd (Jun 27, 2007)

Big Mike said:
			
		

> I don't think it's too much at all.  It's probably a lot less than a typical pro model shoot.



I was going for magazine type smoothing I guess. Although I don't really like that much myself. 



			
				The_Traveler said:
			
		

> * Not a stupid question at all.*
> There are lots of technique.
> The simplest one that doesn't destroy pixels (assuming use of PS) is to:
> make a duplicate layer.
> ...


Actually pretty close exactly to what I do. I use the heal brush before I make a duplicate layer first, and I make a layer mask that hides all. 

Here is a step-by-step tutorial that taught me my method: http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=171753&highlight=airbrushing


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## mmfi (Jul 5, 2007)

WDodd said:


> I was going for magazine type smoothing I guess. Although I don't really like that much myself.
> 
> Actually pretty close exactly to what I do. I use the heal brush before I make a duplicate layer first, and I make a layer mask that hides all.
> 
> Here is a step-by-step tutorial that taught me my method: http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=171753&highlight=airbrushing



It was a great tutorial. Thanks for sharing. Do you have any more links like this?


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## Alpha (Jul 5, 2007)

All of the pros I've seen speak on the topic insist that blur is NOT the correct tool, especially not gaussian blur. They all insist that most of the smoothing should be done with the healing brush, clone tool, and various sharpening and blending layers. There's no reason that smooth has to be soft.


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## AdamZx3 (Jul 5, 2007)

Heres a method I use, its somewhat the same as the last link posted but instead of using a solid white and black mask which blurs everthing the same strength, it is brushed on, has a lot more control because its built up gradually. On my tutorial I didn't use the high pass layer because of the lighting, if used with good lighting it can create some really great effects. Great link though, i'll have to try the dust and scratches filter.

I wrote a mini tutorial on someone elses post here:
http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=86189


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## heip (Jul 5, 2007)

I agree with MaxBloom to the extent that too many reley on blur when other methods do such a more professional look.  Having said that, there are obviously situations that blur works very well.


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