https://fstoppers.com/photo/85120
This is a retouch a did recently of one of Lindsay Adler's images (http://www.lindsayadlerphotography.com/)
https://fstoppers.com/photo/85120
This is a retouch a did recently of one of Lindsay Adler's images (http://www.lindsayadlerphotography.com/)
And a video of the process, bit of a messy edit but I often find that's how I work, experimenting as I go :) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXxMPStz38U
Hi Shaun, You obviously have great knowledge and skill in the retouching of faces, way beyond my level, that's for sure. So, I really enjoyed your Lindsay Adler Retouch film, although I found it frustrating not being able to understand everything you were doing and the intention when you start each phase. Obvously, you were showcasing your work rather than teaching, so that makes sence.
I obviously have much to learn about retouching. Can you suggest any online master classes, please? I used the term master classes because I have no wish to spend hours watching random YouTube classes done by people who are not be top pros.
Thanks Ian! Yes you are correct, more of a showcase than a tutorial. I do teach lessons but I find this much easier to do in person as I haven't had time to create great online tutorials (hopefully this will change soon though). Plus there are plenty of tutorials out there, you just need to know which ones to listen to and which ones not to!
I learnt most of my skills on the job and then picked up bits and pieces from a multitude of online sources (cherry picking info from each source, sometimes there will be one tip I learn from a whole video and a bunch of stuff that I think is plain wrong or not appropriate to my workflow). So as a result I can't give you the be all and end all of tutorials but I have a couple of suggestions.
I haven't actually watched this set by Natalia Taffarel, I have it on my desk but never got around to it, but from what I hear it's a pretty good and in depth series. http://digitalphotoshopretouching.com/
In terms of retouching skin, if you are doing high end beauty then look into frequency separation (which I'm sure is part of Natalia's tutorial above), but there are plenty of tutorials around, even one here on Fstoppers that looks pretty user friendly:
https://fstoppers.com/post-production/ultimate-guide-frequency-separatio...
But if you mainly do family portraits (not high end beauty) then I find frequency separation unnecessary (will obviously depend on your look/style though). For general weddings/portraits etc. I get by with using the heal tool to remove large imperfections (hairs, pimples, uneven or larger pores, spots, veins etc.) and then soften the skin texture with the stamp tool set to a low opacity, all done directly on the layer.
Dodging and burning is probably the toughest to learn, not because the process is complex but just that if not done well, will totally ruin your picture. Look at contouring which is basically lightening and darkening ares of the face to make it look more 3d (and also thinner when done right).
Here is a very simplified version of my process for retouching people, let me know if you have any specific questions and I'll see what I can do to help :)
Process RAW file in Lightroom (get everything looking somewhat neutral and exposed correctly)
Take into Photoshop and:
Fix/remove skin imperfections with healing brush tool (not "spot heal", and make sure you sample a new source point with each click)
Soften skin texture with stamp brush on a low opacity & flow (probably around 20%)
Dodge & burn (contouring to give face a more 3d shape)
Dodge & burn eyes (dodge whites and catch lights, burn iris edges)
Heal, stamp, brush (redrawing/creating), dodge & burn and liquify (shape) hair
Liquify body shape
Overall colour and lighting effects (mostly with curves and color balance adjustment layers)
Sharpen
Thank you very much. I appreciate the info and advice. I'll get to it.
All the best.
Hi Shaun thank you for sharing your workflow/process, it's really interesting seeing someone else's workflow. I don't use frequency separation myself but you use it very well. Also this video make's me want to do a few video's of my own, I have been seeing a few people do them like Pratik Naik and Elizabeth Moss(Rare Digital Art).
Anyway keep up the good work and I would like to see more of these from you and other people in the group.
- Dylan
Thanks Dylan, you have some nice work!
To be perfectly honest I try to avoid frequency separation most of the time. I find the benefits are small for the extra time it takes. I usually get away with healing, stamping & d&b on the layer. I think when you know what you are doing, you are selectively sampling from brighter and darker areas that allow you to deal with tone and texture all in the one action. But I guess for people starting out it can be hard to see and separate the two. The only exception for me is in the case of really textured skin (like dramatically lit older people or in this case the freckles), I find freq separation makes it a little easier to deal with.