I have photographed this model recently in collaboration with a local MUA. This is my first attempt to utilize dodging and burning techniques. I tried to keep the skin looking natural as much as I can and I have avoided heavy skin smoothening.
Let me know what do you think of theses photos in term of retouching, color, skin texture and composition.
Thanks
Adam - Beautiful work, love the color grading, composition and overall feel of the photos. I am undecided about the earing as it does not initially seem to fit, but then it somehow does too. The smile and expression of the second image are priceless, bold and inquisitive, it really makes one want to know what she is responding too. The skin smoothness in the second image seems off a bit. I took the liberty of doing some smoothing and color separation, just my humble opinion. I uploaded it below.
Thanks, Stan for your valuable input.
You're welcome. I think that the crop is perfect.
For the most part, looks great. #3 is my fav. Just a few notes:
a. Since, these look like as a set, I'd make sure the white balance is pretty similar. Currently, #1 seems more red/magenta than the other 2 which looks on the yellow side.
b. I don't know why it happens (to my images as well), but, I'd watch out for the coloring around the mouth and jaw. They'll look yellow/green. I'd correct those.
c. For #2, I'd have the eyes slightly higher on the frame. Right now looks like it's right on the center line which looks awkward to me.
d. Lastly, the images could use more d&b. Not sure if you've heard of a "helper" layer. This helps show the areas that may need some d&b. Basically, it's a black and white layer and maybe with the contrast all the way up. On the bw layer, adjust the red color towards the darker side until it looks grungy and you see the uneven spots. Like most adjustments, adjust to taste. Remove/disable the layer when outputting the final image.
Below is an example of #2 with the helper layer. You'll notice there's still a lot of uneven areas. BTW, never show this to your model/client. They'll wring your neck.
Thanks for your helpful input. I do use "helper" layers tough. but I guess I need to train my eye more to notice the color inconsistencies. I used to apply frequency separation for skin retouching which is a fast and efficient way to deal with skin, but you don't always get a natural look as you get with D&B.