Retouching: Before and afters

[ColoradoSkier]

Messed with some cloud pics today. Obviously I need to learn more, but I am getting there...

Before:
http://static.flickr.com/198/478580379_816f12011d.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bullockfam/478580379/)

After:
http://static.flickr.com/206/489049173_9eb3ae9b1c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bullockfam/489049173/)

Before:
http://static.flickr.com/210/478579703_3b275d26ed.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bullockfam/478579703/)

After:
http://static.flickr.com/226/488995162_f464313e9d.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bullockfam/488995162/)

[Luv_Jeeps]

I really like the results of the second one.
Whatever you did added back a lot of the shadows and great contrast.
It gave the picture a lot better depth IMO.

[ColoradoSkier]

Just fiddled with color levels and such.

[GrayT]

I don't have many retouches that I actually put up as my photography. Not that I don't believe in retouches, but I'm the type that rarely even takes a picture unless it comes out perfect on the camera. Post-processing is cool, but I basically add borders and resize! :D

This one is post-processed:

http://grayt.net/PHOTO/G/Impression.jpg

She had a few specs on her face that she wanted gone. Besides that, again... a border and resize was all I did with it.

---

Clouds look good! I suggest cropping out that bottom portion on the first photo if you have a larger resolution of that one.

[ColoradoSkier]

Nice shot!


I had thought about cropping out the window frame, but, being an aviation geek, I kinda liked it being in there...

[Jake_Blues]

Here's one, it's more than just a retouch, but I did get rid of some blemishes and such while I was fiddling with the picture:

Before:
http://omgwtf.kicks-ass.org/Sarah_Old.jpg

After:
http://omgwtf.kicks-ass.org/Sarah_New.jpg

-E

[thenimirra]

That's a cool shot Eric. I like how you kept the focus on her eye color.

[Jake_Blues]

That's a cool shot Eric. I like how you kept the focus on her eye color.

I wanted to keep the bubble-gum pink lips too, but I couldn't get it to look clean in the final picture. It always came out looking fake. Eyes are easy since they are surrounded by white.

-E

[ColoradoSkier]

I wanted to keep the bubble-gum pink lips too, but I couldn't get it to look clean in the final picture. It always came out looking fake. Eyes are easy since they are surrounded by white.

-E

I was thinking the lips would have been cool too. Maybe our resident PS expert could give you a tip on that?

[Jake_Blues]

I was thinking the lips would have been cool too. Maybe our resident PS expert could give you a tip on that?

We have a resident Photoshop expert? :)

-E

[ColoradoSkier]

She hasn't posted here in a while, but Offroad Girl is (I think). Longboy is too, but I don't think he comes in here.

[ColoradoSkier]

The subject not being the focal point of my reason for posting, these two images are interesting to me in terms of the post-production that was done. He doesn't specify what he did, but the results are dramatic (in my mind anyhow):

http://static.flickr.com/77/189209662_90b9c00c95.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/filip_pizlo/189209662/)

http://static.flickr.com/155/398433404_583550cd8f.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/filip_pizlo/398433404/)

[Jake_Blues]

The subject not being the focal point of my reason for posting, these two images are interesting to me in terms of the post-production that was done. He doesn't specify what he did, but the results are dramatic (in my mind anyhow):


It looks like he did a bunch of blemish removal, some serious color work to make her look tanned (the grass in the background is now completely ruined), and some blurring/softening in places.

Of course, given the subject, it took me several minutes to realize there WAS grass in the background...

-E

[ColoradoSkier]

The rust is more defined too, and there is a purple tinge in the left side of the pic. People might even think it is CA if there were a light source nearby. But overall, the quality of the image was vastly improved, at least to me.

[thenimirra]

yeah right...I'm sure the view was drastically improved for you.

all you men are the same...

[Jake_Blues]

The rust is more defined too, and there is a purple tinge in the left side of the pic. People might even think it is CA if there were a light source nearby. But overall, the quality of the image was vastly improved, at least to me.

I agree for the most part it looks better, but her skin almost looks cartoonish after all the changes. It took away all the definition and depth and texture from her skin. It almost starts to look like an oil painting or something. Nice, but in my personal opinion, heavy-handed.

-E

[thenimirra]

OK, back on topic, I agree with Eric. However, I do like the grass in the background better.

[ColoradoSkier]

I agree for the most part it looks better, but her skin almost looks cartoonish after all the changes. It took away all the definition and depth and texture from her skin. It almost starts to look like an oil painting or something. Nice, but in my personal opinion, heavy-handed.

-E

Looking at it more, I agree. It doesn't look like her face received that much treatment, and still looks real, whereas from the neck down it does have that painted feel to it. I was thinking the color change was good (and striking), but I wasn't paying as much attention to the texture and detail.

[Jake_Blues]

Looking at it more, I agree. It doesn't look like her face received that much treatment, and still looks real, whereas from the neck down it does have that painted feel to it. I was thinking the color change was good (and striking), but I wasn't paying as much attention to the texture and detail.

I don't think she's real from the neck down regardless :D

-E

[thenimirra]

it's very interesting how they chopped out her blemishes and made her look as if her skin was impeccable...They probably did something to other parts as well.

I'm telling you fellas...it's more fun when they are REAL!

[ColoradoSkier]

Seeing the other pics on the site, I am thinking she was not enhanced that way with photoshop. By surgery perhaps. But that is irrelevant.

[Jake_Blues]

it's very interesting how they chopped out her blemishes and made her look as if her skin was impeccable...They probably did something to other parts as well.

I'm telling you fellas...it's more fun when they are REAL!

Removing blemishes is fairly easy to do, play with your smudge tool and the airbrush tool and a few others, depending on your goal. It's especially easy if you have a nice large version of the photo to start with, and you reduce it after you do all your touch-ups.

-E

[thenimirra]

that is both frightening to think about and kinda cool too...I'm torn to think you can manipulate an image so much....

[ColoradoSkier]

that is both frightening to think about and kinda cool too...I'm torn to think you can manipulate an image so much....

This is nothing new - magazines have been doing it forever.

[thenimirra]

I know. But to actually see it in action....that is what's blowing my mind....

[Jake_Blues]

For an interesting take on what can be done with a little makeup and some photoshopping, Dove released a video recently...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYhCn0jf46U

-E

[thenimirra]

I saw that video....amazing.

[ColoradoSkier]

Haven't tried it yet, but here is an online site for doing stuff to your pictures...

http://www.picnik.com/

[potter]

I wanted to keep the bubble-gum pink lips too, but I couldn't get it to look clean in the final picture. It always came out looking fake. Eyes are easy since they are surrounded by white.

-E

http://goddam.net/Sarah_Old.jpg

Something like that? I just took the area around the eyes and lips and pasted them as a second layer onto a desaturated version. Took down the area around the eye with a square eraser at 100% (easy). Then with a faux finish brush easer tool took down the layer around the lips at about 20~% getting closer and closer each time. Up untill I got to the very edge of the pink coloring, then dropped it down to about 6% to make the transition a bit more fine. Also as the corners were a little brown I lightly colored them with a pink brush at 9%. Then lightened up the dark shadow spots with a grayish/white brush at 9%. Took about 10 minutes. Oh, and I darkened that thing in the background (top right corner) with a black brush at about 60%.

[potter]

And here is my most recent retouching. Just ran the pic through some faux lens filters through photoshop. Then edited levels, color, brightness/contrast, and saturation. I think that was all. I don't remember, was awhile ago.

Original - cropped and sized.
http://goddam.net/sh-4-7-07/IMG_3350.jpg

Retouched - added warmth, brought out greens/yellows, detailed the blacks and edges a bit.
http://goddam.net/stage2.jpg

[thenimirra]

cool! Hey Brian, how are you and your new family doing? You getting freaked out about the baby yet?

[potter]

cool! Hey Brian, how are you and your new family doing? You getting freaked out about the baby yet?

Actually, she had a miscarriage a week and a half ago. :(

[ColoradoSkier]

Actually, she had a miscarriage a week and a half ago. :(

Dude, that sucks, I am so sorry...

[thenimirra]

oh no...Brian I am so sorry! My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.