Developer Forum

Mike,

I've got a project, that isn't really my cup-o-tea, and wonder if you can
point me to YOUR chosen technique(S). I do primarily product advertising and
architectural. I've got some portraits of two client board members. Each have
some wrinkles and one large pores. I would normally dupe the Layer, run
Gaussian Blur, then work with Opacity, and Erase out the eyes, hair, eyebrows,
etc. Somehow, these "normal" changes just are not looking right. Do you have
some thoughts. A Google (Groups & Internet) have only yielded some books. Most
of the ones that I have, basically give my method, with some very slight
variations. Unless there is a tome that specifically addresses my needs, I'd
just as soon not go out and buy a half-dozen new books, for one project.

Hope that I am not being too lazy, critical of my method, or cheap.

Thanks for your thoughts,
Hunt

PS any others, please feel free to comment
TIA

On 14 Jul 2005 00:11:20 GMT, XXXX@XXXXX.COM (Hunt) reverently intoned
upon the aether:


Are you familiar with high pass sharpening? If so, then try the
following.

Duplicate the background twice, set blending mode to hard light on the
topmost layer, and then run the high pass filter on it (choosing a
radius that gives reasonable sharpening).

Next, take the layer below that (the background will remain untouched)
and use your favorite blur on it (I like Lens Blur myself).

Then tweak layer opacities and the blending mode (Hard Light, Soft
Light, ...) on the uppermost layer.

What this does is blur the image, but sharpen the image based upon the
details in the unblurred image. It does great things for blackheads,
5 o-clock shadow, wrinkles, and etcetera while not completely removing
them.

You can also run the high pass on the uppermost layer after blurring
the middle layer for more control.

In essence, this blurs the fine details while sharpening coarser
details. Add in layer masks and you have a powerful tool.

hope this helps,

Sean


"In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies,
but the silence of our friends."

- Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968)

New Website
http://www.yqcomputer.com/
Last Updated 23 June 2005

Katrin Eismann - Photoshop Retouching and Restoration is the best. All
the techniques in there are really useful and most apply to more than
just restoring an old image.

--

Hecate - The Real One
XXXX@XXXXX.COM
Fashion: Buying things you don't need, with money
you don't have, to impress people you don't like...

It's hard to beat gaussian blur technique you describe. Can you be more
specific about what's wrong, exactly, or put up a section of a picture on
the web, perhaps at www.imageshack.com?

Hecate's suggestion is probably a good one. I have only perused Katrin
Eismann's work, but found it to be good in terms of providing actual
examples, and not just pixel-waving. I docked her some points for histogram
worship, which is a real turnoff for me, and this prevented me from buying
an otherwise satisfactory looking book.
--
Mike Russell
www.curvemeister.com

I've got some portraits of two client board members. Each have

I would not ERASE eyes, hair etc.

I would use the Clone Tool and/or the Healing Brush at 100% 0pacity to
remove wrinkles, blemishes and pores.
I would then use the Gaussian Blur filter AFTER the cloning steps.
I also recommend reading Katrin Eiseman's book. It has some very useful
tips, tricks and techniques.
Bob Williams

On Sat, 16 Jul 2005 02:13:06 -0700, Bob Williams
< XXXX@XXXXX.COM > reverently intoned upon the aether:


I believe he was referring to using a layer mask to erase sharpening
of said features, not erasing the features directly.

After all, who is going appreciate their wrinkles/black heads being
made more obvious?

a thought,

Sean


"In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies,
but the silence of our friends."

- Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968)

New Website
http://www.yqcomputer.com/
Last Updated 23 June 2005

In article < XXXX@XXXXX.COM >,
XXXX@XXXXX.COM says...
[SNIP]

Sean,

I have not tried this process, but have just saved your steps and will give it
a whirl this AM. Sounds interesting. If I have any problems with my specific
images, I'll ask for some clarifications. In the meantime, big thanks,
Hunt

In article < XXXX@XXXXX.COM >, XXXX@XXXXX.COM
says...

have
eyebrows,
Most

Thanks. I have heard only good things about her book. Off to B&N for a copy.

Hunt

In article <fyCBe.2376$ XXXX@XXXXX.COM >, RE-
XXXX@XXXXX.COM says...


[SNIP]

Mike,

Thank you for the response. It is not so much as "wrong," as it is my
attempting to do the best possible retouch on these two individuals. I've
gotten the results looking pretty good, and can obviously go to work on a few
areas with the Healing Brush, or Clone Tool. Obviously, I'm not attempting to
create "younger" versions of either, just get them as close to perfect to
reflect board members in their fifties. There are a few blemishes, that I have
removed, but I'm trying for the ultimate blend of realistic *** textures,
without noticable wrinkles.

Since I have a few days for the finals, I'll head out and see what Katrin
Eismann suggests. Though I don't work with people much, unless I've hired them
from "central casting," I don't often have this problem.

Thanks to all for the suggestions,

Hunt

All I ever retouch is people, of all ages and colors.
The recommendation to use the clone or healing at 100% is very baffling!!
you will see ugly circles, I highly recommend using a softer edged brush and
one that is less than 100 % opacity. Also healing brush.
I am not very fond of the blur the entire skin methods, it usually looks
very fake. It does add a nice glowy portraity effect but I find it totally
unsuitable for business portraits.
I remove redness in eyes with dodge tool, under eyes combination of healing
tool and clone, on older subjects it looks silly to have NO eyebags and
wrinkles, I use a very very soft large clone brush at between 25-50 %
opacity to "spray over" the under eye area which leaves the wrinkles in,
but softer. Often I burn under chin area to enhance jawlines.
I remove large freckles and neck lines with the heal or cloner.

overall gaussian on skin erased back eyes lips:
http://www.yqcomputer.com/
http://www.yqcomputer.com/



manual step by step method:
http://www.yqcomputer.com/
http://www.yqcomputer.com/

forgot to say I always dodge the teeth too.
on the man's portrait I may have used liquefy to open up his smaller eye.
And I always clone around the hair to remove strays.

On Tue, 19 Jul 2005 14:57:22 -0400, "KatWoman"




Absolutely. I use 5% opacity and build up the changes slowly.

--

Hecate - The Real One
XXXX@XXXXX.COM
Fashion: Buying things you don't need, with money
you don't have, to impress people you don't like...