[BityBabyNurse]

Here is my sister I got to model for me (posted with permission). Please tell me how it looks. I tried to figure out PS to soften the skin with the median with the tutorials on this site, but my version of PS is different (PS 4), so hmm I'm finding it incredibly hard to figure out how to do a mask layer in PS. for some reason I just can't get it! If any one wants to pimp the image, I can put up the original. All c&c welcomed P.S. I think it is a little blurry, I used natural light, cuz I ain't got any studio lights (yet), and used custom white balance, I guess I got the aperture wrong probably, I think it was 5.6, ISO 100,

[CathieT]

Sharlene, it looks like you have focused on the pearl, even on my monitor at work that seems sharp, but her face, and importantly the eyes are soft. I will have a "pimp" at it if you like!

Cheers,
Cathie

[Dabhand16]

Sharlene - you sound like you are using Photoshop Elements 4. This software does not allow the use of layer masks, unlike the full version of Photoshop. There is a wor-around where you can use an ajustment layer as a layer mask.

Basically, you add a hue/sat ajustment layer, accept the default settings (i.e. no changes), than fill with black and paint the areas you want to show through with white. You can toggle between adding and taking away from the mask by hitting x on the keyboard to switch between black and white on the brush.

Oh, yes, your image! I think the white background does this no favours, and the image is too soft for me. I'm not sure if a pimp will be possible on an image with this much blur, but i'm sure people will try.

[Angela]

The composition and the pose is great but as other have said, it's a bit soft around the face. But a good first try!

[Dabhand16]

How about this? The feathering is not good. I find it very difficult to work with low res images. I'm sure you could do better with your original.



I'll tell you how I did it in exchange for your sister's phone number!

[namllihs]

Well other than the softness I think Sharlenes image has a lot going for it.

My quick efforts.
#1.


#2.

[Rob Barron]

Agree with other comments but I shall't repeat what's already been said. For me the first thing i noticed is her nose, not something I have ever heard a model be too pleased about unfortunately. Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with her nose, it is the lighting that is the problem. The right side of her face (our left) is bright and the left side is in shadow. There is very little to define the shape of the right side of her nose as the tonal range is minimal from the bridge of her nose down the side and along her right cheek, especially the higher part of the nose. This in turn means the nose is accentuated by the shadow line along the front of the nose bridge and thus makes it look larger than it actually is.

I would go for a more evenly balanced lighting, maybe by using a reflector on the shadow side. I think it highly likely that the high res version has a greater tonal range between nose and cheek jowls and so the image will look a lot better. it is the lower resolution allied with the compression that is reducing the variation that would give more definition to the face overall.

Nothing wrong with the pose and expression but I would definitely adjust the crop as the left hand is cropped longitudinally and we just see most of the thumb and the rest disappears out of the bottom of the shot. The right hand is a bit cropped too though not disastrously, i can live with it though I'd prefer it uncropped.

Cheers,
Rob

[BityBabyNurse]

Thanks to everyone for your input. here's my another go at it. How do I get the background to white-en up without making the face shiny or the body to light?

[Dabhand16]

Try opening the levels palette, and use the white point sampler on the background. If this affects the subject too, you will have to select the background first.

[Dabhand16]

Originally Posted by Dabhand16

Sharlene - you sound like you are using Photoshop Elements 4. This software does not allow the use of layer masks, unlike the full version of Photoshop. There is a work-around where you can use an ajustment layer as a layer mask.

Basically, you add a hue/sat ajustment layer, accept the default settings (i.e. no changes), than fill with black and paint the areas you want to show through with white. You can toggle between adding and taking away from the mask by hitting x on the keyboard to switch between black and white on the brush.

Oh, yes, your image! I think the white background does this no favours, and the image is too soft for me. I'm not sure if a pimp will be possible on an image with this much blur, but i'm sure people will try.

Apologies! forgot to mention that you have to first duplicate the background layer, then add the ajustment layer. Then link the ajustment layer to the copy of the background layer, then you can fill and use it as a layer mask.

[Rob Barron]

I have had a little play towards the look I think you were mentioning Bity in that I have put the BG to white and made a few minor adjustments to skin tone, the eyes and so forth. I also got rid of the all-black border which was I feel too heavy for the picture. See what you think.

Cheers,
Rob

[BityBabyNurse]

THat's perfect! Please tell me how you did it!