Author Topic: How to achieve natural skin color? (Read 15548 times)

niserin · « **on:** February 02, 2009, 18:13 »

Hi,
Recently, I have been trying some shots in studio. As I am newbie with working with models over white background, I am not sure if I achieved desired results. Here is one of my tries:

Please say how you would improve it to make it more stock worthy.

Thank you in advance
Michal

Jimi King · « **Reply #1 on:** February 02, 2009, 19:40 »

Looks fine to me.

I would have kept the whole head in though. Let the buyer crop it if they want to.

MatHayward · « **Reply #2 on:** February 03, 2009, 11:23 »

Skin tone looks pretty OK to me. I always use a custom white balance for this type of shot to make sure I get it right. If I had to throw a critique in, I'm not crazy about the light on her left cheek (image right) it looks just a tad hot but that could have been the look you were going for. It doesn't appear blown out, it's just my personal preference to dial it down from that look a little bit.

mantonino · « **Reply #3 on:** February 03, 2009, 13:41 »

Left cheek hot? It's not even *remotely* too bright on my monitor...makes me wonder...

Quick poll: cheek average, bright, too bright or blown?

sam100 · « **Reply #4 on:** February 03, 2009, 13:59 »

cheek looks perfectly exposed on my calibrated 700 dollar monitor.

Patrick H.

KB · « **Reply #5 on:** February 03, 2009, 14:31 »

Same here on my calibrated $400 monitor.

Too much eye shadow, though.

a.k.a.-tom · « **Reply #6 on:** February 03, 2009, 14:33 »

looks fine where i'm sitting....

=tom

madelaide · « **Reply #7 on:** February 03, 2009, 15:18 »

Seems ok too on my uncalibrated monitor.

Regards,
Adelaide

MatHayward · « **Reply #8 on:** February 03, 2009, 17:17 »

It looks a touch hot on her cheek, hand and her collar on this monitor. I'm on an uncalibrated laptop though so given the other feedback, it is clearly me and the computer. Sorry about that.

Mat

MatHayward · « **Reply #9 on:** February 03, 2009, 17:34 »

I just did a side by side with my laptop and PC and the difference is really remarkable. My bad for sure earlier, the exposure looks great as does the skin tone for that matter.

Again, sorry for the incorrect post. She's got a mole or blemish on her cheek that can't even see on my laptop.

Time to break out the Spyder calibrator I suppose.

Yours in embarrassment,

Mat

Xalanx · « **Reply #10 on:** February 03, 2009, 17:39 »

Quote from: MatHayward on February 03, 2009, 17:34

She's got a mole or blemish on her cheek that can't even see on my laptop.

Which would look like a Nile crocodile on a 1200$ monitor. I think that's what the reviewers have..

tan510jomast · « **Reply #11 on:** February 04, 2009, 11:04 »

Quote from: Xalanx on February 03, 2009, 17:39

Quote from: MatHayward on February 03, 2009, 17:34
She's got a mole or blemish on her cheek that can't even see on my laptop.

Which would look like a Nile crocodile on a 1200$ monitor. I think that's what the reviewers have..

good point xalanx, although you meant it as a joke.
but if Matt made a visual error with his laptop, how many reviewers are working with one
sitting by the pool

not as funny as we may think now. just wondering.
p.s.
this is not from personal experience, so don't get pissed off with my comment.
or else i will use IGNORE

null · « **Reply #12 on:** February 04, 2009, 11:15 »

Quote from: tan510jomast on February 04, 2009, 11:04

but if Matt made a visual error with his laptop, how many reviewers are working with one sitting by the pool

Reviewers are required to have a calibrated CRT monitor of high enough quality.

sam100 · « **Reply #13 on:** February 04, 2009, 12:06 »

Quote from: FlemishDreams on February 04, 2009, 11:15

Quote from: tan510jomast on February 04, 2009, 11:04
but if Matt made a visual error with his laptop, how many reviewers are working with one sitting by the pool

Reviewers are required to have a calibrated CRT monitor of high enough quality.

or lcd monitor.
Patrick H.

KB · « **Reply #14 on:** February 04, 2009, 12:16 »

Quote from: patrick1958 on February 04, 2009, 12:06

Quote from: FlemishDreams on February 04, 2009, 11:15
Quote from: tan510jomast on February 04, 2009, 11:04
but if Matt made a visual error with his laptop, how many reviewers are working with one sitting by the pool

Reviewers are required to have a calibrated CRT monitor of high enough quality.

or lcd monitor.
Patrick H.

Including Fotolia?

tan510jomast · « **Reply #15 on:** February 04, 2009, 16:46 »

Quote from: KB on February 04, 2009, 12:16

Quote from: patrick1958 on February 04, 2009, 12:06
Quote from: FlemishDreams on February 04, 2009, 11:15
Quote from: tan510jomast on February 04, 2009, 11:04
but if Matt made a visual error with his laptop, how many reviewers are working with one sitting by the pool

Reviewers are required to have a calibrated CRT monitor of high enough quality.

or lcd monitor.
Patrick H.
Including Fotolia?

oi, that's not fair, I like Fotolia

they got me a sale last week (30 cents)

and that is after I just recently started with them. one sale with a tiny tiny portfolio.
ok, i know it's 30 cts, but with one Big 6 site which used to be Big2 (hint), i have like 2 bucks after a whole year

so for Fotolia, a sale so soon although small, is not bad for starters.

lisafx · « **Reply #16 on:** February 04, 2009, 16:59 »

Eeek - now we are comparing monitor prices like guys in you-know-what contest?

Both skin color and exposure look great to me too. Nice work!

I second doing a custom white balance before each shoot. I use the expodisc - works like a charm every time!

KB · « **Reply #17 on:** February 04, 2009, 17:02 »

Quote from: tan510jomast on February 04, 2009, 16:46

Quote from: KB on February 04, 2009, 12:16
Quote from: patrick1958 on February 04, 2009, 12:06
Quote from: FlemishDreams on February 04, 2009, 11:15
Quote from: tan510jomast on February 04, 2009, 11:04
but if Matt made a visual error with his laptop, how many reviewers are working with one sitting by the pool

Reviewers are required to have a calibrated CRT monitor of high enough quality.

or lcd monitor.
Patrick H.
Including Fotolia?

oi, that's not fair, I like Fotolia

Don't get me wrong, I like Fotolia, too. But they are well-known for the most random reviews (and rejections) of any of the Big X. Maybe their reviewers not using calibrated monitors is the explanation? (Highly unlikely, I know ....)

Dreamframer · « **Reply #18 on:** February 04, 2009, 17:09 »

Lighting looks pretty fine to me. Skin color too. But I don't like few things. Her make-up is too visible (small pimples on a forehead too) You can improve that in Photoshop. I don'r want to offend her. She is beautiful, but no one has perfect skin, and today's market is full of images of models with perfect (read: fake) skin. The light on her left side emphasize imperfections on her forehead. Find some tutorial about improving the look of a skin in PS. And watch not to overdo it!! It has to look natural, not as plastic doll.

I hope this helps

niserin · « **Reply #19 on:** February 05, 2009, 14:04 »

Here is an another example, but now I am not sure about the isolation. I mean her hair on the top of her head. I have done it with Dodge Tool/ Highlights in Photoshop, because the background wasn't totally white.

full image:

100% scale view:

Xalanx · « **Reply #20 on:** February 05, 2009, 17:04 »

First of all, I don't like the lack of detail in dark areas. I'd rather have something like this:

niserin · « **Reply #21 on:** February 05, 2009, 17:11 »

I guess that the suit should be rahter darker or even totally black, therefore I played with levels like that. But speaking about hair - you are right, they look better in your version. How did you do that?

Xalanx · « **Reply #22 on:** February 05, 2009, 18:18 »

I did a 30 seconds job in PS. Free hint: learn to use layer masks

About the suit - you'll get a rejection if the reviewer sees black instead of fine details. She's dressed in a suit, not a black hole that absorbs the light

Don't do anything completely white or black unless it's the background of an isolated subject.

Dreamframer · « **Reply #23 on:** February 05, 2009, 18:32 »

I would put more light on her face. The angle of the light is strange. Light very rarely comes from that angle, and her eyes are in the shadow.

lephotography · « **Reply #24 on:** February 05, 2009, 21:57 »

full image:

What I would be looking at is how the light hits her and if the eyes are white enough. Skin color looks great. You have shadows caused by the glasses.

lephotography · « **Reply #25 on:** February 05, 2009, 22:08 »

Quote from: Xalanx on February 05, 2009, 17:04

First of all, I don't like the lack of detail in dark areas. I'd rather have something like this:

That looks too overexposed

Xalanx · « **Reply #26 on:** February 06, 2009, 00:37 »

Quote from: lephotography on February 05, 2009, 22:08

Quote from: Xalanx on February 05, 2009, 17:04
First of all, I don't like the lack of detail in dark areas. I'd rather have something like this:

That looks too overexposed

He should look in the DARK areas, as I said. I don't do full processing for the sake of sharing just like that. A simple hint is more constructive, then he can learn.

niserin · « **Reply #27 on:** February 06, 2009, 04:12 »

Here is what I have done myself:

Is it more stock worthy now ?

Microbius · « **Reply #28 on:** February 06, 2009, 04:20 »

looking much better in the darker areas. There seems to be something a little strange about her right arm. Maybe just because I've been staring at it too long, but have you slimmed the top of that arm down or moved it?

niserin · « **Reply #29 on:** February 06, 2009, 04:37 »

No, I haven't

Xalanx · « **Reply #30 on:** February 06, 2009, 04:46 »

it's shot from close, with a semi-wide angle lens, hence the perspective distortion of the arm.

Microbius · « **Reply #31 on:** February 06, 2009, 06:29 »

okay, must just be me looking at it for too long. The arm was looking unnaturally short, but must just be the angle/ perspective.

Dreamframer · « **Reply #32 on:** February 06, 2009, 09:34 »

Now you have some unnatural lightened area just under her hair on a forehead....
Try making new layer in PS, change it's mode to soft light, take very soft brush and white color, and paint in that new layer over areas in shadow. When you are done decrease opacity of that layer to achieve natural look.

Look... this image is basically good... it's obvious that you have good eye. We are talking here about some minor, but sometimes important adjustments. You are on a good way.... I really think that

niserin · « **Reply #33 on:** February 06, 2009, 10:49 »

Yes, I see this lightened area under her hair..
Thank you whitechild for you small tutorial, it is really helpful, I didn't know it before.

But what about this hair on the top of her head? Can it stay like that? I guess that highlighting this hair was the only way to achieve absolutely white background.

niserin · « **Reply #34 on:** February 06, 2009, 11:04 »

Another one:
Before shadow correction:

After correction:

Am I going a right way?

Dreamframer · « **Reply #35 on:** February 06, 2009, 15:11 »

Yes, you are on the right way.
About the hair... Probably some agencies will accept it, but some other wont. I would suggest you to try to remove whole that part of the hair, and to try to achieve natural look as much as possible. Try to use eraser and maybe clone stamp tool.
I don't use dodge and burn tools very often, exactly because of effects like this

null · « **Reply #36 on:** February 06, 2009, 19:26 »

Quote from: niserin on February 05, 2009, 14:04

Here is an another example, but now I am not sure about the isolation. I mean her hair on the top of her head.

Hair is a mess to isolate by dodging. You could just eleminate the small hairs in the separation and follow the main outline.

Dreamframer · « **Reply #37 on:** February 06, 2009, 21:11 »

Quote from: FlemishDreams on February 06, 2009, 19:26

Quote from: niserin on February 05, 2009, 14:04
Here is an another example, but now I am not sure about the isolation. I mean her hair on the top of her head.

Hair is a mess to isolate by dodging. You could just eleminate the small hairs in the separation and follow the main outline.

Thank you Flemish, I wanted to say that, but sometimes I don't know how to explain something in english

To erase small hairs with eraser, and if needed to use clone stamp on some small parts to hide the direction of a hair if it points in the wrong direction

lephotography · « **Reply #38 on:** February 06, 2009, 23:50 »

hair looks better but you have a shadow on her face from her glasses

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Author Topic: How to achieve natural skin color? (Read 15548 times)

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