Senior Picture: I have been trying to work with the new Topaz Clean on this senior picture and would like some opinions on my process and end result. I adjusted the photo in Topaz...

gypsy02 Loc: Indiana

I have been trying to work with the new Topaz Clean on this senior picture and would like some opinions on my process and end result. I adjusted the photo in Topaz Clean with the Blemish Removal and then just a little adjustment. On another layer I made a mask (and I'm still very new at using masks) and brushed over just the face, avoiding the eyes and mouth, to show only the skin area. I did this to try to keep the sharpness of the eyes, mouth and rest of the photo so it wasn't softened by the Topaz adjustment. Then just used the spot removal brush in a couple of areas and also removed some of those white spots on the brick. Now my question is whether the skin looks normal or is too smooth and plastic looking. I've looked at it so much, I can't make a good call. Also think the photo should be cropped some? Thanks for any critiques!!

Original

(Download)

After Topaz Clean

hlmichel Loc: New Hope, Minnesota

To me, the work you did on her skin looks subtle.

But the white thing in the grass and the dividing line between the dark and light parts of the background are distracting.

conkerwood

hlmichel wrote:

To me, the work you did on her skin looks subtle.

But the white thing in the grass and the dividing line between the dark and light parts of the background are distracting.

You have done some nice work on the skin, subtle and still quite natural looking. You correctly removed the tiny white dots on the brick, they were a distraction. But by focussing so much on the fine details you have missed something basic. The verticals are off with the result that it looks like she is pushing back against the column trying to prevent it from falling on her. Straighten the column and blend for a smooth transition from dark to light in the background and you will have a nice portrait.

Hope this helps.

Peter

waltchilds Loc: Central Florida

Her skin tones look good to me, nice work.

MyPharo Loc: New Jersey

You did a nice job .. I did a little more touching up . I removed the white object just right of her face in the back ground, I felt it has eye draw to it .. I repaired the 3 chipped brick ends left of her face . I used a straightening tool to slightly re-angle the photo to the left and cut the sharp leaning right of the brick column. But you did a very good job ..

gypsy02 Loc: Indiana

conkerwood wrote:

You have done some nice work on the skin, subtle a... (show quote)

gypsy02 Loc: Indiana

waltchilds wrote:

Her skin tones look good to me, nice work.

Thank you. It's hard for me to determine the "too subtle" softening of skin without making it look like plastic. Especially on a young person.

Morning Star Loc: West coast, North of the 49th N.

Even though the difference is subtle, I feel that Topaz did too much. To me the skin now looks too light, to waxy. The blue bracelet, to me, looks like it was desaturated. Then of course, I have not seen the actual bracelet.
And on the subject of jewellery, and speaking as a woman, check that pendants and necklaces hang down, not sideways to attract attention to where you may not want it.

gypsy02 Loc: Indiana

MyPharo wrote:

You did a nice job .. I did a little more touching up . I removed the white object just right of her face in the back ground, I felt it has eye draw to it .. I repaired the 3 chipped brick ends left of her face . I used a straightening tool to slightly re-angle the photo to the left and cut the sharp leaning right of the brick column. But you did a very good job ..

Thank you for your time on this. Great job - what an improvement! I wouldn't have noticed the faint white spots or the chipped bricks, but what a difference it makes! Now I need to take a look at the other poses in this location and see if the brick column is still leaning. :)

gypsy02 Loc: Indiana

Morning Star wrote:

Even though the difference is subtle, I feel that Topaz did too much. To me the skin now looks too light, to waxy. The blue bracelet, to me, looks like it was desaturated. Then of course, I have not seen the actual bracelet.
And on the subject of jewellery, and speaking as a woman, check that pendants and necklaces hang down, not sideways to attract attention to where you may not want it.

Good hint on watching how pendants and necklaces hang. The blue friendship bracelet - a sign of the times. Perhaps I didn't add enough texture back into the skin when in the Topaz program. It would be more time consuming to clear the blemishes manually with the spot brush or clone stamp, but maybe it would retain the overall tone better.

Old Grey Beard Loc: Salt Lake City, Utah

gypsy02 wrote:

I have been trying to work with the new Topaz Clea... (show quote)

She is very pretty.......hope you don't mind, but all I did was straighten the brick column, remove some distractions, and just opened it with portrait pro studio, and saved it.

Beautiful model

(Download)

gypsy02 Loc: Indiana

Old Grey Beard wrote:

She is very pretty.......hope you don't mind, but all I did was straighten the brick column, remove some distractions, and just opened it with portrait pro studio, and saved it.

No, certainly don't mind at all! It looks really nice - including the tones of the skin. Did you open the original or my adjusted one? Did Portrait Pro Studio do anything to it? I'm not familiar with that software, but will look it up.
Thanks for your comments and taking the time to work with the photo!

Old Grey Beard Loc: Salt Lake City, Utah

gypsy02 wrote:

No, certainly don't mind at all! It looks really nice - including the tones of the skin. Did you open the original or my adjusted one? Did Portrait Pro Studio do anything to it? I'm not familiar with that software, but will look it up.
Thanks for your comments and taking the time to work with the photo!

I opened the original, when it opens in portrait pro it shows 2 photos....one with adjustment points for the face, mouth, eyes, etc. The one next to it is their automatic adjustment, or it changes as you move the adjustment points. I made no adjustments, that's how portrait pro envisioned her.

CaptainC Loc: Colorado, south of Denver

Old Grey Beard wrote:

She is very pretty.......hope you don't mind, but all I did was straighten the brick column, remove some distractions, and just opened it with portrait pro studio, and saved it.

"That's how Portrait Pro envisioned her?" I am sure she would be happy to know a piece of software thought she needed improving.

You should NEVER allow Portrait Professional to restructure the face as you did here. It was the first thing I noticed - it no longer looked like her! She would/should be insulted that someone thought she was not good enough as she is. That software is fine for skin work, but turn off the face structure thing.

Old Grey Beard Loc: Salt Lake City, Utah

CaptainC wrote:

"That's how Portrait Pro envisioned her?" I am sure she would be happy to know a piece of software thought she needed improving.

You should NEVER allow Portrait Professional to restructure the face as you did here. It was the first thing I noticed - it no longer looked like her! She would/should be insulted that someone thought she was not good enough as she is. That software is fine for skin work, but turn off the face structure thing.

Bad choice of words on my part.