Portrait Pro Software
Nov 20, 2014 22:17:35 #
mcmm
Loc: Kansas
I've been getting emails about Portrait Pro 12 and was wondering if anyone uses this software and do they like it or not.
Nov 20, 2014 22:30:08 #
I have had 10 & 11. It does work, buy you need patience. It first outlines all facial features which it does well, but not perfectly. There are other programs that operate more maually, are fast & easy & cost less. You will have as much control faster.
Nov 21, 2014 03:01:35 #
mcmm wrote:
I've been getting emails about Portrait Pro 12 and was wondering if anyone uses this software and do they like it or not.
I have Portrait Professional and really like it. A word of caution though - I find that by default it overdoes things to the extent that the subject can look unnatural. That's easily remedied though by just moving the various slide controls back a tad.
Nov 21, 2014 04:20:14 #
I tried them all and finally settled on Portrait Pro as the easiest and most "natural" looking of the software offerings of this type.
you have to get used to it but I have developed a work flow that works for me.
1.) Launch it and let it find the face and outline the features.
2.) If necessary, adjust the feature boundaries.
3.) Uncheck everything except the facial smoothing feature.
4.) Show the facial smoothing map and adjust where it affects by painting and erasing it, then choose "refine edge" to feather it again.
5.) Adjust the intensity of the effect and you are done.
The whole thing takes about 5 or 10 minutes at most.
you have to get used to it but I have developed a work flow that works for me.
1.) Launch it and let it find the face and outline the features.
2.) If necessary, adjust the feature boundaries.
3.) Uncheck everything except the facial smoothing feature.
4.) Show the facial smoothing map and adjust where it affects by painting and erasing it, then choose "refine edge" to feather it again.
5.) Adjust the intensity of the effect and you are done.
The whole thing takes about 5 or 10 minutes at most.
Nov 21, 2014 04:40:17 #
mcmm wrote:
I've been getting emails about Portrait Pro 12 and was wondering if anyone uses this software and do they like it or not.
It's good for a quick and dirty retouch job, but nothing compares to the lengthy process of doing it correctly. Ok for proofs though. I know many successful shooters that will sell portraits retouched with PP. It's fast for a 90% result, which to the untrained eye is satisfactory.
Nov 21, 2014 05:09:23 #
I use this from time to time and it works very nice..but use is sparingly...I think less is sometimes more.
Nov 21, 2014 07:16:30 #
Gene51 wrote:
... It's good for a quick and dirty ... which to the untrained eye is satisfactory.
Interesting phrase quick and dirty... if we examine the linguistic of most of us we auto couple the two ... quick/dirty. humm,, often things that are quick are not dirty.
The second phrase you used "the untrained eye" well if the program is OK for them that says that the results are fine for 99 and 44/100ths of the population just like Ivory Soap! We people with trained eyes suffer a lot... every photo we see needs a crop or is too dark or angle wrong... oh the pain of it all...
Oh, yes, I have 11 and one has to be careful to keep the subject from looking too perfect... that is my complaint, otherwise easy to use. Not going for edition 12. I think that bit by bit that market is being eroded by the typical edit programs and plugins... name a few?
Had a discussion of photography with a well educated woman who uses a low cost point and shoot ... she and her friends love the 4x6s from the drugstore!!!
Nov 21, 2014 07:56:09 #
mcmm wrote:
I've been getting emails about Portrait Pro 12 and was wondering if anyone uses this software and do they like it or not.
I have 12. Had 11 and 10. I upgrade al the time. It grabs the faces automagically about 85% of the time. If it screws up the control lines you can adjust them. Gives you options on the face type, Girl, Woman, boy, man. Usually the Woman/MAN effects are tooo heavy handed. I start with Girl/Boy. I use it on selected photos to straighten out the faces. Sometimes I go to PS and do it by hand. Depends.
Nov 21, 2014 08:13:11 #
dpullum wrote:
Interesting phrase quick and dirty... if we examin... (show quote)
My biggest issue is the damage it does to skin texture and occasionally color. When it counts, (aka retouching work for hire) for skin blemishes and smoothing I use a combination of frequency separation and non-destructive dodge and burn layers. It leaves the stuff you want, and removes the stuff you don't want, and it is completely reversible after the fact. For proof quality PP12 is more than fine.
Nov 21, 2014 08:20:23 #
"........We people with trained eyes suffer a lot... every photo we see needs a crop or is too dark or angle wrong... oh the pain of it all..."
all tooo true.
all tooo true.
Nov 21, 2014 08:23:09 #
I sometimes use it with frequency separation in PS for better results on skin texture. Depends on the face.
Nov 21, 2014 08:24:42 #
Jcmarino wrote:
I sometimes use it with frequency separation in PS for better results on skin texture. Depends on the face.
Works great, doesn't it? Especially for sun damaged and blotchy skin, and anywhere there is oily shine.
Nov 21, 2014 08:46:36 #
Gene51 wrote:
Works great, doesn't it? Especially for sun damaged and blotchy skin, and anywhere there is oily shine.
Who thinks this stuff up? Great technique, I liked the outcome. Seems like it would take a while to make it a 'natural' step in editing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldhG9fmgC7o
Nov 21, 2014 08:55:16 #
My business partner loves it. I think his end results are way too overdone. I do all mine with CC. Guess who has 2 thumbs and sells more prints? This guy!
Nov 21, 2014 10:30:58 #
My clients LOVE it, especially the women. It's simple, fast and easy to use. Much faster than doing it manually in PS. My clients think i'm a magician and the bottom line is that they keep coming back. Worth every penny!
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