drydock
Loc: mackay, queensland australia
I am struggling to get realistic skin tones in lightroom. I took these images recently of my daughters at sunset with fill in flash. I used JPEG fine and RAW. The first image is the JPEG and the second is the RAW. AS you can see the image detail is much better in the RAW image but I feel the skin tones are much more realistic on the untouched JPEGS. the RAW images are too shiny and the colour is just not right. I have fiddled with the white balance, tried the HSL tabs to get the right skin tone and used the adjustment brush with the softer skin setting to try and get the sheen on the faces less evident but am still unhappy. Any suggestions gratefully accepted. Please feel free to play with the RAW image
drydock wrote:
I am struggling to get realistic skin tones in lightroom. I took these images recently of my daughters at sunset with fill in flash. I used JPEG fine and RAW. The first image is the JPEG and the second is the RAW. AS you can see the image detail is much better in the RAW image but I feel the skin tones are much more realistic on the untouched JPEGS. the RAW images are too shiny and the colour is just not right. I have fiddled with the white balance, tried the HSL tabs to get the right skin tone and used the adjustment brush with the softer skin setting to try and get the sheen on the faces less evident but am still unhappy. Any suggestions gratefully accepted. Please feel free to play with the RAW image
I am struggling to get realistic skin tones in lig... (
show quote)
I think the "raw" picture would have been a little better if the flash hadn't been so close to the girls. I can only guess that maybe you didn't have a telephoto lens and had to be closer to your subjects. I do like your post processing. The skin tones are much easier on the eyes.
As Penny Mentioned, you flash is giving you the problem. You might want to get a diffuser for it. Some thing like a piece of wax paper, a white plastic bag over the flash with a rubber band. Something to reduce the glare.
If you are really wanting to make this a keeper, just down load Gimp a free program, and air brush out the glare.
Do you mind if I post a quick clean up.
drydock wrote:
I am struggling to get realistic skin tones in lightroom. I took these images recently of my daughters at sunset with fill in flash. I used JPEG fine and RAW. The first image is the JPEG and the second is the RAW. AS you can see the image detail is much better in the RAW image but I feel the skin tones are much more realistic on the untouched JPEGS. the RAW images are too shiny and the colour is just not right. I have fiddled with the white balance, tried the HSL tabs to get the right skin tone and used the adjustment brush with the softer skin setting to try and get the sheen on the faces less evident but am still unhappy. Any suggestions gratefully accepted. Please feel free to play with the RAW image
I am struggling to get realistic skin tones in lig... (
show quote)
As was mentioned, what you have are called "specular highlights" due to shiny skin and a hot flash.
You should get your flash off camera or in the case of fill flash, you just BARELY want to flash them...you shouldn't even know you did it by looking at it.
As it is...front lit like they are isn't flattering and it looks strange to have so much light coming from the front.
PS: They aren't in focus either.
Another view without the Pimples
It's not the diffuser or taking the flash off camera. None of that would help, but simply mask/minimize the problem somewhat.
It's all about matching the color temperature of the flash to the color temperature of the ambient (the sunset).
Try using 1/2 CTO or CTS gel on your flash when shooting during sunsets. (If shooting at or near noon then 1/4 or 1/8 CTS.)
If it's a late sunset, then maybe even full CTO would be needed. But try not to overdo it or else the faces will have the look of unhealthy tan. :)
And then set the flash exposure 2/3rd of a stop below the ambient. You'll get fill light that's as close to natural-looking as it gets.
And then, a diffuser (or better a softbox/umbrella) might also help. But not without the gel first.
That's for re-taking the shot.
As for post-processing what you have now, the flash is much cooler than the ambient. So there is no much you can do in post except for separating the faces and the background into two separate layers/images. And then, you could warm up the faces or cool down the background separately. After merging them back into one image, you could then adjust the final white balance for overall look.
drydock
Loc: mackay, queensland australia
That certainly is a great improvement. Looks like I should alter my flash technique and invest in photoshop
drydock wrote:
That certainly is a great improvement. Looks like I should alter my flash technique and invest in photoshop
That would really help. Photoshop might be optional, but learning to bounce flash or use flash effectively is a very valuable skill.
drydock
Loc: mackay, queensland australia
rpavich wrote:
That would really help. Photoshop might be optional, but learning to bounce flash or use flash effectively is a very valuable skill.
Yet another skill to try and master!! (as well as focusing)-- thanks for your help
Overly saturated and direct flash pop up or other on camera with no diffuser. I desaturated using LR
I took a shot. Lovely young ladies. The shorter one's focus is off, not sure of your settings.
drydock
Loc: mackay, queensland australia
Pockets wrote:
I took a shot. Lovely young ladies. The shorter one's focus is off, not sure of your settings.
Thank you all. I know that the focus was off on my shorter daughter, but this was the pic showing the worst shiny skin. AS you can see I don't use flash often and wanted to try fill in flash. I have now gone to my camera's manual and I now know how to dial down the flash. I will certainly look at using a diffuser next time.
It certainly seems that you learn most from your mistakes and I thank all the forum members for their help
Bruce L
If you want to reply, then
register here. Registration is free and your account is created instantly, so you can post right away.