Too Smooth? Feedback please.

anonymouscuban

I did a couple of portrait sessions today. I could use your help with this one. The gal in this shot has large and distinct laugh lines. Also, because she is very fair skinned and has tanned a lot throughout her life, she has very uneven skin tone. She specifically asked me to "fix my wrinkles and skin" so her expectations are that I will do some work to her skin tone and wrinkles. She actually asked me to get rid of them completely. I won't do that because... well, you all know why.

I think I found a happy medium, without too much work involved on my part, that makes her skin look healthier but does it make her look to plasticy? Really could use some opinions.

BTW, I used my DIY v-flats in this shot.

digismile

I think it looks OK. In the end, it's whether she thinks it looks good. I'm more troubled by her eyes and her one eyebrow that's higher than the other.

I'm assuming she wore little or no makeup? Usually it gives a bit of shape and definition to the face. It looks a bit plain to me.

In the end, you can only do so much.

BTW, like the v-flats.

anonymouscuban

Thanks. She wore some makeup but not much. About the eyebrow... she did that in almost every shot. I even shot 2-3 shots in sequence each time to see if I could catch her "off guard" and it helped a bit. She relaxed a bit each time, after the first shutter release.

Jeffro

Too smooth? Hard to say without seeing the original shot. The pic looks good to me, but if it doesn't still "look" like her, she may not approve.

As is, I give it a

briandelion

Works for me. It has a clean, casual feel. They project the vibes of a happy couple and the skin tones look natural and not overworked. I always like to put the retouch work on its own layer and lessen the effect by lowering the opacity of the layer if needed. Something I figure you already do.

anonymouscuban

Thanks guys. Makes me feel better with some additional eyes on this. It still looks like her so I think she'll be happy. I was more concerned in her skin having that "plastic doll" look.

Brian... yuppers... I do all skin work on separate layers. Then go through a process of turning the worked layers on and off just to see how dramatic the effect is. I then lower the opacity pretty far down then slowly move it up until I think it looks good, then I step it back 5%. It's how I've learned to keep this type of work in check.

Agnieszka

Looks good to me also, I am pretty sure she'll like it. One comment though, I can see your fabric "wrinkles" in the background. Think it's maybe time for a paper backdrop? Might make your life easier.

Other than that, pretty photo!

anonymouscuban

Good catch Angie. I didn't even check the BG. Looks fine on my monitor. I usually drop the levels down on a photo to check for BG smudgies but forgot here. Yeah... been considering paper but also thinking I may go with vinyl which is why I am still using the cloth. Can be a pain.

Agnieszka

There is just a light drip right in the middle. I'm sure vinyl would be ever better ... but cloth stuff is usually a bit more time consuming as there is always *something* that needs to be fixed.

VayCayMom

HIS face looks too smooth, but hers is good under the circumstances.

anonymouscuban

VayCayMom wrote: »

HIS face looks too smooth, but hers is good under the circumstances.

Hmm... didn't smooth HIS face.

Aspecto5

I think it looks fine Cuban. I've put it to full size and it still looks like there's normal skin texture. With her eyebrow, I wouldn't change it. There's some things that are distinct attributes with some people and I would say that would be one of hers. Kind of like changing Spocks ears so they look normal. Lol! I don't see how they wouldn't be happy with this image. Nothing pops out as far as skin tones either. Nice clean image in my book. :B

VayCayMom

anonymouscuban wrote: »

Hmm... didn't smooth HIS face.

darn bifocals !! at first look his face look really smooth and light under the eyes, but now this morning.. not so much...

divamum

Actually, I thought the same thing, Trudy (and I don't wear bifocals! ) :hide

Cuban, I think you can dial down any eye-sharpening as well - the pix are SO bright in their hi-key config that not much extra's needed on this occasion, IMO.

Qarik

poses are great..light is great..skin is a touch too smooth for me and the eyes are over done imo.

zoomer

Skin looks fine to me.

jgarcia

I agree, the eyes look a bit awkward. overall good capture though.

anonymouscuban

Is it her eyes or his that look odd?

theprincereturns

Looks great to me!

Hackbone

Skin looks good but the camera angle bothers me.

anonymouscuban

Hackbone wrote: »

Skin looks good but the camera angle bothers me.

To high or you talking horizontal plane?

Hackbone

Too high looking down on your subjects. Generally you want to look down on children but not adults. Again this is personal preference so do watcha like. It seems like you angle causes a few problems with looking down her blouse and her right breast.

Agnieszka

Hackbone wrote: »

Too high looking down on your subjects. Generally you want to look down on children but not adults. Again this is personal preference so do watcha like. It seems like you angle causes a few problems with looking down her blouse and her right breast.

That's what I thought first too, but he seems to be spot on with the guy ... guess it would be even more unflattering to shoot up the guy's nose Maybe there is a happy middle somewhere? Or ... maybe you could have have him sit on a bar stool?

Hackbone

Supposedly the most pleasing position is the ladies eyes at the mans mouth level. When I get mis-matched heights I've got some 3/4 by 12 inch square boards that I can stack for the lady to step up on and level them out.