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Working On Skin Tones

Bryce WilsonBryce Wilson Registered Users Posts: 1,586 Major grins
edited January 19, 2012 in People
A couple of the regular posters here (you know who you are) just continue to nail skin tones in post time after time, after time. It motivated and challenged me to work on my technique a bit.

This was from a shoot I did late last fall and hauled out a few images to work on. I used two different methods. Which one of these look most natural skin tone wise to you? Or, did they both miss the mark.

1

6711544447_7b28a5df05_o.jpg
Pretty Teen Outdoor - Cross Lit With Flash by Bryce Wilson, on Flickr

2

6710463377_395565b03b_o.jpg
Teen Girl Cross Lit Outdoor by Bryce Wilson, on Flickr

Thanks for your input!!

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    SamSam Registered Users Posts: 7,419 Major grins
    edited January 16, 2012
    To me #2 is better.

    Sam
    www.samlinvillephotography.com
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    Bryce WilsonBryce Wilson Registered Users Posts: 1,586 Major grins
    edited January 16, 2012
    Thanks for your input Sam. Do you like this treatment better? I've been at this so long, I'm getting confused!

    6712289297_c73dce7668_o.jpg
    Pretty Teen Outdoor With Flash by Bryce Wilson, on Flickr
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    HackboneHackbone Registered Users Posts: 4,027 Major grins
    edited January 17, 2012
    I think 2 is the better one but both seem fine on my lap top. Great stuff.
    Charles
    www.cameraone.biz
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    novicesnappernovicesnapper Registered Users Posts: 445 Major grins
    edited January 17, 2012
    Same here Hackbone. Two great images imo, with 2 edging out 1, very warm and the smile is killer from a lovely model. Oh, and love the eye treatment on both and bokeh on 2, DOF is so very nice. I think you're so close on both, that without a side by side, no one would notice. I've also been working with skin and skin tones the last several weeks. Thanks, great work.
    http://retroimages.zenfolio.com/
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    zoomerzoomer Registered Users Posts: 3,688 Major grins
    edited January 17, 2012
    First one is greenish, second is magentaish.....neither objectionably so. In todays age of tinting photos they both work however.
    If someone with a calibrated monitor says I am wrong I will defer, this monitor is not the best.

    If you set your black and white points that should get you very close, then exposure adjustments will normally get you the rest of the way.
    Sometimes a wb slider adjustment to taste is required.
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/21695902@N06/
    http://500px.com/Shockey
    alloutdoor.smugmug.com
    http://aoboudoirboise.smugmug.com/
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    Bryce WilsonBryce Wilson Registered Users Posts: 1,586 Major grins
    edited January 17, 2012
    Hackbone wrote: »
    I think 2 is the better one but both seem fine on my lap top. Great stuff.

    Thank you very much Sir Charles! I'm still not satisfied with either as compared to some of the other stuff I'm seeing, but I think I may have a solution. See below.
    novicesnapper wrote: »
    Same here Hackbone. Two great images imo, with 2 edging out 1, very warm and the smile is killer from a lovely model. Oh, and love the eye treatment on both and bokeh on 2, DOF is so very nice. I think you're so close on both, that without a side by side, no one would notice. I've also been working with skin and skin tones the last several weeks. Thanks, great work.
    Thanks so much for the nice comments. I might be getting closer to making the step from Nikon owner to photographer! mwink.gif
    zoomer wrote: »
    First one is greenish, second is magentaish.....neither objectionably so. In todays age of tinting photos they both work however.
    If someone with a calibrated monitor says I am wrong I will defer, this monitor is not the best.

    If you set your black and white points that should get you very close, then exposure adjustments will normally get you the rest of the way.
    Sometimes a wb slider adjustment to taste is required.

    Thanks for the tips!

    I have been going along using CS 3 for the past couple of years. I finally downloaded a trial version of CS 5 today. Here is what I found that has helped me with the skin tone thing. CS 5 has the ability to open .jpg images in Camera Raw. Most of the images I have done are straight jpg. as I hated the conversion time.

    Anyway, using the WB eye dropper in Camera Raw along with the other adjustments available I think I've got the skin tone issue down to my liking and easy too.
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    SamSam Registered Users Posts: 7,419 Major grins
    edited January 17, 2012
    If you like what raw offers but don't want undo processing time, try LR3.

    Now as to skin tone what I do find that I would like to see fixed are the bright blown out areas of skin, rather than the tone it's self. Also when you work too long on a color issue it's a good idea to put it away and come back tomorrow with fresh eyes.

    Sam
    www.samlinvillephotography.com
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    IcebearIcebear Registered Users Posts: 4,015 Major grins
    edited January 17, 2012
    What I want to know is where y'all find all these models with the same skin color. I don't get it. Are we trying to make everyone's skin look the same? Put three people side by side and you have three different skin tones. If it looks right it is right. More to the point, if it looks good, it is good. Where did we come up with an ideal standard? ne_nau.gif
    John :
    Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
    D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.
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    HackboneHackbone Registered Users Posts: 4,027 Major grins
    edited January 17, 2012
    Icebear wrote: »
    What I want to know is where y'all find all these models with the same skin color. I don't get it. Are we trying to make everyone's skin look the same? Put three people side by side and you have three different skin tones. If it looks right it is right. More to the point, if it looks good, it is good. Where did we come up with an ideal standard? ne_nau.gif

    John, I agree with you on the skin tones. Don't know why we are so worried about them. We put them into photoshop and then run all kinds of crazy actions on them to get a cool look.
    Charles
    www.cameraone.biz
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    Bryce WilsonBryce Wilson Registered Users Posts: 1,586 Major grins
    edited January 18, 2012
    Icebear wrote: »
    What I want to know is where y'all find all these models with the same skin color. I don't get it. Are we trying to make everyone's skin look the same? Put three people side by side and you have three different skin tones. If it looks right it is right. More to the point, if it looks good, it is good. Where did we come up with an ideal standard? ne_nau.gif

    In my case, it's not so much that I'm looking to create a perfect "ideal" as much as striving for a normal or natural color. Many of my images had a bit too much yellow or a bit too much magenta. The issue really rears its ugly head with ebony skin tones for me.

    Having gone through a dozen or so images last night, with various people with a variety of skin tones, just correcting the WB in the manner mentioned above has done the trick. This correction didn't give them any sort of ideal standardized tone, but the tone that was correct for their own personal color, or at least very close to it.

    If I get a chance later, I will post a before and after.

    B
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    Ed911Ed911 Registered Users Posts: 1,306 Major grins
    edited January 19, 2012
    Bryce Wilson wrote: »
    In my case, it's not so much that I'm looking to create a perfect "ideal" as much as striving for a normal or natural color. Many of my images had a bit too much yellow or a bit too much magenta. The issue really rears its ugly head with ebony skin tones for me.

    I have one suggestion...have your tried custom white balance. It sure makes a difference and can remove color cast due to lighting, and surroundings, like pink walls.

    I can't speak for Canon, but, being a Nikon shooter, my flash photos tend to be a little blue / cool...so I know to add a little warmth...which most people find appealing.
    Remember, no one may want you to take pictures, but they all want to see them.
    Educate yourself like you'll live forever and live like you'll die tomorrow.

    Ed
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    kdogkdog Administrators Posts: 11,681 moderator
    edited January 19, 2012
    We have a tutorial on skin tones here which might be helpful. http://help.smugmug.com/customer/portal/articles/93363

    Using the metrics in that tutorial (and my eye for that matter), the skin tones look pretty good. Although, I prefer the second image of the original set. The first one looks too pale or cool or something.

    -joel
    Moderator of Landscapes forum
    Link to my Smugmug site
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