Second try at another portrait

Xandertures

A few weeks ago I posted an image and got shot down pretty hard. I went back and reworked everything and gave it this second try. I am a CS3 newbie, but I found some decent tutorials online for skin work, etc. I worked the skin smoothing, eye color, lip color and added a mask over the light blowouts on her arm and chest area. Thoughts?

Before


After

pyrtek

When I started reading your post and saw the before shot, I thought it
was the corrected shot and thought "pretty good job". After I scrolled down,
though, hmmm, I don't think your retouch is better than the original. It looks
like you did a surface blur on the face. That filter is very easy to overdo and it
completely obliterates all texture in the skin making it look plastic. If you insist
on using it, try to at least blend in some of the original texture. Try putting the
original over the retouched version and then lower the opacity until it looks
more natural. Better yet, don't surface blur the face, use the techniques outlined
in edgework's tutorial. It allows you to smooth the skin while retaining detail.

evoryware

Regarding the original:
While she has a few wrinkles, her skin appears smooth and with no blemishes. Having her head tilted down so much, looking up while sitting straight up may make the wrinkles more prominent.
Is this light from a window?
It may or may not help the wrinkles (on her forehead and on on her neck) but tilting her head up should get more light on her face and maybe show color in her eyes. If you want that tilted angle for her face still, you can lean her forward towards her knees or tilt the camera.
Studio lights are fine if you want to pay for them, but natural light I've found can be brighter and cheaper.


Regarding the retouch.
:nah Doesn't look natural. Her skin wasn't bad in the first place.
I think it deserves a reshoot, not a retouch.

Cuties02q

Regarding the retouch.
Doesn't look natural. Her skin wasn't bad in the first place.
I think it deserves a reshoot, not a retouch.