Any way to correct light on a poorly shot portrait?

MDalby · September 2, 2011

I have a shot that I did not use a reflector to shield the light and of course this is one of the shots that the parents like the most.

Is there any way to correct the lighting on the face and the hand? Any salvage technique that I can use. I am not a Photoshop guy really. I have lightroom.

Most of the shots have the lighting OK like below but there was one series where I messed up. I guess I could just have another shoot scheduled for him and do it right this time.

Thanks for any help!

MD

pathfinder · September 2, 2011

I feel your pain, I have done this more than once myself. Dappled light is just dangerous for photographers. And so easy to not see at the time.

In PS, you might clone his face from a satisfactorily lit image to the dappled image.

I suspect that will look much better than trying to correct the dappled light directly in Lightroom.

If not you can try to select the bright areas, and adjust them with Shadow Highlight, or paint them darker with a Brush set to Overlay or Multiply mode. It takes a gentle touch.

Maybe someone else had a magic bullet for you.

You can try the Adjustment Brush in LR to darken the sunlit areas, but I am not a real fan of the Adjustment brush myself...

Anthony · September 3, 2011

Actually, I don't think the dappled appearance is all that bad. The dappling extends to the tree and is in context throughout the picture, so it appears to be a pleasant, informal portrait.

Anthony.

colourbox · September 3, 2011

I think the face is OK as nothing got blown out. Trying to fix it might make it look more visually obvious that it was thought to be "wrong," when it's not that bad really.

MDalby wrote: »

Is there any way to correct the lighting on the face and the hand? Any salvage technique that I can use. I am not a Photoshop guy really. I have lightroom.

First try the highlight Recovery slider in case the skin isn't totally blown out. But if that doesn't work you might have to try the Adjustment brush set to Exposure, and lower it. But that might not look so great, and any error with the edge of the mask is going to make the retouch look obvious.

Sam · September 3, 2011

The first image already looks like some highlight shadow recovery was applied. The white balance is off as well.

I know of no way to fix this. I know it doesn't do any good to say it but that has never stopped be before.

When I see dappled light like you have in this image I move the subject. While my eye sees the scene as a nice and acceptable I know what the camera will see. Any attempts I have ever made to go ahead and shoot have not turned out well. If I end up with an image like this, I don't show it to the client.

On the same note if I have a subject wearing a hat I will have them tilt the hat back, bounce some light under the hat or ask them to take it off because I know what it will look like.

The hardest thing to do is to is see all this stuff while shooting. Backgrounds, shadows, trees and other objects sticking out of heads, bright lights, people making rude gestures, etc. We must be ever vigilent against these photographic evils!

Sam

angevin1 · September 3, 2011

MDalby wrote: »

I have a shot that I did not use a reflector to shield the light and of course this is one of the shots that the parents like the most.

And yes. I too feel you pain!
If they've already seen it, as is, then I'd venture to say changing it will not aid you in any way. Heck, they Like it...that was the idea, right?

pathfinder wrote: »

I am not a real fan of the Adjustment brush myself...

Oh. I thought it was just me!

pathfinder · September 3, 2011

Well, this thread is an interesting basket of varying opinions

Tom, I am so happy to know that I am not the only one who does not hold the Adjustment brush in LR in that high of a regard also!

I have pictures of my sister like this, shot in the fall against a fantastic melange of orange leaves, but the dappled light on her face just destroyed the image; and I never saw it at the time.

Our eyes can just see so much easier in varied lighting than our cameras. Like sam said, we just have to be vigilant.

Any way to correct light on a poorly shot portrait?

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