Correcting Skin Tones

[GrandmaBev]

This it my first post so hopefully I submit this correctly! I would like help on how to improve the skin tones on this picture. I have tried to tweak it in Lightroom2, but not very happy with the test print. It was taken with two speedlights one on each side and a third speedlight behind them. Thanks for your input.



Nikon D80
Shutter Speed 1/60
Aperture Priority
f/11.0
ISO 200
Focal Length 48 mm
Spot Metering

[sybren]

It looks like your whitebalance is off; it could use a nudge on the green/purple scale towards green. What WB setting did you use?

[GrandmaBev]

Thanks for your reply. I'm guessing I used flash, but I don't recall. I do shoot in RAW. I'll try adding some green. Is there any way to correct skin tones other than visually?

[sybren]

If you want proper tones (skin tones or otherwise) the easiest way is to shoot a gray card before or after the photo shoot. That way you always have a guaranteed bit of gray you can use for whitebalancing.

Generally I set my camera to the "daylight" whitebalance setting. Flash is often some form of auto-whitebalance in combination with info obtained from the flash itself. AWB is horrible if you want to have consistent shots ;-)

[ttosifa]

I think the main issue here is that the photo is significantly underexposed. It's hard for the sensor to get good skin tones in underexposed shots. Regardless of whether you shoot RAW, your pictures will look much, much better when they are correctly exposed.

[Benji]

Since you shot this in Raw go back to ACR and pull the image back up, then take the Exposure eyedropper and place a target onto the brightest spot on both foreheads, then drag the Highlights slider up until it reads 240. Then click on the White Balance eyedropper and click it on your mothers blouse. You will now have a properly exposed and white balanced image.

Benji

P.S. In the future shoot an 18% gray card as the first image and you will never have white balance problems ever again. If during the shoot you decide to use a different main light you will then need to shoot another card. When shooting outdoors every time you move to a new location you will need to shoot the card again.

[ttosifa]

Below is a very simple rendition of your photo. I do not know what these people look like in real life, but the skin tones below fall into the acceptable CMYK ranges for Caucasian skin. The biggest change was a (crude) levels adjustment with the highlights adjusted until just at the point where the red channel would blow if taken any farther. This is generally a starting point for a good exposure for skin.

After doing the levels adjustment, the skin had better tones but was probably too red and not enough yellow. Not wanting to do anything complicated, I just set the white point to correctly color her shirt, which I assume is white (it's an assumption, I don't know what color the shirt really is).

To me, the skin tones look believable.

But modifying the picture did indentify some other issues that might help you on future shots. I see you shot Aperture Priority. This is an auto mode. The camera is going to look at the scene and make ITS best guess at what a proper exposure is. There are two things that fooled your camera into underexposing for the skin. In the modified picture, the background is blown behind their heads and his right shoulder is blown. Your camera saw all the light you were putting in these two areas and correctly exposed for the background and/or shoulder (most likely the background). That's a problem with your lighting. You'll need to adjust your lighting ratios to avoid the hotspots when correctly exposing for skin, just accept them, or settle for underexposed skin.

[GrandmaBev]

I have thought about getting a gray card. Is there one you like better than another? I increased the exposure and added some green and it definitely looks better. What is the best way to get correct exposure when using speedlights? Do I need a light meter? I sure do appreciate the input.

[ttosifa]

Originally Posted by GrandmaBev

I have thought about getting a gray card. Is there one you like better than another? I increased the exposure and added some green and it definitely looks better. What is the best way to get correct exposure when using speedlights? Do I need a light meter? I sure do appreciate the input.

We posted at the same time. See above for some input on getting a correct exposure.

Gray cards are certainly a way to go -- nothing wrong with it. I prefer to use a "white card" -- really, a big piece of white foamcore or a white reflector -- and then do a custom white balance in the camera. I almost always have something white with me anyway.

[Benji]

My lab strongly suggests an 18% grey card because there is only one 18% grey as opposed to about 50 different shades and variations of white.

Benji