Portrait editing help...can this be fixed???

[photomom2008]

I am new at this, but I was wondering if this portrait could be saved as far as lighting, color and shine on the skin? If so what photoshop procedures would I start with. I am just learning photoshop, I have cs3 and for this photo the lighting was off, possibly to warm I am not sure, but I was wondering what I could have done differently and what I need to do if possible to fix it? Any suggestions would be helpful. Thank you!

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Ashley

[kencaleno]

To fix:

First of all to get exposure right:

1. Ctrl+j
2.blend mode- Screen 67%

Next to reduce redness on skin:

1. image>Adjustments>selective color
2. reds-click magenta-drag slider to left - 42


To get exposure right in camera:

The starting point is to find out how your camera's meter reads exposure. I know mine overexposes by 0.3 to 0.7 EV, depending on lighting, so I set exposure compensation for -0.3. To check this:

With camera on tripod, exposure compensation at 0-0 and a scene with all tones:

set Exposure compensation (+/-) at +1 take a shot

Now in 1/3 (0.3) increments (some cameras only do 1/2 stop increments)adjust exposure compensation and take a shot, all the way to -1, giving you 5 or seven images.

load these into imaging programme and select the image with best detail in shadows and highlights.

This setting will be your standard, set this on your camera, and you will never need to do this again - your camera will be calibrated for optimum exposure.
This is baseline, so if shot looks too dark or light, in certain conditions, just adjust (+/-) to suit.


regards, Ken

[photomom2008]

Originally Posted by kencaleno

To fix:

First of all to get exposure right:

1. Ctrl+j
2.blend mode- Screen 67%

Next to reduce redness on skin:

1. image>Adjustments>selective color
2. reds-click magenta-drag slider to left - 42


To get exposure right in camera:

The starting point is to find out how your camera's meter reads exposure. I know mine overexposes by 0.3 to 0.7 EV, depending on lighting, so I set exposure compensation for -0.3. To check this:

With camera on tripod, exposure compensation at 0-0 and a scene with all tones:

set Exposure compensation (+/-) at +1 take a shot

Now in 1/3 (0.3) increments (some cameras only do 1/2 stop increments)adjust exposure compensation and take a shot, all the way to -1, giving you 5 or seven images.

load these into imaging programme and select the image with best detail in shadows and highlights.

This setting will be your standard, set this on your camera, and you will never need to do this again - your camera will be calibrated for optimum exposure.
This is baseline, so if shot looks too dark or light, in certain conditions, just adjust (+/-) to suit.


regards, Ken

Ken, Thank you so much! That made a world of difference in the editing. I try to get the exposure correct but it just seems to be off. I will have to try the in camera suggestion. I'll let you know how that works out. I knew there had to be away to edit the redness in the picutures but wasn't sure how. I appreciate your help! That made them look so much better. Thanks again!

[ryandaleySD]

First and foremost, you need to have your shots in focus. This shot is a little blurry and I believe having a shot that is in clear focus helps tremenously in post production. When you start messing with an out of focus shot in post production, it really shows even more.

Second, shoot in RAW. When you open a RAW image in photoshop and notice that the image has too much saturation of one or more colors you can adjust that before you even get to any type of post production technique in photoshop. And you will find that you wont even need (or barely need) to do anything to it once the RAW image is fixed.

Third, it seems like you were shooting in late afternoon. I would have waited a little bit later in the day to do this shoot especially with the trees and the train tracks. The contrast of the shade the trees make against the really hard and bright later afternoon sun will drive you crazy trying to set exposures too. Again shooting in RAW, you can underexpose the photo just a bit and adjust it to be brighter in photoshop.

Rely on your camera and your knowledge of lighting and settings first and photoshop last. Photoshop should be a tool to fix minor flaws. Not every photo needs to be processed in photoshop. I was just looking at the gallery that the shot you posted here was from and it looks like you may be trying too hard with photoshop. That is a common mistake with a lot photographers who are knew to photoshop.

A key that a teacher once taught me about editing in photoshop is that the photo should not look like it has been touched by PS. And that has held true to what I have done and what I have seen others done as well.

[SilverBullet07]

Originally Posted by kencaleno

To fix:

First of all to get exposure right:

1. Ctrl+j
2.blend mode- Screen 67%

Next to reduce redness on skin:

1. image>Adjustments>selective color
2. reds-click magenta-drag slider to left - 42


To get exposure right in camera:

The starting point is to find out how your camera's meter reads exposure. I know mine overexposes by 0.3 to 0.7 EV, depending on lighting, so I set exposure compensation for -0.3. To check this:

With camera on tripod, exposure compensation at 0-0 and a scene with all tones:

set Exposure compensation (+/-) at +1 take a shot

Now in 1/3 (0.3) increments (some cameras only do 1/2 stop increments)adjust exposure compensation and take a shot, all the way to -1, giving you 5 or seven images.

load these into imaging programme and select the image with best detail in shadows and highlights.

This setting will be your standard, set this on your camera, and you will never need to do this again - your camera will be calibrated for optimum exposure.
This is baseline, so if shot looks too dark or light, in certain conditions, just adjust (+/-) to suit.


regards, Ken

Ken,

What do you mean by

2.blend mode- Screen 67%

Is this something Elements does not have?

[photomom2008]

Originally Posted by ryandaleySD

First and foremost, you need to have your shots in focus. This shot is a little blurry and I believe having a shot that is in clear focus helps tremenously in post production. When you start messing with an out of focus shot in post production, it really shows even more.

Second, shoot in RAW. When you open a RAW image in photoshop and notice that the image has too much saturation of one or more colors you can adjust that before you even get to any type of post production technique in photoshop. And you will find that you wont even need (or barely need) to do anything to it once the RAW image is fixed.

Third, it seems like you were shooting in late afternoon. I would have waited a little bit later in the day to do this shoot especially with the trees and the train tracks. The contrast of the shade the trees make against the really hard and bright later afternoon sun will drive you crazy trying to set exposures too. Again shooting in RAW, you can underexpose the photo just a bit and adjust it to be brighter in photoshop.

Rely on your camera and your knowledge of lighting and settings first and photoshop last. Photoshop should be a tool to fix minor flaws. Not every photo needs to be processed in photoshop. I was just looking at the gallery that the shot you posted here was from and it looks like you may be trying too hard with photoshop. That is a common mistake with a lot photographers who are knew to photoshop.

A key that a teacher once taught me about editing in photoshop is that the photo should not look like it has been touched by PS. And that has held true to what I have done and what I have seen others done as well.

Ryan, Thank you for the help! I have not shot in raw because for some reason I can not open the photos in Photoshop CS3...any suggestions? I took these pictures around 6:30pm and the sun was pretty golden. I did like the poses but the lighting was troublesom. I am new at this and I hated the fact that the photos were so red. I looked at some of your photos on flickr and they are great! I noticed you said that photoshop is the last resort and I was wondering if you adjusted the eyes, sharpened them or if that is straight out of the camera. I have not been able to get the eyes to look like that and have been trying pretty hard. I used a tripod on most of these pictures but a few I didn't, it's hard to get down low with a tripod. I am wondering if that is why they were blury or if it was out of focus? Thank you again for your help! I appreciate all suggestions, that is what I am looking for to improve my photos. Thanks again!

[SandeeWig]

Originally Posted by photomom2008

...I have not shot in raw because for some reason I can not open the photos in Photoshop CS3...any suggestions? ...

Open the raw files in Digital Photo Professional software that came w/ your Canon. There is a menu option to transfer the image to Photoshop (it creates a 16-bit TIFF image to do so).

That's how I've been working on my raw files in CS2.

[kencaleno]

Originally Posted by SilverBullet07

Ken,

What do you mean by

2.blend mode- Screen 67%

Is this something Elements does not have?

layers palette, Photoshop CS Ken

[SilverBullet07]

Originally Posted by kencaleno

layers palette, Photoshop CS Ken

Thanks Ken, I found the screen mode. When you say 63% I assume opacity = 63%?

Also, Eleements must not have: image>Adjustments>selective color

1. image>Adjustments>selective color
2. reds-click magenta-drag slider to left - 42


Any other tool in elements that duplicates the above instructions?


Thanks.