Headshots: need some help with shiny skin!

[Mindy H]

I am needing some help with this girl's skin. She's really tan which is hard enough, but her foundation must have had a bit of shimmer to it or something and no matter what I tried I kept getting a reflection on her cheeks and nose. The session is already over with, so I am needing to see if someone has any tips on editing the shine to at least minimize it. The first image it doesn't bother me as much, but the others the shine seems to be a bit worse. Also, if someone has any tips for avoidance in the future, that would help too!

Thanks!

[brad]

I use this plug-in: http://www.imagetrendsinc.com/produc...page_shine.asp

[zerovision]

Unfortunately, I don't have the knowledge to do it in Photoshop, but there is a plug-in called PhotoTools 2 by OnOne Software Inc. that has a brush tool called shine wow.

Ive not had a chance to use it, but if you don't mind me trying it on one of your pictures posted to the forum, you can see the results and decide if you are happy with the results. It is a pretty simple process and it is not suppose to change the skin texture at all.

let me know.

[Mindy H]

Originally Posted by brad

I use this plug-in: http://www.imagetrendsinc.com/produc...page_shine.asp

Thanks Brad! Man, I hate to purchase another plug-in...surely there has to be a way for me to do this manually. I have portraiture, I keep trying to find a way to tweak that a little better to tone down the shine, but no go. Her shine is so strange to try and edit because its a soft shine...but, it's over large areas...makin' me crazy.

Mindy H added 17 Minutes and 16 Seconds later...Double Post Merged Below

Originally Posted by zerovision

Unfortunately, I don't have the knowledge to do it in Photoshop, but there is a plug-in called PhotoTools 2 by OnOne Software Inc. that has a brush tool called shine wow.

Ive not had a chance to use it, but if you don't mind me trying it on one of your pictures posted to the forum, you can see the results and decide if you are happy with the results. It is a pretty simple process and it is not suppose to change the skin texture at all.

let me know.

LOL...the plug in's are getting even more expensive now. I may cave and buy something if I can't figure it out manually. If you wouldn't mind trying, I would love to see what the OnOne plug in does with it. Thanks!

[photopam]

Here's a quick edit. See if this is what you are wanting...
All I did was set the clone stamp to darken and opacity to 20%
It's just a quick edit, i think i caught some of her eyebrows, but you get the idea.

[zerovision]

sent a pm

[terryturner]

Here you go Mindy. This should do what you want, provided you have Photoshop.

Terry

To Darken Blown out Areas:

Create a blank transparent layer and set it to 40% Opacity and change the blending mode from Normal to Darken.

Grab an Airbrush Soft Round, Normal Mode at 100%

Alt/Option click in a nearby area that is not blown out and paint over the blown out area.

You can change the layer opacity up or down, but generally 40% is ideal.

To Lighten Dark Areas:

Create a blank transparent layer and set it to 40% Opacity and change the blending mode from Normal to Lighten.

Grab an Airbrush Soft Round, Normal Mode at 100%

Alt/Option click in a nearby area that is lighter and paint over the dark area.

Again, you can change the layer opacity up or down, but generally 40% is ideal.

[zerovision]

OnOne. I raised the opacity as high as possible without making the skin too dark, but I think it will require the high res version to really have any affect.

[m_mphotography]

Here is my take on one of your photos...see what you think. I opened in CS3, created a new layer and set it to DARKEN mode, then used the healing brush and "healed" the shiny areas with "non-shiny" areas close to there...if that makes any sense.

[wyatt]

I was gonna say the same as Terry did. Also, in addition to varying the opacity of the layer, try different blend modes (other that darken). Softlight, color, or others sometimes works. One more trick, copy the area of the original that you will be covering with the "fix". Run high pass filter (at about 1-3) and change the blend mode to overlay. Adjust opacity. That'll give you the skin texture.

Wyatt

[Mindy H]

Thanks everyone for the tips and plays! They are very much appreciated!! I'm going to go play around with the fixes and see if I can make it look decent!

Anyone out there have tips for avoiding this in the future??

[Angelo]

Mindy, would it not be better and easier to work the lighting?
Could it be that maybe she was sweating under the lights?
Anyway, just something to think about, which you probably already have!?

I do think they are all great takes.

Angelo added 11 Minutes and 10 Seconds later...Double Post Merged Below



Mindy, I don't know if this is what you are looking for - what I did was
use the Retouch Tool/Repair with 36% Opacity and 0 softness.

[Mindy H]

Angelo...thanks!....yes...that's what I am asking....what do I need to do with the lighting to avoid this if I ever encounter this again?? She wasn't sweating...I think it was caused by something in her make up or a lotion applied to her face because no other part of her body had the shimmer like this. I could see the shine as I chimped, so I tried shooting at different angles...higher, lower, softbox closer, pulling the softbox back. The clam shell lighting set up in the first one yielded the best results....but...I couldn't shoot the whole session in that set up.

Would there have been anyway to avoid this completely short of having her go wash her face?

[Angelo]

Mindy, I must say, you did everything you could. Yes, tell her to go wash her face.

[Mindy H]

Oh...and PS....thanks for the play and the tip!

Mindy H added 1 Minutes and 53 Seconds later...Double Post Merged Below

Originally Posted by Angelo

Mindy, I must say, you did everything you could. Yes, tell her to go wash her face.

HA!!! Darn it! I thought you were going to give me some magic tip....some lighting modifier....tell me I need to go buy that darn ring light.....shoot while standing on one leg, head tilted to the left while holding one ear lobe....something magic.