Let's talk skin tone smoothing - 5 images

[srwatters]

Originally Posted by bondarnes

Scott,

Here is a new product that many of my friends are raving about. They say Digital Gem is to Portraiture Plug-in as PS Elements is to PhotoShop. You can compare before and after at their website http://www.imagenomic.com/ptsamples.aspx The cost is $ 169. but you get 20% off if you are a member of NAPP. The company also make noise reduction and grain addition products.

Don's stolen my fire here

I was holding off on this one until I had a little more experience with the tool. I've only scratched the surface of what it can do. I know it is more expensive than the Kodak tool, but it can do so much more and shortens my workflow which more than pays for the cost in time alone. Anyone can get a 20% discount via several magazine codes. I don't recall the one I used, but a simple Google search will find you one.

One note though, you still need to do blemish removal by patch or healing tools before running the tool. Garbage in == garbage out.

Have fun!

[billbunton]

I haven't tried this, though judging from Scott's examples I'd say it's good. I will say that I've switched almost totally to their Noiseware product in preference to Noise Ninja.

[Duffy Pratt]

It's funny. From their samples, I love what they did on the second portrait, but I thought the redhead looked much better with freckles. The noise reduction samples are impressive.

In general, I think the whole skin smoothing thing is overdone, and can rise to the level of obsession or fetish. I don't think the examples here are bad. If you were trying to show an earthy Mediterranean type woman, then I think the first picture is better. The second one looks like a good example of a generic glamour shot. So if that's what you want, then I guess you are going in the right direction. I just don't get why people think that women look prettier when they look more like mannequins.

Duffy