Help Request - Senior Citizen Photo

[kachina]

I don't even know where to start with the post on this one. I'm pretty green to begin with and this is my first senior citizen. Any great ideas floating around out there this evening? I would really appreciate any input that you have to offer.

Thanks,
Rusty

[CaptainTom]

Well Rusty, I don't know what you would like opinions on for this photo.

The lighting helps accentuate her facial wrinkles. This may be just what you were going for ? If not, a more broad lighting would help out.

A trick for glasses wearers is to have them tilt the bows slightly up and off of their ears, and this combined with a very slight head tilt will eliminate (usually) the reflection from the light source.

Her eyes seem mostly closed ?

It's an OK photo, and I hope the client is happy.

[kachina]

Tom, this is my 87 y.o. grandmother. She was not happy with the photo at all. Her eyes are mostly closed but this is pretty normal for her. I will give it another shot per your suggestions during my next visit with her. Different background as well. Thanks.

[bburton]

This is a toughie. Here's my quick attempt to improve.

Use skin smoothing action.
Clone out glare in glasses.
Darken slightly.
Resharpen.

[kachina]

Bruce, thanks for taking a stab at it. What skin smoothing action did you use? It does make a difference. I'm going to research senior citizen photography a bit and reshoot it - if I can get her to sit for me again.

[JamesB]

remember a lot of people dont like photos of them selves. I dont like any photo of me, I dont care who took it, I dont like em. I trust my wife to make the determination if the photo of me is good or not and i stick with her decision.

James

[DJ.]

I shot an entire church full of these wonderful golden age folks for their directory and I controlled the glare pretty much using Tom's technique. It is much easier to prevent than to correct in post. It was 400 miles from here so I didn't want to have any retakes.

I used two lights at 45 degrees to the subject. I had them point their knees at the light (to their right) and turn their head slightly left to look at the camera. Overall it worked out very well. You always run into a couple of folks who don't like to have their picture taken and can't be pleased. It is not just the older ones either.

[carrbowl]

I wonder if the grey background makes the grey hair syndrome worse?? Sorry I really don't know the answer...it's maybe more of a question than an answer. And I also think if you grandma wears a different color sweater next time it will look much better. That color doesn't help her any---don't tell her I said that!!!

[rages4calm]

Here is my attempt I might of went a bit overboard

[kadac00]

OK, here's my try. There may be some variation of what I did that you might like.

1. Black & White adustment layer - Boost red to smooth out skin tone
2. Levels adjustment to correct overly bright from boosting red and to clip dark end for more contrast.
3. Duplicate background layer and move to top, blur just to the point where wrinkles are not visible, set blending mode to color to recolor the B&W
4. (Optional) Despeckle and smart sharpen

This does give it that hand tinted feel which I'm not sure your going for.

[CaptainTom]

Originally Posted by DJ.

I shot an entire church full of these wonderful golden age folks for their directory and I controlled the glare pretty much using Tom's technique. It is much easier to prevent than to correct in post. It was 400 miles from here so I didn't want to have any retakes.

I used two lights at 45 degrees to the subject. I had them point their knees at the light (to their right) and turn their head slightly left to look at the camera. Overall it worked out very well. You always run into a couple of folks who don't like to have their picture taken and can't be pleased. It is not just the older ones either.

This would be the classic way to set up a broad lighting effect. Substitute another light source for the reflector (especially for groups)

She may really like the wrinkles. They are who she is after all.....

[DJ.]

Yep, that works.
I used the second light because I was shooting a lot of families and in some cases several generations. They had them scheduled 10-15min apart so I was a bit rushed but that was the only way to get them all done. I took three shots and let them choose during the session. It worked out ok but I would do it differently next time.

[Angelo]

Here's my stab at making your grandmother look beautiful.

[venchka]

Black & white.

Yousuf Karsh did it right.

[kachina]

Thanks for all of the suggestions. I will visit her again soon so I can try some of them.