Can someone give me some skin tone tips.

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 II

03/14/2007 11:43:13 PM · #1

I have been in a real funk lately when it comes to getting good photos of the kids. We just moved to a new house, and I got a new lens about the same time, so it may just be that I am adjusting to both. But lately all my photos just look "off" somehow, in terms of color. I have tried all eight white balance settings, and this was the closest.

Then, sometimes I work with a photo and play with it in PS, and it seems like I make more of a mess of it than it started out as. I am trying to get good eye color, catchlights in the eyes, and good skin tones, without shadows. All using only natural light. Any tips would be great.
I have posted the PS version and the original, just in case someone is willing to show me some PS techniques that will help. Thanks in advance.

M version

the original photo just resized for web.

]

Message edited by author 2007-03-16 00:57:46.

Muppet

Canon EOS-400D Rebel XTi

03/14/2007 11:48:46 PM · #2

did you try using the burn tool on the skin, or some other brush? you can turn down their intensity and whatnot, so after tinkering with the two, i'm sure you can find what you want...

undieyatch

Olympus E-10

Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM

03/15/2007 01:55:33 AM · #3

skin software

Nikon AF Zoom-Nikkor 18-135mm f/3.5- 5.6G ED DX

03/15/2007 11:41:57 PM · #4

I like that software. I tried the trial version. It helps with the lighting. I'm not sure my kids need a virtual facelift though :)

What I really want to is learn tp get the settings right on the camera, so that the photo turns out more true to life. Can someone look at my speed, shutter and such and see if they have any ideas what I am missing?

Rebecca

Nikon D80

03/15/2007 11:43:23 PM · #5

I don't know if this will help or not, but I found it interesting enough to bookmark when I ran across it several months ago: //www.smugmug.com/help/skin-tone

dwterry

Canon EOS-1D Mark III

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

03/16/2007 12:04:23 AM · #6

Actually, I think the skin tones in the original image look just fine. I think it's the background color, which is too similar, which makes it seem as if the skin tones aren't all that great.

Here's an edit of the image where I replaced the background with a complementary color. I did a little bit of editing as well (such as increasing the contrast and dodging his eyes just a bit), but really not very much else was done. I didn't do anything to change his skin color, although increasing the contrast did have an effect on the apparent color of his skin in shadow.

03/16/2007 12:26:28 AM · #7

You are right, it must be the wall color. I was wondering if the wall was putting a color cast on his face, but now that I see it with the blue, I think the color just made his face blend in too much. I love this blue, it really makes him pop out. I am suprised at the differance the background can make. I need to find some backdrops, or better backgrounds for sure. Thanks for working with it. I love what you did. The only thing I would change would be his eyes. They are bright green and look too dark here. That is an easy fix campared to what you did with the background. I have to learn how to do what you did here, especially where you have the graduated color. I love that look. Thanks a ton for showing me something I never would have thought to try.

Message edited by author 2007-03-16 00:27:41.

Olympus 40-150mm f/2.8 PRO M.Zuiko

03/16/2007 12:33:22 AM · #8

Rebecca, that link was right up my alley. It is something I can really use. It may take me a while to understand it all, but thanks so much. I am off to go see what percentages I have now of cyan, magenta and yellow. Thanks!

Brad

Olympus OM-D E-M1

03/16/2007 12:44:01 AM · #9

I noticed the images were gifs and not jpegs.
Gifs never look right to begin with and suspect you saved for web or saved as and didn't notice they were gifs?
Anyway, here's a little trick in CS2 that will often do wonders for an image regarding white balance and tones:
Image, Adjustments, Match color, then check the Neutralize box, and if needed, make adjustments to the luminosity, Color intensity and fade sliders if needed. I often will find a need to bump the contrast up just a touch after that.

Another trick that can be done to render skin tones a bit different, is to apply a toned black & white layer over the skin, edit & fade to suit. This is a valuable technique I stumbled on one day, and is particularly well-suited for the black skin tones.