Forums > Digital Art and Retouching > DAR Critiques > Took an old favorite and try to improve it

Photographer

David Tom

Posts: 1136

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Ok... so after 10 months of more experience with retouching, I took a popular old favorite and I tried to improve it.  Can you tell me what I'm doing right or wrong?

https://photos.modelmayhem.com/photos/090830/00/4a9a2e8f918f4.jpg

My first edit 10 months ago

https://farm5.static.flickr.com/4060/4669657149_ac659beaca_b.jpg

My new edit


In case your interested, you can see the original unretouched image here:
http://modelmayhm-3.vo.llnwd.net/d1/pho … 69b495.jpg

Jun 06 10 08:56 pm Link

Retoucher

J Strath

Posts: 928

Los Angeles, California, US

All three....old version, new version, and original version all look the same to me?  Not sure what you did.  Anyway, they all look good though at least. XD

Jun 06 10 10:07 pm Link

Photographer

David Tom

Posts: 1136

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Trancedelic Retouching wrote:
All three....old version, new version, and original version all look the same to me?  Not sure what you did.  Anyway, they all look good though at least. XD

From what I recall, between the old version and new version:  liquify right cheek and brought it in abit, liquify breast, liquify back and liquify left side of hair, increase brightness of the skin, dodge shoulder and arm, D&B shadow along right cheek, burn left cheekbones, clean up eyes and add more eyelashes and sharpen various features.

Jun 07 10 05:41 am Link

Photographer

Ronnie_Smith

Posts: 463

Austin, Texas, US

There is no right or wrong! Just edit the way YOU like to edit. All the changes I see have been minor and do not take away from the original which stands up well on its own.

Just for fun you could try a little more "impact" editing and see if you get something you might like.

Jun 07 10 05:46 am Link

Retoucher

J Strath

Posts: 928

Los Angeles, California, US

David Tom wrote:

From what I recall, between the old version and new version:  liquify right cheek and brought it in abit, liquify breast, liquify back and liquify left side of hair, increase brightness of the skin, dodge shoulder and arm, D&B shadow along right cheek, burn left cheekbones, clean up eyes and add more eyelashes and sharpen various features.

very nice!  It's very subtle, that's for sure!  I like it, the original didn't really require much work, if any at all, so it looks really good in my opinion.

Jun 07 10 07:40 am Link

Retoucher

J Strath

Posts: 928

Los Angeles, California, US

Ronnie_Smith wrote:
There is no right or wrong! Just edit the way YOU like to edit. All the changes I see have been minor and do not take away from the original which stands up well on its own.

Just for fun you could try a little more "impact" editing and see if you get something you might like.

+1

Maybe you can do some D&B to sculpt the face to bring out the structure?  Here's an attempt/ example below.  It's only D&B.  I didn't liquify the cheek, because I thought it was a good spot to bring in some reflected light. big_smile  Overall, I think it looks great just in it's original state, you don't have to edit it at all if you didn't want to. XD
https://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r183/Rose_Woman2783/Untitled-1-11.png

Jun 07 10 08:15 am Link

Photographer

Internos Photography

Posts: 546

San Jose, California, US

Definitely a sign you've been progressing.

Jun 08 10 04:13 pm Link