Forums > Digital Art and Retouching > SuicideGirls Style - Soft tone and white skin

Photographer

Bukozzi

Posts: 8

Nicosia, Government controlled area, Cyprus

Hi Guys,
I hope that this is the right area of the forum.

Anyway, I'm very fascinated by the SG Photo Style, I've followed some making of video and I've been astonished to find out that often, the photographers don't even use a flash. You know that the pictures are realized from differents photographers, nevertheless all of them managed to keep the same style.
The Website offers a mini-guide for photographer but there isn't nothing in there about the post-production.

I really like the tone style with the white skin, let me give you some examples:
- https://scontent.fnic3-1.fna.fbcdn.net/ … e=5972AA5E
- https://scontent.fnic3-1.fna.fbcdn.net/ … e=592A8A5B
- https://scontent.fnic3-1.fna.fbcdn.net/ … e=59737B18
- https://scontent.fnic3-1.fna.fbcdn.net/ … e=596E1829
- https://scontent.fnic3-1.fna.fbcdn.net/ … e=59351056
- https://www.facebook.com/SuicideGirls/p … mp;theater

I tried to do that with my inside and outdoor pictures but never happened.
In your opinion they use a specific technique? Some Presets or Actions?
Moreover, they also use a F1.2 mostly? The pics are so clear as well as the focus.

Thank you at all.

Mar 04 17 10:17 am Link

Photographer

TMA Photo and Training

Posts: 1009

Lancaster, Pennsylvania, US

Here is a way to create this look and make it totally adjustable because each base image you use may be a bit different.

Skin Color itself is made up of 3 main parts (HSL):
The Hue - which is the color of the skin itself - measured in degrees
The saturation - How much Color is there in the skin
And, the Skins underlying Luminance - The skin Brightness or Tone

In the images like the ones you linked to as examples - the skin has a low saturation (little color) and the Luminance of the skin is quite high (Brightness).
 
To re-create this look on your own images - a Curve or Levels and a Hue/Saturation Adjustment Layer can be created from the icons at the  bottom of the Layers Pallet.   A HSL layer to is used to desaturate the color - and a Levels or Curve adjustment layer is used to brighten the skin.  The reason to use adjustment layers is that these adjustments are totally clean and transparent so they dont cover over or block the natural look or skin pores.  They are also totally adjustable so you can see the artistic effect you want as you move the properties or opacity sliders on the layer in real time.  You make these de-saturation and brightening adjustments until you see the artistic effect you are looking for. 

Try this:
Create a H/S/L adjustment layer.  Pull left the saturation adjustment so that the saturation of the whole image is reduced.  Now hit a keyboard control or command " I" Invert  after selecting the mask on that layer.  The white (reveal all) mask will trun black (hide all) and the saturation will come back to normal.  NOW,  paint on that selected black mask with a very soft 15% opacity white brush.  Where ever you paint now will become desaturated.  Paint on the skin areas that you want to whiten.  The skin areas will now become very pale and un-saturated.

Now create a new Curves Adjustment Layer.  Click on and pull up the center of the RGB curve so that your overall image becomes quite white/lightened.  Select the mask and do the "Invert mask" from above.  Your brightness will now all go away because of the black (hide all) mask.  Thats OK.  NOW, with a very soft, low opacity 15%, white brush paint on the same skin areas.  This will be painting in whiteness or bright milky tones onto the skin.  Your skin areas will now begin to look like desaturated white skin.  You may have to do these two steps again to get a stronger white effect.  These adjustments are all interactive so you will be able to see the skin getting whiter and whiter as you paint.  At some point you might like the artistic look.  If you need more desaturation to create an even less colorful skin, do the first step again.
If you option or alt click on a mask and drag that mask from one good layer to a new layer, then the mask will get copied to the new layer, so you dont have to repaint it in again.

This non-destructive technique will not erase or cover over the skin pores or texture and it can be infinitely adjusted again and modified especially if you save the file as a .PSD file.  All of the layers will be active again the next time you open it up.

This will get you moving towards the artistic effect you are wanting and  illustrating.  The degree of strength and the artistic result will always depend on the original base image you are working with.  So if you are a shooter you might want to consider opening up your lens by 3/4 to 1 stop to slightly pre-brighten your original base image.  This will also lighten the skin to begin with and make your post work a bit easier.

Good Luck

Mar 04 17 11:13 am Link

Retoucher

Andrey Bautin

Posts: 167

Ivanovo, Ivanovo, Russia

You could use curves to match CMYK values of the tone you like and maybe some gradient map to taste...
and treat BG and skin separately.
I did a quick try on your shot if you don't mind:
https://s14.postimg.org/wcn7evb67/U2e_W8im_JPEG_2_K.jpg

Mar 04 17 11:51 am Link

Photographer

Bukozzi

Posts: 8

Nicosia, Government controlled area, Cyprus

@TMA: I'm going to try that tomorrow. Thank you.

@Andrey: Wow, the clean up is amazing. How did you do that? Surface blur and skin plugin?
Honestly, I don't feel like about the tones and color.

Mar 04 17 02:44 pm Link

Retoucher

Andrey Bautin

Posts: 167

Ivanovo, Ivanovo, Russia

Bukozzi wrote:
@Andrey: Wow, the clean up is amazing. How did you do that? Surface blur and skin plugin?
Honestly, I don't feel like about the tones and color.

Portraiture on low frequency. Just to speed things. I wouldn't do it on the face though.

Mar 05 17 02:02 am Link