5 Steps To Killer Portraits

We all have our routines, if not superstitious 'musts'.  I admit I am of the latter two types of people.  When I stumble across something that works for me, I use it incessantly until I either improve on it or find something better.

My photography has been a work in progress and will continue to be.  Be wary of those whom claim to need no improvement, for we all have something we can learn! Every day there are new techniques, new programs, new information, etc.  Embrace it..get hungry for it..it sure as hell has helped me!

Here are my 5 'musts' for portrait editing in Photoshop.  Open a photo in Photoshop and see what happens when you try it!

1)LEVELS: I start with my levels graph in Photoshop.  The goal? Slide the arrow on the left in towards the center, tightening and removing the blank area.  Repeat for the arrow on the right.  Only do this when there is blank space on the far left or far right.  The far right will lighten/brighten your image, the far left will bring out the darker elements.

2) CURVES:  One of my favorites!  The goal (at least in my experience...and by no means am I an expert..I have just learned what works for MY photos) is to create a nice 'S' shape with your line.  Click on the right side of the line, pull the line upwards.  You will see your image change.  Click on the left side of the line, pull the line downwards.  What once was a straight line now will appear like a horizontal S.  How does your image look?  Play around, tweaking the lines up and down to see how it affects your image.

Again, I am not an expert! I am just sharing my process so it will hopefully help you learn your own!

3) DODGE/BURN: If you aren't familiar with these tools, you are missing out!!! I feel so terrible for your deprived life, please please throw yourself a pity party and start using this!!  Very simply put, I use the lasso tool to circle the eye area on both eyes (holding 'Shift' will allow you to trace both eyes without losing the first).  Select 'Edit-->Copy'.  Select 'New Layer via Copy'.  Now your eyes are a new layer ontop of your original eyes.  I go in with the dodge tool and dodge all areas in the eyes that I wish to whiten and brighten (whites of the eyes).  Remember to get the eyelight in the irises of the eyes!  I then use the burn tool to trace the outside rim of the iris, as well as darken the pupil.  Select the layer, and change your opacity to 60%.  If your eyes are too white, it will look creepy and fake.  No bueno!!!

4) Surface Blur:  Create gorgeous skin for your clients! Keep it realistic while you are at it...and use the surface blur tool.  Use your magic wand to select the face of your client.  Make sure you do not select the eyes or lips..we want texture there as much as possible.  Once you have the skin selected, go to 'Filter-->Blue-->Surface Blur'.  You will instantly see a preview of the skin.  Slide the radius and threshold tools until you find a perfect balance that looks natural, and yet beautiful!

5) Brush Tool:  I am totally addicted to brushes in Photoshop.  There are literally thousands of free brushes available on the internet.  If you do not know about brushes, do a little search and read up on them.  It is simply a file that you import into your brush set.  That file could be cool brush tips like flowers, hair, eyelashes, etc.  I ALWAYS use an eyelashes brush set to bring out the eyes on my female clients.  Be sure to create a new layer for eyelash you brush into place.  Use the Free Transform tool to rotate and skew the eyelashes into place.  Do this one new layers for each eye, then lower the opacity to 80% so they look natural.

Well, there you have it!! I hope these tips are helpful.  Leave me a comment and link to your own use of these tools. I love interaction with all of you out there.  Follow my blog for more upcoming posts on this new blog venture of mine!

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