Overview

As an award winning retoucher, photographer, and digital artist, Julia Kuzmenko McKim is considered one of the best in the business. You may remember her from our recent interview. Her dedication to her craft and teaching others has made her a sought after educator. She has also created an impressive collection of educational materials based around professional retouching for those who cannot make it out to learn from her in person.

One of these books, Digital Photo Retouching: Beauty, Fashion and Portrait Photography has become a staple in my collection of educational materials. In fact, this is the eBook I find myself referring to the most often.

Review

This book is teaming with information and techniques that you can immediately apply to your retouching workflow. If you purchase the eBook version, you will also receive links and a full video workshop. The detailed retouching tools and techniques for face, skin and hair retouching, alongside the photography tips help guide you through the process of creating stunning images from set-up to print.

Throughout the book you will find gorgeous full-color tutorial images, lighting and photography tips, helpful resources, and additional reference tutorials. The book is also full of gorgeous inspirational images, EXIF data included, giving your eyes a pleasant rest between the educational materials. Some of the images will even change from before/after when you scroll over them. Each sample image also exemplifies how beauty and fashion retouch can be used in your own portfolio, whether you are a fashion photographer, a conceptual artist, or specialize in portraits or boudoir.

File Contents

I decided to get the eBook, partly because I enjoy the extra goodies that come with it as well as the fact that I tend to learn best through video/text combinations.

Download File Size: 188.7 Mb
File Format: PDF + Good Bag with .atn (PS Actions) + .abr (PS Brushes)
Page Count: 97
Mac & PC compatible (can view on tablets and smartphones)
Skill Level: Intermediate-Advanced

Along with the PDF file, the download contains a folder with new Photoshop brushes and an action set. The eBook itself is opened easily on multiple platforms and links to video tutorials placed throughout the book.

Goodie Bag – Brushes and Action Sets

Along with the Digital Photo Retouching: Beauty, Fashion and Portrait Photography eBook, you will receive a Goodie Bag file that consists of several art brushes and action sets that you can use as you work through the training tutorials. It is always great to use the same settings when working alongside an educational system and I would suggest downloading and setting them up first.

(You may notice another set of actions listed – those are from Julia’s Creative Retouching Essentials in a Day collection.)

Video Tutorials and Reference Guides

Depending on your learning style, whether you like to read detailed instructions, watch tutorial videos, or a mix of both – in my opinion, the eBook version is the best way to go. When viewing on your computer or iPad, there is a full video workshop included that links to exclusive YouTube content as well as several links scattered throughout for additional resources.

The main video workshop included with the eBook version is around 40 minutes long and is broken into 4 easily reviewed sections. Each section corresponds to steps detailed in pervious pages, so you can watch and listen along with the reading material. This makes the material a lot easier to follow and if you forget something later on you don’t need to skip through a video – just pull up the directions in the text.

Additional Materials

There are several additional sections to this book that goes far and beyond the topic of retouching. The additional sections cover topics ranging from copyright myths (written by a lawyer), behind the scenes with modeling agencies and booking agents, as well as a chapter covering the topic of self-promotion.

Another feature of the additional content is a full inspirational section that features eight of world’s leading retouchers, photographers, and digital artists. Each of the eight artists discuss their inspiration, insight on their personal work, and advice for aspiring photographers wanting to become apart of the professional industry.

Final Thoughts & Conclusion

This is one of the most informative and detailed resources for retouch training that I have come across. The attention to every facet that goes into the creation and post-processing of high-quality professional images is complimented by tons of insider tips and resources for aspiring professionals and professionals alike.

If you already have an established understanding of Photoshop and are looking to hone your beauty and portrait retouching skills, this is the book for you. Filled to the brim with detailed instructions, examples, video tutorials (in the eBook form only), and inspirational material – you are likely to come back to this as a reference and learning tool for quite some time. This is definitely an investment in yourself as an artist and your craft.

If you are more of a beginner to the world of retouch, I would suggest picking up Julia’s other eBook, Creative Retouching Essentials in a Day. It is a perfect compliment to this volume and creates a strong foundation for moving onto the more complex skills you will learn in Digital Photo Retouching: Beauty, Fashion and Portrait Photography.

To purchase your own copy of Digital Photo Retouching: Beauty, Fashion and Portrait Photography for $89.48, click here. Remember, this also includes all the video tutorials and a full set of PS brushes and actions specifically designed for digital arts and retouch.

Until Next Time . . .

Stay Inspired ~ Jules

CREDITS: Photographs by Julia Kuzmenko have been used with permission for SLR Lounge. Do not copy, modify or re-post this article or images without express permission from SLR Lounge and the artist.

The Philosophy

As an award winning retoucher, photographer, and digital artist, Julia Kuzmenko McKim is considered one of the best educators in the business. You may remember her from our recent interview or our review of her advanced retouching eBook: Digital Photo Retouching: Beauty, Fashion and Portrait Photography.

“I have accumulated my knowledge from dozens of sources and built my workflow by making every possible mistake and learning from each and every one of them. My hope is that this eBook will help you save a lot of time and effort, cut many corners and take you straight to the necessary tools, panels and techniques.

Take everything I know and implement the best parts into your workflow.

The philosophy behind this eBook is that you don’t need to waste your time learning all the tools and panels Photoshop has to offer if you only want to master or improve your photo retouching skills. These guides will do just that.

File Contents

The eBook version worked great for me because I tend to learn best through video/text combinations.

Download File Size: 126.9 Mb
File Format: 4 PDFs + .atn (Custom PS Actions) + .grd (PS Gradient) + .abr (Custom PS Brushes)
Page Count: 36 (includes all materials)
Video Tutorials: 8 embedded video links(30 mins)
Mac & PC compatible (can view on tablets and smartphones)
Skill Level: Basic – Beginner

Along with the Essentials eBook file, the download contains two additional eBook PDFs and a goodie bag. It is like a happy meal prize for grown-ups.

The eBooks themselves are opened easily on multiple platforms and links to video tutorials placed throughout.

Goodie Bag – Brushes, Action Sets, and User Guide

Along with the Creative Retouching Essentials in a Day eBook, you will receive a Goodie Bag file that consists of several art brushes and action sets that you can use as you work through the training tutorials. Julia has also included a user guide that explains installation and guide to all the goodies you just installed on your computer. It is always great to use the same settings when working alongside an educational system and I would suggest downloading and setting them up first.

(You may notice another set of actions listed – those are from Julia’s Digital Photo Retouching: Beauty, Fashion and Portrait Photography eBook collection.)

Sample Pages

Lesson Structure

Julia stays true to her theory of mastering the essentials and sticking to what you need to know specifically for beauty retouch.

The eBook is broken into sections based around specific lessons; such as how to fine-tune your Photoshop for peak performance, understanding color management, using custom brushes, and even peeks into Julia’s personal tool box.

The video tutorials cover several subjects, including the difference between several Photoshop retouching tools, Blending Modes and Adjustment Layers, and how to best utilize Layers and Layer Masks.Throughout the eBook you will find inspirational images that will change from before to after if you simply scroll over them.

Video Tutorials and Reference Guides

Depending on your learning style, whether you like to read detailed instructions, watch tutorial videos, or a mix of both – in my opinion, the eBook versions of Julia’s materials is the best way to go. When viewing on your computer or iPad, the eBooks contain exclusive YouTube content. The 8 embedded video tutorials in Creative Essentials provide around 30 minutes of educational material and examples. You will also find links to recommended reading for topics covered in the book in case you would like to dig deeper into the topics.

As we have noticed before, having video tutorials alongside the written chapter makes the material a lot easier to follow. If you forget something later on you don’t need to skip through several minutes of video – just pull up the directions in the text.

Bonus Material

The Creative Essentials eBook also includes two additional reference guides, Getting Better Everyday (PDF), Photography & Photoshop + Glossary (PDF), and Essential Beauty Actions & Brushes User Manual (PDF). Each includes additional reference resources to help guide you through the material.

The eBook version also includes a set of Custom Beauty Actions (.atn), Custom Beauty Brushes (.abr), and a Collection of Gradients (.grd). I would suggest downloading these first so that you can work alongside the lessons with the same tools. Use the bonus Essential Beauty Actions & Brushes User Manual to guide you through the process.

Final Thoughts & Conclusion

If you are a more advanced Photoshop user, I would suggest picking up Julia’s other eBook – Digital Photo Retouching: Beauty, Fashion and Portrait Photography. It is a perfect compliment to this volume and further builds on the foundation set in this eBook with more complex techniques and in-depth tutorials. Oh yes – and more goodies.

To purchase your own copy of Creative Retouching Essentials in a Day for $74.28, click here. This includes all pdf files, links to video tutorials, and a full set of Custom Photoshop Brushes and Actions specifically designed for digital arts and retouch.

A nice additional bonus for Spanish speakers is the ability to purchase a translated version of Creative Essentials . The video tutorials in this version also have translated subtitles.

Until Next Time . . .

Stay Inspired ~ Jules

CREDITS: Photographs by Julia Kuzmenko have been used with permission for SLR Lounge. Do not copy, modify or re-post this article or images without express permission from SLR Lounge and the artist.

Overview

In one of Phlearn’s recent Photoshop tutorials, Aaron Nace takes several exposures and frames and manual blends them to create a stunning stylized and dynamic image. In this three-part tutorial, you learn how to shoot, process, and refine a stylized environmental portrait. The 2 hours worth of tutorials are designed for individuals that have a cursory knowledge of Photoshop and focuses on the specifics of concept, lighting set-up, workflow, and editing techniques. In the DJ Dolo Phlearn Pro Tutorial there is also a section that talks about a little about virtual copies and developing in Lightroom, on-location lighting set-up, hand painting, and how to color grade images for a stylized look.

But before we get into the nuts and bolts of the tutorial – check out some more from the photo shoot:

Behind the Scenes: DJ Dolo

Basic Information

Website: Phlearn
Title: PRO DJ Dolo
Run Time: 2:05 hours
Difficulty: Intermediate
Price: $24.99

Contents

The size of this download is going to take up 478.1 MB and will be in a .zip file. You are going to find 5 main folders:

1. Brushes
2. Lighting Diagram
3. Support
4. Tutorial Images
5. Video Tutorials

Along with tutorials, the download contains a new brush, tutorial images, a texture image (in this case, sky), lighting diagram, help files, and additional reference tutorials. The video tutorial folder contains three .mp4 videos that total just over 2 hours of instruction.

The mp4 format works well with most players and the video/audio quality was clean, even though it had been compressed in the .zip format. This is something that we have come to expect in these types of tutorials, and we were not disappointed here.

Review

Software:
Use of Adobe Photoshop CS6 accommodates individuals with a solid foundational understanding of post-processing in Photoshop. Most of the tools used in the tutorial are a few generations old, so if you are running a Photoshop version that is slightly older, this tutorial will still work for you. Another interesting caveat of this tutorial is a 15 minute section designated to Lightroom. It is not a Lightroom tutorial though, and only shows how it is used in the workflow.

Difficulty:
As an intermediate level tutorial, the videos are geared towards individuals with an established background in post-processing and Photoshop. If you are a beginner, I would suggest going back and reviewing some basic skills before tackling this tutorial – it can be pretty fast paced in sections and someone who is new to Photoshop can get lost quickly. Aaron is clear and concise with what he is doing as you watch, so if you feel lost, pause and rewind. At times, you may have to do that a few times. That is the blessing of video tutorials – the ever present pause and rewind.

Favorite Features

In over 2 hours, and 3 videos, a lot of material is covered. For me, a few points stood out that I wanted to bring up

Hand-painting: In the tutorial, Aaron show you how to recreate a portion of your image from scratch. Though this is not something that always happens, if you come across something highly distracting and you would like to remove it, sometimes the clone stamp and healing brush is just not going to cut it. This is also great when you are creating an edgy look, and want a more stylized feel to your image.

Extending the Picture Plane: Composites can be tricky when dealing with distortion and lining everything up. Aaron covers a few ways to troubleshoot your composite needs using tips and tricks he has learned over the years.

Removing Distractions: This is a big one when doing an environmental portrait. You want your focus to be on the subject, not say, that sign looming just above his head. In this tutorial, you will learn how to use different tools, as well as color and lighting in post, to refine the interest in your image. You learn ways to control where the eye goes when looking at the image.

Lightroom and Color Grading:

The Lightroom portion is at the very beginning and is used to run through the photo shoot essentials and set up. Color gels were used in the lighting scenario and to help set the foundation for the color palette that Aaron decided to use for the final image. Further color grading is added in post and you will learn how that is accomplished (and of course – why). Also, this is a great section of the tutorial which explains a little about finding the right time of day to accomplish the look you want.

Most of the tools demonstrated throughout the tutorial can be used in various ways, all depending on what you are wanting to accomplish. Aaron breaks down why and how he uses each tool for the specific look he is going for. This is especially important when refining a stylized portrait.

Final Thoughts & Conclusions

Like most of Phlearn‘s tutorials, this one is done with specific challenges in mind and really work through each of them in detail. It is a more intermediate tutorial, so if you are new to Photoshop you may find yourself a little overwhelmed. The extra section on Lightroom and different ways to integrate it into your workflow is a plus, as you rarely see how industry professionals move between the two platforms. It is nice see to see how each platform is utilized in this workflow.

The style of these images and post-processing is highly processed. Techniques like hand painting, replacing the sky, removing unwanted objects, and extending the overall picture plane is used. It is definitely not for the faint of heart or the ‘au-natural’ photographer.

Aaron’s tone and clear directions will carry you through the tutorial, and with three separate videos, the 2 hours of material does not feel as cumbersome. You are able to watch a portion and take a break. The tutorial images and bonus PS brush file will help you work through the tutorial with ease.

In the end, if you really like the style of the image and you would like to learn a bunch of different techniques with lighting and post-processing, this tutorial is a good addition to your collection.

Click here to view more details

Until Next Time . . . .

Stay Inspired ~ Jules

Cool side note: When you view the first part of the tutorial, you may notice on the left panel of the Lightroom developing module, Aaron is using our Lightroom 4 Preset System.

Check out this tutorial by Martin Perhiniak that shows how you can use Photoshop’s Timeline Panel to apply different Adjustment Layers and Smart Filters to videos to enhance the overall visual quality. Though Photoshop is often used for still photography, there are some great features that can also be used on your video editing as well. The following tutorial utilizes Adobe Photoshop CC and Camera Raw.

Working with Video in Photoshop

Until Next Time . . .

Stay Inspired ~ Jules

In this week’s instalment of ‘Tuesdays With Lauri’ we will take a look at some of the best and most effective ways to retouch skin in Photoshop. If you have any questions, or requests for future episodes just leave a comment below and I’ll do my best to help you all out. Also, if you have any tips and tricks of your own, please make sure to share them with us, by leaving a comment below! :)

Before / After

Credits

Photo by: Olli Viljamaa
Edited by: Lauri Laukkanen

In this week’s instalment of Tuesdays With Lauri we will talk about dodging and burning and will learn how we can use the curves adjustment panel to dodge and burn. If you have any questions or requests for future episodes, make sure to leave a comment down below and I’ll do my best to help out!

Before / after

In a recent Photoshop tutorial by Phlearn, Aaron Nace goes over some basic tools, such as Curves, Hue & Saturation, and Layer Masks. In this video tutorial, you will also learn how to create a moody look with color contrast as well as restoring skin tone.

These techniques are great to add a little punch to an image that you may feel is a little lack-luster.

Finding the balance between coloring and skin tone can be difficult, but if you use the techniques in this episode you will be able to change the opacity of each layer to find the balance that works for you!

Side note: be sure to watch all the way through and enjoy some funny outtakes. He phlearned all over the place.

Create Mood, Atmosphere, and Drama

Before & After

For more advanced techniques in creating a stylistize, dramatic look check out Phlearn’s Dark and Dramatic Tutorial.

Until Next Time . . .

Stay Inspired ~ Jules

In this week’s instalment of Tuesdays With Lauri we are going to talk about taking our photography to the next level with colour-grading. Color-grading can turn a good photo into a great one. If you have any question regarding this week’s episode, or you have a request for a future episode, please leave a comment below, and I’ll do my best to help out! :)

Before / after

Credits

Video and edit by Lauri Laukkanen
Photo submitted by Olli Viljamaa

Overview

Ever got a crazy idea – like what if there was a human sized chocolate bar – and then wondered how to make it happen? Well, aside from hundreds of pounds of cocoa and the strangest candy mold ever, you can always try Photoshop. Recently, Aaron Nace from Phlearn set out to create an amazing fantasy world where cotton candy and chocolate come to life.

In the 3+ hour long Photoshop tutorial Sugar High, you will cover everything from styling, planning, retouching, extreme coloring, and special effects.

But before we get into the sweetest aspects of the tutorial – check out some more from the photo shoot:

Behind the Scenes: Sugar High

Basic Information

Website: Phlearn
Title: PRO Sugar High
Run Time: approx. 3:30 hours
Difficulty: Advanced
Price: $24.99 (40% off – $14.99 until Aug. 25)

Contents

The size of this download is going to take up 572 MB and will be in a .zip file. You are going to find 19 items in 5 main folders:

1. Actions

2. Brushes

3. Support

4. Tutorial Images

5. Video Tutorials

The tutorial download contains a PS Brushes, Actions, tutorial images, a texture image, help files, and additional reference tutorials. The video tutorial folder contains six .mp4 videos that total over 3 hours of instruction.

The mp4 format works well with most players and the video/audio quality was clean. This is something that we have come to expect in these types of tutorials, and we were not disappointed here. Also, breaking the tutorials up in 6 sections made it much easier to follow over the length of the material.

You know – we all need a sugar break ;)

Review

In Sugar High, the 6 tutorials are designed for individuals that have an advanced knowledge of Photoshop and focuses on the specifics of concept planning and advanced editing techniques. Many of the techniques covered can relate not only to fantasy images like this one, but skin retouching (which is a lot of material in and of itself), advanced color grading, and utilizing props for a stylized look.

Software: 
Use of Adobe Photoshop CS6 accommodates individuals with a solid understanding of post-processing in Photoshop. If you are looking into this tutorial, this is not your first rodeo in the world of Adobe. Much of the material covered utilizes advanced skills. If you are running a Photoshop version that is slightly older, this tutorial will still work for you.

Difficulty: 
As an advanced level tutorial, the videos are geared towards individuals with an established background in post-processing and Photoshop. If you are a beginner, I would suggest going back and reviewing some basic skills before tackling this tutorial – it can be pretty fast paced in sections and someone who is new to Photoshop may get lost quickly.

Aaron is clear and concise with what he is doing as you watch, as well quite humorous, so if you feel lost, pause and rewind. At times, you may have to do that a few times. Don’t feel bad – that is the blessing of video tutorials – the ever-present pause and rewind. There was a few times, especially during the chocolate section, that I found myself reviewing material. It is great that Aaron explains the how and why of what is going on step-by-step.

Favorite Features

In over 3 hours, and 6 videos, a lot of material is covered. Each video is laid out as an independent section, with some longer than others.

Section 1 – Introduction and Planning
Section 2 – Coloring Elements of the Shoot
Section 3 – Adding a New Background
Section 4 – Creating Chocolate
Section 5 – Retouch Cotton Candy
Section 6 – Stylizing and Coloring

With all the material covered, it is one of those video tutorials that I will personally go back through a few times. Broken into sections will mean I do not need to weed through all three hours to find what I need. After everything, there was a few points that stood out:

Replacing Hair and Creating Chocolate: In the fourth section of the tutorial, Aaron shows you how to replace hair with another source image and create the chocolate effect with skin. A lot of masking, blending, and adjustments are used in this section. To give the desired effect, much of the tools used reminded me of many of the tools I also use for beauty skin retouching. You will end up utilizing Curves, Hue/Sat, and Luminosity a lot. You will also learn a little hand painting to add details. In the end, the goal was to create something almost cartoonish and playful.

Props and Textures: Using material you have on hand to replace the background or create ‘gold foil’ will save you a lot of money in the end on a stylized image like this. Composites can be tricky and Aaron covers some ways to troubleshoot your composite needs with a few tips and tricks he has learned over the years.

Saturated Color Grading: If you are working with a fantasy type concept, color and atmosphere will help decide the success of your image. For Sugar High, Aaron wanted something fun and happy, so a hyper-saturated color style is what you will learn to create. Keep in mind, if you learn how to create something, you by default also learn how to avoid or create the opposite effect. The sample image did not have any color gels used beforehand, so the color grading is done all in post.

Planning and Collaboration: Going over the lighting set-up, concept (as weird as it may be), and the post-production planning is helpful in getting a feel for how to realize and image like this with your own ideas and materials. Also, as a highly post-production dense image – having a solid game plan beforehand will make your life easier. Another thing to note – is the importance to take a break during large or complex post-processing projects.

Final Thoughts

Overall, each section will teach how to accomplish specific effects (and of course – why). Most of the tools demonstrated throughout the tutorial can be used in various ways, all depending on what you want to accomplish. Aaron breaks down why and how he uses each tool for the specific look he is going for. This is especially important when refining a stylized portrait.

The style of this image and post-processing is highly manipulated. Techniques like hand painting, background replacement, extensive skin retouching, and hyper-saturated color grading are reviewed step-by-step. It is definitely not for the faint of heart or the ‘au-natural’ photographer.

Aaron is simply fun and real. He will be sure to give clear directions that will carry you through the tutorial. His conversational tone will guide you through the 6 separate sections of the material with good breaks in-between. Sample image files, bonus PS Brush and PS Action will give you the opportunity to work through the project for yourself as you refine the techniques.

If you really like the style of the image and would like to learn how this image came to be, this tutorial is a good addition to your collection – that is – as long as you have a strong background in Photoshop retouch. Remember, this is an advanced level tutorial.

Click here to view more details

Until Next Time . . .

Stay Inspired ~ Jules

Okay – by we, I mean me. Our friends over at Phlearn were going over some of the new features of Adobe Photoshop CS6 Extended and brought up an interesting Adjustment that was added for 3D modeling. The cool thing about this feature is that it can be used on your 2D images and adjusted with a mask the same way other adjustment layers are done.

Want to check out what a certain color grading look? Sure – why not. Check out the video below from Aaron Nace.

The (Adobe) CS6 Feature You Never Knew Existed

Oh yes, and Aaron, my mind was blown.

You can also check out the original tutorial here.

Until Next Time . . .

Stay inspired ~ Jules

Photo Credit: Francois Vendiol

In this tutorial from Aaron Nace learn how to use different features of the Hue & Saturation Adjustment in Photoshop to transform and enliven your images. Changing up complimentary and contrasting colors can completely change your image and give it a whole new feel.

This is also a great way to revisit older work and see what new and interesting features you can draw out of it by simply manipulating the color range within the image.

Use Hue & Saturation to Bring New Life to a Photo | Photoshop Tutorial with Phlearn

Before:

After:

Both of these images are great – yet with a dramatically different feel and mood. You can see how this tool can be used to really spice up your photographs as well as add interest to an image without a lot of manipulation.

Have fun playing around with different looks and color combinations to find one that really works with your own artistic style.

Do you have any images that you have used the Hue & Adjustment to alter dramatically? How did you feel about the before and after?

For more from our friend Aaron Nace, click here to visit Phlearn.

Until Next Time . . .

Stay Inspired ~ Jules

Image credit: Sofimak Hernandez

When it comes to red blotchy skin, there are several ways to correct it. For example, Lightroom has the HSL/Color panel in the Develop Module. Photoshop also has a similar adjustment layer called Hue/Saturation and it has two important functions that Lightroom’s HSL panel does not have: Color Range and Masking. Here is how to easily and more effectively correct red blotchy skin in Photoshop.

The Original Photo

One of the problems with red blotchy skin is that they are very irregular and are fairly dispersed around the skin. Because of this, manually masking them off with a layer mask would take too much time and effort. A quicker way to isolate the red skin is to use the Eyedropper and Color Range Function within the Hue/Saturation adjustment layer.

Step 1: Add a Hue/Saturation Adjustment Layer & Open Red Color
The first step is to add a Hue/Saturation Adjustment Layer and switch to the “Reds” under the second drop down menu.

Step 2: Use the Eye Dropper on Reddish Skin
Notice that there are 3 sets of Eye Droppers near the bottom of the Hue/Sat panel. Underneath that is the Color Range panel. Both work in tandem to help you isolate colors that will be affected by this adjustment layer for Reds. Pick the first eye dropper and sample one of the red blotchy skin. The Color range will adjust according to that sample color.

Step 3: Slide Hue All the Way to the Left

Next, take the Hue slider and slide it all the way to the left. The color for the skin should look very crazy like below. This is actually how you can easily tell what part of the skin is being affected by the Color Range. In this case, all of the skin is still affected so we will have to shrink the Color Range limiter until only the red, blotchy skin is selected.

Step 4: Adjust the Color Range Selection Until it Only Affects Red Blotchy Skin

This is the most important step in this technique. In the Color Range, there are two sets of limiters on both sides of the affected color range. The two small boxes at either ends are the absolute limit of affected colors. Next to these boxes are longer rectangles that feather the amount affected.

What you want to do is play around with this Color Range limiter until you shrink the affected colors so it only affects the red blotchy skin. You can easily see what is affected in real time because the Hue slider is all the way to the left. If you were to do this while the Hue slider was still at 0, you will not know what part of the skin is going to be shifted.

Step 5: Color-Correct the Red Blotchy Skin
Once you are satisfied with the area that you are want to correct, reset the Hue slider back to 0 and start moving it incrementally to the right until the red skin starts to blend in with the rest of the normal skin. In this case, a Hue amount of 15 effectively corrects the red skin. You can also adjust the Saturation and Lightness Slider as needed.

Step 6: Use Layer Mask to Mask off Areas such as Lips
Because certain areas such as the lips may be affected by this Color Range, you may have to use a Layer Mask and a Black Brush to mask off areas that you don’t want this Hue/Sat Adjustment Layer to affect. I also masked off his eyes in order to preserve the reddish tones in his iris and near the tear ducts. That’s it!

Before and After

Before

After

Comparison

In this week’s instalment of Tuesdays With Lauri, we will be breaking down a new photo of mine in Photoshop. We will open up the PSD-file and go through it layer by layer, and along the way, we will discuss the thought-processes that I’ve gone through while editing this photograph. If you have any question regarding this week’s instalment, or you have a request for a future episode, please leave a comment below and I’ll do my best to help you out.

Before & after

Photo and video by Lauri Laukkanen Photography.

In a recent tutorial from our friends at Phlearn, Aaron Nace goes over the “How To” of Custom Brushes in Photoshop. Custom tools in Photoshop are part of all that is glorious with the program. Photographers are able to create atmosphere and a unique feel to their images. When creating custom tools, you are able to add a personal touch to your work that will set you apart from the crowd. Another benefit to creating your own brushes is that you have full creative control. Creative control is a great thing – I’m pretty sure you will agree.

In this tutorial you will learn how to create a fog/smoke custom brush as well as pretty much any other type of brush you would like using the same principals. Go ahead – innovate to your hearts desire.

Creating a Custom Brush | Phlearn Tutorial

Be sure to head over to Phlearn for more tutorial goodness. You can also download the free custom brush by visiting the original Phlearn tutorial here.

So what other effects could you use this technique on or have you created a custom brush before?

Until Next Time . . .

Stay Inspired ~ Jules

Fun photoshop tips make for a great weekend. Here is a way to use Gradients and custom tools in Photoshop to create a funky light ray effect in your images. Why not? Faux lens flare is so last season.

Have fun and play around with the layers. It is great as a subtle effect in a landscape or dramatic feature of a portrait. The tutorial is only around 6 minutes and done by German Digital Artist Calvin Hollywood. Forewarning: the quality of the video is great, but tends to be louder than average if you are on headphones.

Photoshop Tips to Add Light Rays/Sun Beams to Your Image

Final Image

© Calvin Hollywood

Until Next Time . . .

Stay Inspired ~ Jules

In this week’s instalment of ‘Tuesdays With Lauri’ we will talk about the “Selective Color” -adjustment panel in PS. We will discuss how the tool works, and I’ll teach you how to color-grade your photos with it. :)

If you have any questions regarding this week’s episode, or you’d like to suggest a theme for a future episode, please leave comment down below, and I’ll do my best to help you out!

Three versions

Photo, article and video by Lauri Laukkanen.

In this week’s instalment of ‘Tuesdays With Lauri‘ we will talk about post-processing beauty-photography in Photoshop. We will quickly go through skin retouching, using check-layers, dodging and burning, colour-grading and much more. :)

If you have any questions regarding this week’s episode, or you’d like to suggest a theme for a future episode, please leave comment down below, and I’ll do my best to help you out!

Before/After

Photo, article and video by Lauri Laukkanen.

No longer shall you fret about a bad hair day – or at least those pesky flyways during your last beauty photo shoot.

In this short but sweet tutorial from Aaron Nace and our friends at Phlearn, you will learn how to use the Liquify Tool in Photoshop to shape and correct hair in your beauty images.

Shape Hair Using the Liquify Tool: Photoshop Tips | Phlearn Tutorial

Final Image:

Be sure to head over to Phlearn for more tutorial goodness.

So what do you think? Is this a technique your might use in your portraiture?

Until Next Time . . .

Stay Inspired ~ Jules

During my very first digital photography class (ok, it was my only digital photography class) at art school, I learned about a camera-less photography technique which produces an image called a Photogram. Artists like Man Ray and Pablo Picasso experimented with the technique, which is traditionally made by placing objects on photographic paper and then exposing the paper to light. Sometimes they would simply lay the paper and objects out in the sun, or expose it with an enlarger in the darkroom.

Photo by Anna Atkins and Anne Dixon, 1854, Cyanotype, Via The J. Paul Getty Museum Open Content Program

In the 1800s Anna Atkins, an English Botanist and Photographer, used this contact print method to make photographic impressions of plants. I’ve always admired these Photograms and wanted to create something similar, with a modern twist. To create a modern photogram, I simply used my flatbed scanner instead of photo sensitive paper.

Making Your Own Digital Photogram
Here’s What You’ll Need
Flatbed scanner
Plants or other subject matter
Photoshop or other image editing software (optional)
Construction paper
Paper weight

Here’s How to Do It
1. Gather your subject matter. I took my oldest son on a nature walk to find plants for our project. We threw rocks in the river, gathered different kinds of plants, and took pictures along the way.

2. Place your chosen materials on a flatbed scanner. I wanted a look that had more depth and color than the original photograms. To get that depth, I left the scanner lid open and turned the lights off in my studio while scanning.

If your materials are too high off the scanner bed, like the tumble weeds in the image below, you might have to place a piece of construction paper on top and weight it down with a book or paper weight.

3. Crop and touch up your image as needed in Photoshop. I left most of the dust specs in my images because I liked the way they looked. You could clean them up if you want by applying a dust and scratch filter or manually cloning out the blemishes.

How to Get a More Traditional “Photogram” Look Using Photoshop:

1. Open your image in Photoshop.

2. Change the mode to Greyscale and discard the color information.

3. Bump up the brightness with a brightness/contrast adjustment layer. In this case I brought the brightness all the way up to 112.

4. Convert the color mode to a duotone. This will actually end up being a monotone image because we are going to choose one color.

5. I chose 100% cyan, but you could use any color you like.

6. To further brighten the plant image, I brought the duotone curve down significantly until I was happy with how it looked.

7. I added some noise to the image via a noise filter, just to give it a little more texture.

8. Then, I actually went back into the duotone menu and darkened the color a little bit. 100% cyan was burning my retinas. At this point, don’t forget to change the color mode to suit the output of your image.

Here’s the final photogram…

And here’s a side-by-side comparison of the original by Anna Atkins and my digital version (not the same plant, obviously, though that would have been really cool…)

I’ve been using scanned materials in elements of my work for over a decade now. The flatbed scanner is just another creative tool for me. How have you used it? If you haven’t already, how would you use this “camera-less” photography technique in your own work?

CREDITS: Photographs by Tanya Smith and the Getty Open Content Program have been used with permission for SLR Lounge. Do not copy, modify or re-post this article or images without express permission from SLR Lounge and the artists.

In this week’s instalment of Tuesdays With Lauri we are going to talk about a few techniques for skin retouching in Photoshop. We will talk about the healing brush tool, the use of black and white check layers, a skin smoothening technique and much more.

If you have any questions regarding this week’s instalment, or would like to suggest a theme for a future episode, just leave a comment down below, and I’ll do my best to help you all out.

Before/After

Photo, article and video by Lauri Laukkanen.