Bikini and Rocks

[PhilF]

I would've desaturated it using the channel mixer. here's the result:

settings:


then it might be a tad too grey so i do a quick auto levels and then fade that by 50%

i think the channel mixer is the best way to desaturate b&w because you can choose a colour that you want to be the main 'grey' in the scene.

i usually start by trying red @ 100% and the rest at 0%, then switch to green @ 100% and the rest at 0%, then blue. once u find which colour is best to be the main grey, then u can tweek, in this case it was the blue channel for this image and my take on it.

really cool leels. Is there anyway you can emphasize the reflection of the light to her skin though?

[LeeIs]

really cool leels. Is there anyway you can emphasize the reflection of the light to her skin though?

Phil, i really don't know. but i think if you mess with the ratios of the RGB, u can emphasize certain tones. Also, u can always make another layer optimized only for the skin tones and do a bit of masking that way.

[draymorton]

Phil, i really don't know. but i think if you mess with the ratios of the RGB, u can emphasize certain tones. Also, u can always make another layer optimized only for the skin tones and do a bit of masking that way.

How about some softlight dodging and burning on the skin?

[draymorton]

Given the title, btw, I was relieved to find that this had nothing to do with Borat.

[LeeIs]

How about some softlight dodging and burning on the skin?

I honestly personally wouldn't do much brushing of skin for this kind of thing. Even though i haven't done much portraits, i've been image editing for the best part of the last 10 years as my normal job. I've come to learn that treating the whole image properly is usually the best way to do edits. Sometimes u gotta go in and do minor adjustments here and there but for an entire body.. it could be done provided lots of time and skill but i wouldn't recommend it.

Also, it would depend on where the image is going to be ultimately end up. A photograph, a magazine cover, a news paper feature, a poster and the size of it. all these little brush strokes might look ok to the person editing it cause they've been looking at it for hours, but once someone else gazes at them. that's a whole different animal. lol.

oh and i'm a fan of small blemish removal but softlight dodging and burning to the entire body, i think i would avoid. the most dramatic thing i would do is treat the entire photo differently for the skin tone then combining the two images. that way at least the skin tones in themselves are consistent. and the other part of the photo is consistent, and all that needs to be worked out at that point is the merging of the two.

[GB1]

Here's another shot of Michelle. I did process them a bit: as Liban stated, it really depends on the viewer as to whether it's good or bad processing (I also agree to err on the side of less, but PR is just a big artistic experiment lab as far as I'm concerned ... ). This one doesn't have her hair blowing over her lips, but I personally like her expression in the other image better.

Thanks for the additional posts fellows! I will read them tomorrow.. pressed for time this week.

G

[drg]

One more take on a B/W variation.

The new image with the bikini made more uniform in tone/color. There is also application of Skin Softening, contrast alteration, masked sharpening, and some other minor tweaks. All done in Lightroom 3. Screen shots follow that illustrate most of the changes and parameters.



First the Skin Softening masking with two sets of work. The red arrow points at the control point for the current highlighted area and displayed parameters that are being softened. The white arrow points at a previous control point for other softening. The green area is the highlight color I selected for this application while the colored arrows were added in Photoshop for clarity.


(click on photo for larger size to see detailed adjustment info)

This next screen illustration show the Color Mix used and the relative tone adjustment including the tonal curve. Don't look for this curve "Shadow Darkening" in you standard Lightroom Package. I've added it and several others as 'custom curves'.


(click on photo for larger size to see detailed adjustment info)

Finally there's the sharpening performed partially to enhance the B/W result and to somewhat offset the image degradation from resaving a file that started as a JPEG. Note the Radius mask display from Lightroom to see where the edges and gradations are that the sharpening amounts will effect.


(click on photo for larger size to see detailed adjustment info)
This one you will definitely need to enlarge via clicking to see what is going on in detail.

[armando_m]

I like this second version better , we can see her whole face and I do prefer the bw

[mikonyxx]

like the original color one. like the last b&w the most.

[GB1]

Excellent PP work guys, and that's everyone. I just got CS5 and will be diving into it more in teh coming weeks, so I will use the postings to experiment.

Speaking of experiments, this is crude but I am thinking that this model would make for a great image on a Tequila or wine bottle ??

Thanks too, mikonyxx and Armando!

G

[AgingEyes]

Another possibility:

[**fancy**pants**]

I would've desaturated it using the channel mixer. here's the result:

I prefer this photo in B&W and like the above version best.

I would have put the model in a larger sized bikini bottom. The way it is cutting into her side there is really distracting to me, and is not attractive in my opinion. I probably would have used a string bikini bottom instead to match the string bikini top.

Beautiful girl though. She looks a lot like Cameron Diaz in this photo.

[PhilF]

Excellent PP work guys, and that's everyone. I just got CS5 and will be diving into it more in teh coming weeks, so I will use the postings to experiment.

Speaking of experiments, this is crude but I am thinking that this model would make for a great image on a Tequila or wine bottle ??

Thanks too, mikonyxx and Armando!

G

lol ... this is funny.

[Marc2B4]

Nice shot, but personally, I'd like a bit more contrast. I'm a contrast pig

[GB1]

Thanks AE. I sort of like the original better but this one is also good because you can see her face better. Nice edit.

Fancy Pants thanks for commenting and the helpful suggestion. I see what you mean and unfortunately small details sometimes escape me on shoots. The worst thing that can happen on a model shoot is to go 'brain dead' where I can't think, can't improvise, and can't visualize, just shoot. This sort of hit me that day, probably because it was a busy week and this shoot was so early Saturday morning! The ideal situation is to have help - a few artistic helpers who can help direct the scenes and make the model happy. She does look a bit like Cameron Diaz btw, but maybe even prettier.

Phil, take a shot too! I'm thinking something related to Baja California: a matchbox, billboard, etc?

Marc, you really think these shots don't have enough contrast? But if they had more I agree that it may look neat, but that would definitely shoot off into the art side of things. Which is OK, of course.


G

[lenco12]

Which do you like, the black and white, color, or not your cup of tea?

G

I would have to say the color shot has a slight edge due to the detail in the rock behind the model.