Removing or minimizing under-eye bags can be a great way to improve an image, but removing the lower eyelid results in an unnatural-looking portrait that often falls in what’s called the “uncanny valley.” A casual viewer can tell something is wrong, but might not be able to put their finger on why. This area can fill up with fluid depending on a person’s health, age, stress level, and whether they’ve had a good night of sleep. Removing under-eye bags-or at least minimizing them-is relatively common practice in all genres of photography, but some understanding of anatomy is required to do this properly.Įye bags exist below the lower eyelid and above the cheek in the area of the tear trough. Model Abby Howard with Makeup by Nina Marie Diaz NO LOWER EYE LIDS If you add too much light to the eyes in post-production, the result will be unnatural and distracting. Also, remember that the light on the subject determines how bright the eyes are. The goal for eye retouching is to remove distractions and increase connection, interest, or beauty, not to make the subject look like they’re manifesting magic powers. But when this technique gets taken too far, the result is unrealistic and distracting. THE MOST COMMON RETOUCHING MISTAKES OVERLY BRIGHT EYESīrightening the iris and whitening the sclera (the whites of the eyes) can draw attention to the portrait and increase the power of the connection between the subject and the viewers.
#PORTRAIT RETOUCHING EXAMPLE HOW TO#
Now that we have a basic framework for how to think about retouching mistakes, let's look at the most common portrait retouching mistakes and how you can avoid them. But removing those things is generally frowned upon in portraiture where the purpose is to create a record of an individual.įinally, a retouching mistake could be anything that is physically unnatural when the portrait falls outside the boundaries of fantasy or caricature.
For example, removing identifiable marks such as freckles, moles, or scars, is common in commercial beauty work where the purpose is to sell a product. In this case, we’re also assuming the image is still meant to look like a photograph and not a digital painting or another artistic blend of styles.Ī retouching mistake can also be considered a creative choice that falls outside the accepted bounds of the genre you’re working in. A retouching mistake is anything that distracts from or contradicts the purpose or intention of the image. Avoiding these mistakes is all about training your eye.īefore explaining what these mistakes are, let’s define the broadest term for what constitutes a retouching mistake in the first place. These are mistakes that can be made while using any software, from Capture One to Adobe Photoshop, so don't think your program will keep you safe. But there are a few portrait retouching mistakes to watch out for that will bring down the quality of your photo in almost every circumstance. Every photographer has their own visual style and will retouch photographs to suit their preferences. Retouching, like any artistic pursuit, is subject to taste. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do.” – Pelé RETOUCHING MISTAKES IN PHOTOSHOP
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