Editing Newborn Photo's in CS5

[Kel]

Hi Everyone

Just wondering if anyone knows a good post or clip on editing newborn Photo's in Photoshop CS5 with not plugs in, on how to get that nice skin tone any help would be great

Thanks

[ricktas]

do you want skin tone or skin smoothing? Skin tone is about changing the colour of the skin, skin smoothing is about giving the skin that softness and elimination of blemishes etc

[MissionMan]

You don't need photoshop to get what you want. You can quite easily achieve it in lightroom. I find that due to the colour of the babies skin (red and blemished), turn your saturation down to about -35 and then brush out the blemished areas by turning your clarity down with a lightroom brush. The only difference between these two is the saturation down and the clarity to brush the blemishes, otherwise everything else is identical.

Here is a quick example (not great photos, just purely for demo purposes)

http://atholhill.smugmug.com/Photography/Athol-Hill/i-m4DgdZP/0/XL/DSC_2968-2-XL.jpg



http://atholhill.smugmug.com/Photography/Athol-Hill/i-JRXpLs9/0/XL/DSC_2968-XL.jpg

[ameerat42]

Got any examples? We might be able to help with a specific (set of) example(s).
(Short answer: Nope! And not off hand.)
Am.

PS: While dithering here, Missionman's post came up. OK Kel, have you got Lightroom?
Want to extend your Q to that?

[ricktas]

Also, when you say you do not want plugins, do you mean you do not want to pay for filters?

You can get actions for Photoshop that offer you what you want for free from www.atncentral.com, there are some great skin smoothing, blemish removal ones and more under the 'image enhancements' option. There is a tutorial on installing and using actions here (http://www.ausphotography.net.au/forum/showthread.php?40387-How-to-install-and-use-photoshop-Actions). Actions are great cause you can see what they are doing, edit them, make your own.

[Kel]

Hey ricktas I would like to do both (the skin smoothing and the tone to take away some of the red face) to give it a more natural look and for your other question when I was looking up on how do it all the information I found had plug in and as I am not working at this point I can't afford to buy the plugs in that they where using. but thanks very much for the photoshop free plugin website I be checking that out today.

MissionMan Thanks for you help I will try that as I have not done much in lightroom so this will give me the chance to do it thanks for the help.

ameerat42 Thanks I have add some sample of my little Ava that I took in the hospital, and I find that the red skin and they seem to have a little bit of a yellowest in places and I would like to get that smooth skin and natural skin look as a lot of the newborn photo's have and trying to learn some more new skills as well

[MissionMan]

Hey ricktas I would like to do both (the skin smoothing and the tone to take away some of the red face) to give it a more natural look and for your other question when I was looking up on how do it all the information I found had plug in and as I am not working at this point I can't afford to buy the plugs in that they where using. but thanks very much for the photoshop free plugin website I be checking that out today.

MissionMan Thanks for you help I will try that as I have not done much in lightroom so this will give me the chance to do it thanks for the help.

ameerat42 Thanks I have add some sample of my little Ava that I took in the hospital, and I find that the red skin and they seem to have a little bit of a yellowest in places and I would like to get that smooth skin and natural skin look as a lot of the newborn photo's have and trying to learn some more new skills as well

If you planning on getting into it further, I'd recommend having a look at some of the sites which show what setups to use for babies. Babies has a lot to do with how you pose and setup as well.

Here are two sites I found helpful:

http://pinterest.com/heidicampbell/before-and-after-set-ups/

http://photo-help.com/types-of-photography/newborn-photography/newborn-photography-poses/

[ktoopi]

Hi Kel

I edit my newborn pics in CS5.....Basically I do any very minor adjustments to exposure in ACR .....Open in Photoshop.......Duplicate background........use lasso tool to draw a rough circle around baby and go to Image.....Adjustments....Curves and pull the graph up a tiny bit to brighten the baby slightly. Then I see if hands or feet or face of baby needs any additional brightening and do the same thing with lasso tool and curves adjustment.
Next I work on skin colour....To remove redness I use lasso tool to circle around baby....Image....adjustments......Hue/saturation.......master.......Click on a colour that you don't want to work with like greens(you are working with reds here) and move mouse over baby. An eyedropper will appear....click on any area of baby's SKIN.
Where it says greens (or whatever colour you selected before) it will change to REDS 2
Slide the lightness slider to the right until redness is removed from baby's skin (I never go above 20) be careful not to take it too far or baby will look like a ghost!! click ok
Then go to Image.....Adjustments........Colour Balance and drag yellow slider to the left until it says -2 or -3 to add back a touch of warmth click ok
Now I use the spot healing brush and or the patch tool to remove any blemishes on baby's face and tidy up any peeling skin

To smooth baby's skin I use an action bought from the internet

Hope that was of some use to you:)
Karen

- - - Updated - - -

Hi Kel

I edit my newborn pics in CS5.....Basically I do any very minor adjustments to exposure in ACR .....Open in Photoshop.......Duplicate background........use lasso tool to draw a rough circle around baby and go to Image.....Adjustments....Curves and pull the graph up a tiny bit to brighten the baby slightly. Then I see if hands or feet or face of baby needs any additional brightening and do the same thing with lasso tool and curves adjustment.
Next I work on skin colour....To remove redness I use lasso tool to circle around baby....Image....adjustments......Hue/saturation.......master.......Click on a colour that you don't want to work with like greens(you are working with reds here) and move mouse over baby. An eyedropper will appear....click on any area of baby's SKIN.
Where it says greens (or whatever colour you selected before) it will change to REDS 2
Slide the lightness slider to the right until redness is removed from baby's skin (I never go above 20) be careful not to take it too far or baby will look like a ghost!! click ok
Then go to Image.....Adjustments........Colour Balance and drag yellow slider to the left until it says -2 or -3 to add back a touch of warmth click ok
Now I use the spot healing brush and or the patch tool to remove any blemishes on baby's face and tidy up any peeling skin

To smooth baby's skin I use an action bought from the internet

Hope that was of some use to you:)
Karen

- - - Updated - - -

Sorry something weird just happened and my post got posted twice!!!!!!

[Kel]

Thanks ktoopi for that I'll give it a go it been very help full

[RamblinR]

Another method in LR4 is to use HSL. Hue - Move the Red slider to the right. Luminance - move the Red slider to the right. Tweak one then the other and see how you like it. I saw this in a tutorial but don't have the link.

[Kel]

Thanks RamblinR I like try that