Freckles and spots

Seajay

Seajay

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Cathy
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Hi had a go today taking a few window light shots for the first time.

Now they are not great i know but my granddaughter likes a couple of them and
I need some good advice on spot removal and how to make her freckles fade a little. I did use the spot removal tool in photoshop for a couple of spots and that was ok but freckles ! Where do I start ?

I changed from colour during the shoot to B/White which helps but is there a better way? Or maybe an action that does it well. Or maybe a link on the web that would show me.
Cathy



spots4 by cooriedoon, on Flickr
 
I think the post looks slightly unnatural. To me it would be better if she were looking just over your shoulder.

With regards to removing the freckles; are you sure you want to do that? To me the freckles are there to stay (for the time being anyway) and it wouldn't be a proper portrait of your granddaughter if they were removed/lightened too much. You don't want to end up with a result which looks nothing like the subject. (ok I understand this is done for magazine covers etc)
 
Steven thank you and yes I agree with everything you are telling me but she hates freckles right now.
I had asked her not to wear foundation as I wanted her as natural as I could get her this did not help I guess. She liked this one and another couple we saved but only if I could reduce the freckles and spots they look much worse in the colour ones as i was trying to fill the frame with her face.
It is just her age and the need to be blemish free. Great tip on a pose thank you I will try that next time and see how I get on.Actually I think I may have one of her looking over her shoulder but it was not that good either :)
 
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Firstly - never shoot B&W in camera -unless you're shooting Raw and you still have the colour data to use.

Secondly - people like to see people; to create a 'connection' in portraits we like a connection with the subjects eyes. The looking into the distance thing rarely works unless there's some context to it. When posing ladies you can get them to look down their own bodyline - which creates a feel of intimacy.

Any general guidance on skin imperfections or spot removal will work for freckles - but you shouldn't remove them completely, just reduce them. There's loads of internet tutorials. What software do you have available? That's the key detail.
 
Thanks again everyone and I truly get it now!

We had taken about 200 pictures most of her sitting on a chair with my back to the light and her looking at me. This one was when she was lying on the couch looking out the French doors but I see what you mean yes you do lose the connection with her.

Phil you explained it better than I did reduce the freckles is what I should have said and I use photoshop and have Lightroom but have never really used it properly yet. Is it best to shoot on the raw setting or the one that gives you a raw and a jpg also which picture format setting is best for overall I had it on faithful then changed it to portrait?

Steven second photo? Do you mean the one if her lying on her hands or the over the shoulder one, just interested to know and thank you for your input I appreciate the time you all took to help

I think we will dismiss this shoot as a learning curve and I will get her to try again next time she loves being photographed so we can do it again no problem . I have all this e xtra advice to use as well so have a better understanding of what to ask her to do.
 
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Seajay said:
Phil you explained it better than I did reduce the freckles is what I should have said and I use photoshop and have Lightroom but have never really used it properly yet. Is it best to shoot on the raw setting or the one that gives you a raw and a jpg also which picture format setting is best for overall I had it on faithful then changed it to portrait?
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Click to expand...

If you're shooting Raw, it doesn't matter what Picture Style you choose, because you're importing into Lightroom which doesn't use that data - to use those settings you'd need to shoot JPEG or develop your Raws in DPP (the Canon Raw converter).
I have a skin smoothing Action that I bought and as it works so well I'm too lazy to deconstruct or change it. However there are loads of tutorials on the internet for Photoshop. I also recommend you look up B&W conversions using LAB color. You'll be amazed how much control you can have over the output of a file into B&W, although there are loads of actions that mimic different film looks that you can download too.
 
Just to add that I like the pose :)
If you get shots of her with her face at a slight angle to the lens and her eyes looking at the lens you will end up with a nice shot that you can see everywhere.
This one is a bit different it makes me wonder what she is looking at and, even more important, what she is thinking.
(As for the freckles Phil has given good advice.)
 
Thank you Ken and Phil My hope is to just capture a nice image of her not using auto that I can maybe have printed for her on a canvas. I am determined to learn this and I know I have a long way to go but I will get there with all the help given.Phil just had a look at the tutorials using Lab colour so off to have a quick tidy up in the home and will go and follow one later this morning
 
Don't eschew auto for daft reasons. I shot a wedding on Friday about 60% AV and the rest Manual. I don't switch to Manual on a whim, it's about using the right mode for me at the time.
By the same token - there is never a good reason to use anything from the green box on. So to me Auto means AV, TV or P. I rarely use P but many great photographers do. I also don't like Auto ISO as it can push me about when I'm trying to take control, but I know it's better on some cameras than others.
 
In black and white at least, you can change the appearance of freckles by using colour filter simulations just like you'd do with black and white film. IIRC A red filter will make them less noticeable, but I could be talking out of my behind, it's been a long time since I did any portrait editing.
 
Phil I was using the green box all the time for many years and did get some very nice family snaps but really that is all they were and some could have been amazing if i had only known what to do.However I have the time now to learn so all is not lost..LOL!

Steven the colour picture was it this one.



spots5 by cooriedoon, on Flickr
 
Seajay,

Don't write the shoot off ... it's a good starting point for the future.

In the image you first posted I feel the light is a little too flat. That is to say it's even across the whole of your GD's face so there's insufficient shadow to show the shape of her face. It's shadows that give definition to a subject and your second image is, for that reason, much better (IMHO).

Keep practicing - you're very lucky to have someone that will let you experiement on them :) My grand-kids see the camera and run!!
 
Steve thank you I have saved a few as i hope to come back to them to see if i improve with time.
All my grandkids love the camera they are just so used to me taking photos of them I have been taking all their pictures since a few moments after each of them were born.

I am pleased I did as the mums and dads tend to use their phones and print nothing! such a shame so all their photos on show in the home I have taken some also digitally scrapped for memories for them.

Had a go Phil at lab colour it was really good to watch the photo change and I will do some more another day.Thanks for the idea I loved it! still a little flat but it was only for practice.



Black&White using Lab colour for 1st time by cooriedoon, on Flickr
 
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