I shoot mostly nudes and sometimes things like bikini shoots. I find myself drawn to retouching photographs. It started innocently enough, a small blemish on the side of one model's nose. Then it got to teeth. I had one model with a turned bicuspid. Couldn't let that show on closeups, right?
Then there were the "unfortunate" tattoos. What person gets a tattoo that they cannot explain the meaning of? "What's that mean?" I asked her. "Oh, I don't know. I just liked it..." So there are those tats who might as well have been inked in prison. Nothin' says lovin' like a prison tattoo! So, clone brush at 30% use all layers work in the green channel and no more tattoo.
Piercings. OK, I find some piercings kind of nice. Facial ones just give me the heeby-jeebies. Those below the neckline? Sometimes one leaves things alone but for Art. Oh, let Art hire his own models! So, yeah, I have retouched those.
Tan lines. I knew I was getting a bit excessive when I found myself cloning out tan lines on Vasialisa. Well, in for a penny: those marks bras and elastic make on skin, those you have to get rid of. Right?
Now I bought Portrait Professional. It is downright scary what one can do to the face of a woman or a man with that tool. And it is quick too. But I can make them look like someone else (resculpt their heads, for pity's sake!)
You notice that I do not mention the Healing Brush. Folks that use that are just plain wrong. *grin*
So you folk who capture beauty, do YOU mess with the photos? Just a little? Anyone willing to step up to the confessional?
BTW, I tried the Portrait Professional on pics of some high fashion folk, including Charlize Theron. Not a change worthwhile. Guess the pics were already messed with.
Just me,
Ellsworth Weaver
Ars Neovolatile