Retouching a Studio Portrait in Photoshop

1h 19mIntermediate2014-05-08

Authors

Chris Orwig

Photographer, Author, Teacher

Course details

Studio portraits are usually shot under optimal conditions. Controlled lighting, seamless backdrops, maybe even professional hair and makeup. But there's still work you can do to make your subjects look their best in post. In this Portrait Project, Chris Orwig takes a raw file, makes foundational adjustments in Camera Raw, and then takes the image into Photoshop for retouching. There you'll learn how to retouch small blemishes, smooth and de-shine skin, and enhance color. Before and after comparisons along the way allow you to check your progress. Dive in now and start improving your portrait prowess.

Learning objectives
Fixing the foundation in Camera Raw
Removing blemishes
Diminishing wrinkles
Reducing shine
Improving lighting
Enhancing color

Skills covered

RetouchingImage EditingPhotoshopProjectPhotographyAdobe

Concepts

0. Introduction

01 - Welcome
02 - Using the exercise files

1. Setting the Stage

03 - Fixing the foundation in Camera Raw
04 - Organizing the layered file

2. Retouching Away Problems

05 - Removing blemishes
06 - Diminishing the wrinkles
07 - Reducing shine with Patch tool
08 - Reducing shine with Curves

3. Improving the Lighting

09 - Crafting the light with Curves
10 - Brightening the light with masking

4. Skin Softening

11 - Using the High Pass filter and Linear Light
12 - Masking in a new texture

5. Enhancing the Color

13 - Creating global stylistic color changes
14 - Making specific color adjustments
15 - Building a few black-and-white options

Conclusion

16 - Sharpening
17 - Review
18 - Next steps