Photo editing
32 The Professional Photoshop Book
- EDIT WITH CURVES
The Curves tool in Photoshop is incredibly powerful
when used correctly in the hands of a professional, as
retoucher Vitalij Sidorovic (www.behance.net/
vitalijsidorovic) explains: “Almost every one of my
photos goes through Curves adjustments, which is
[essentially] dodging and burning. [I used to]
underestimate the power of the Curves tool, as I
usually used it just for colour improvement. But as I
grew and developed, this is the tool that I always use in
my retouching now. It is great for cleaning up skin and
getting rid of unwanted hairs. Before I start editing I
usually look through the photo to see where I want to
go with it, then I mark areas that might need more
editing time and get myself prepared.
“I start off creating a Black & White adjustment layer
on top of my original document and then I add two
Curves adjustment layers: one which has boosted
exposure and another one that is darkened. Both
layers are masked out so that when using a soft brush,
© Creative Director: Adeera Borg
Photographer: Vitalij SidorovicHair Stylist: Vimal Chavda
Makeup Artist: Michelle CourtCo Hair Stylist: Teffany Stoby
Model: Jordan Bolessa
with a very low Flow of 1-7%, I start painting over the
areas that need fixing and smoothing out.
“When I finish with dodging and burning [in this
way], sometimes the colours on the skin need fixing,
which is when the Saturation tool comes in very handy.
This technique allows me to create smooth-looking
skin while still maintaining a natural look.”
- TOP TIPS FOR PERFECT FASHION EDITING
Avoid the plastic look: “Frequency separation is great, but
use it too much and you are in danger of getting that plastic look. A lot of people that I have met think of this as
a quick and easy way to clean up the skin, but at the same time they always go over the top. Stay with the classic
Dodge and Burn tools, which takes a while sometimes, but in the end result the model will still look like a model.”
Develop a style:same tools when editing my pictures. It makes the process “I always have the same sets and even
quicker, as well as [allowing me to] keep the same style and quality throughout the work. If a picture still does not
look right, try adding something else, but make sure it is still within your style. Maintaining the same look will help
you to create a [recognisable] personal style.”
Retouch with care: “Retouching is a powerful tool, and good
retouching can create a completely new look for a picture. I usually have a good look at the photo before any editing.
Even before the photoshoot, I usually know what I want to
Selective Color:next task] for me after dodging and burning. This tool allows “The Selective Color tool is usually [the
me to control the colours in the pictures, either bringing them up or saturating unwanted colours if they are too
© Photographer – Vitalij SidorovicModel – Kristina Lipinskaite
MUA – Make Up Artist ErnestaAssistant – Monika Alijauskaite
© Photographer: Vitalij Sidorovict
Model: Cecelia MorganMake-Up Artist: Anechka Golubova
© Photographer: Vitalij Sidorovic
Models: Olivija Plekaviciute & Lewis
© Photographers: Vitalij Sidorovic & Monika Alijauskaite
Make up and Style: Make Up Artist ErnestaHairstyle: Irmante Petrilionyte
achieve. It is always good to see if you can get something
more out of the photo with editing. Most importantly, do not overdo it; great retouching is when people cannot see
it was retouched.”
much of a distraction. [The same as] with the frequency separation technique, you need to be careful with it and not
overuse it, or your image will look like [it’s been treated] with an Instagram filter.”
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