> PHOTOSHOP USER>^ MARCH 2017[ 074 ]
Steps 17–20: When sharpening images for women’s
portraits, we may opt to choose a smaller Radius for less
aggressive sharpening than we use for men. We may then
select to have some areas sharper, such as the hair, eyes, and
lips. This is a personal choice. One way to achieve this when
utilizing the High Pass sharpening technique is to use layer
masks on the High layer. We can add a white layer mask
(click on the Add Layer Mask icon [circle in a square] at the
bottom of the Layers panel) and reduce details in areas that
we want less sharpening with a low Opacity, black Brush.
The other option is to invert that layer mask and use a low
Opacity, white Brush to strategically paint on areas that we
want to have more sharpening.
When it comes to basic retouching, keep in mind that it
doesn’t need to be perfect; it needs to look like we made an
honest effort and be believable. While there are definitely dif-
ferent approaches that we take retouching men and women,the basic steps are very similar. When first starting, take the
time to create a high-quality product. With continued prac-
tice, the repetition of the process will get easier over time,
thus speeding up your workflow. Tip: Create actions for
these steps that become essential to your workflow.
Taking the time to retouch your own work can help you
identify areas that you can improve in your photographic
processes. I often hear from photographers that it helps
them be more proactive during the photo session and
reduces the “fix-it-in-post” mentality. Learning to retouch
helps us light our subjects better, as well as improve our
composition and exposure. That awareness often leads
to paying more attention to the quality of the makeup-
application process for women and grooming for men.
This is when we see the value of a professional hair and
makeup artist. Essentially, learning to retouch enables us
to become better photographers. n
Discuss this IssueBefore After