How can I get same BW skin effect like this retouch of my own picture ?

[Eran]

Hi ,
Someone retouched in the past one of my old images and I always like the look of the skin from that image.
I would like to know how to achieve same look on my other pictures by my own .

He worked on RAW and not SOOR ... I know this image has black clipping which I don't mind for now , All I want it the skin effect ?

Here is the end result retoucher sent me :

Here is my the soor

And this is how it looks when I convert it to BW (before levels)

[Damien Symonds]

Let's take this in steps ...

First, make sure you process this raw file in 16-bit rather than the usual 8-bit. We'll need all that robust data.

Then do your BW conversion again, exactly as you've done.

Then add the overall Levels layer.  You'll probably find that you can bring the white slider in to about 250.  (DON'T bring the black slider in.  Despite what you think, I don't believe there's any black clipping in this edit.)  Then move the middle slider aggressively darker, I suggest to about 0.40.

At this point, you'll begin to recognise some of the characteristics of the other photo.  Not all, but some.  Enough for now.

Then return to the Background layer, duplicate it, then perform all your skin smoothing and blemish removal in the usual way.

Post for me once you've done that.

[Eran]

33 minutes ago, Damien Symonds said:

Let's take this in steps ...

First, make sure you process this raw file in 16-bit rather than the usual 8-bit. We'll need all that robust data.

Then do your BW conversion again, exactly as you've done.

Then add the overall Levels layer.  You'll probably find that you can bring the white slider in to about 250.  (DON'T bring the black slider in.  Despite what you think, I don't believe there's any black clipping in this edit.)  Then move the middle slider aggressively darker, I suggest to about 0.40.

At this point, you'll begin to recognise some of the characteristics of the other photo.  Not all, but some.  Enough for now.

Then return to the Background layer, duplicate it, then perform all your skin smoothing and blemish removal in the usual way.

Post for me once you've done that.

I did all you said but instead of going to 0.4 which was too dark for me , I went 0.5....

 

[Eran]

Also - Why not first do skin retouch and than levels/BW etc... ?

[Damien Symonds]

7 hours ago, Eran said:

Also - Why not first do skin retouch and than levels/BW etc... ?

Because I needed you to be able to see your skin retouches in the context of the aggressive black-and-white edit.  Otherwise you might not have smoothed her enough.

[Damien Symonds]

8 hours ago, Eran said:

I did all you said but instead of going to 0.4 which was too dark for me , I went 0.5....

For now, please follow my lead on this.  I may surprise you and actually know what I'm doing ?

At the end of the process, you might decide that you like 0.5.  But for now, please show me 0.4.

[Eran]

11 minutes ago, Damien Symonds said:

For now, please follow my lead on this.  I may surprise you and actually know what I'm doing ?

At the end of the process, you might decide that you like 0.5.  But for now, please show me 0.4.

Here you go sir :

 

 

[Damien Symonds]

Thank you.

Now, select the Levels layer, and go to Layer>Layer Style>Blending Options.

Are you familiar with the "Blend if" sliders?  I need you to Alt-click on this white slider and drag it in to about halfway:

(You probably already know this, but using Alt breaks that little slider in half, allowing only one section to move).

[Damien Symonds]

Just now, Damien Symonds said:

drag it in to about halfway:

As you can see, I moved mine to 118.  But play around and see what you like.

[Eran]

10 minutes ago, Damien Symonds said:

Thank you.

Now, select the Levels layer, and go to Layer>Layer Style>Blending Options.

Are you familiar with the "Blend if" sliders?  I need you to Alt-click on this white slider and drag it in to about halfway:

(You probably already know this, but using Alt breaks that little slider in half, allowing only one section to move).

Hmm...
The skin retouch was done after the levels , so I need to delete that layer and do skin retouch at the end ?

 

[Eran]

12 minutes ago, Damien Symonds said:

As you can see, I moved mine to 118.  But play around and see what you like.

I moved to 122 (undid skin retouch) .

 

 

[Damien Symonds]

What the heck???????

Show me a screenshot of your layers panel.

[Eran]

1 minute ago, Damien Symonds said:

What the heck???????

Show me a screenshot of your layers panel.

I cloned background as you instructed.
Did non destructive heal

BW conversation

Levels

And skin smoothing I use Plug in called Delicous Retouch...  (destructive) so I do it after the BW conversation 

 

[Damien Symonds]

No, the smoothing must happen BELOW all adjustment layers.  NEVER allow a pixel layer above adjustment layers.

[Eran]

3 minutes ago, Damien Symonds said:

No, the smoothing must happen BELOW all adjustment layers.  NEVER allow a pixel layer above adjustment layers.

Earlier you said first convert to be and than smooth ... Which is why I asked...

 

Ok , will fix it , what next step ?

[Damien Symonds]

No, this is what I said:

9 hours ago, Damien Symonds said:

Then return to the Background layer, duplicate it, then perform all your skin smoothing and blemish removal in the usual way.

 

You must do your skin smoothing on the colour version.

[Eran]

15 minutes ago, Damien Symonds said:

No, this is what I said:

 

You must do your skin smoothing on the colour version.

Done , I used now a more aggressive skin smoother to get something close to the look on the picture.

 

 

[Damien Symonds]

Good.

Finally, to get the right colour tinge, add this Levels layer on top:

• R 0/0.98/255 and 17/244
• G 0/1.00/255 and 14/242
• B 0/1.02/255 and 9/244

[Eran]

4 minutes ago, Damien Symonds said:

Good.

Finally, to get the right colour tinge, add this Levels layer on top:

• R 0/0.98/255 and 17/244
• G 0/1.00/255 and 14/242
• B 0/1.02/255 and 9/244

How did you get the values ? 

 

 

[Damien Symonds]

Just by taking readings from the sample photo you posted.

[Eran]

3 minutes ago, Damien Symonds said:

Just by taking readings from the sample photo you posted.

I need to learn that...
What is next step ? ?

[Damien Symonds]

Next step?

[Eran]

1 minute ago, Damien Symonds said:

Next step?

Looks like his skin is smoother (which I know how to handle) but whites are stronger (like stronger highlights)

[Damien Symonds]

That's ok, just bring in the white slider on the RGB channel on that final levels layer I just gave you.

[Damien Symonds]

That kind of stuff is minor details.

I just wanted to reiterate that the heart of this look is the aggressive midtone darkening layer, with the "Blend if" sliders being used to take it off the bright end.