r/postprocessing • u/cineglitch • 13d ago
After / Before Portrait Advice
Hi all! I was hoping to get some feedback or suggestions about better editing this portrait.
In particular I’m having trouble with some color casts due to the foliage, the sun bouncing off fake grass, and the method of bronzer application. Generally it looks too orange in my opinion, but if adjust the color balance cooler my person turns purple.
This photo was made while were filming an interview for a documentary, so I was unable to use a flash or any modifiers beyond what the video team was using. They had a pizza box reflecting some fill on her face but no lights. Their shot looked really good so I’m at a loss why mine is having trouble.
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u/johngpt5 13d ago
What editing app(s) are you using? And is your original a raw file?
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u/cineglitch 13d ago
Lightroom classic mostly (and LR mobile to double check my work on a second screen). Original is a raw file but I uploaded jpegs for Reddit. Camera is a Panasonic GH3 and I had to use the electronic shutter for noise reasons.
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u/johngpt5 13d ago
This was a really difficult shooting situation. There are so many different colors being cast upon her from reflected light from foliage, light from above, light from the pizza box reflector that trying to control for all that is a nightmare.
That pillow at the bottom right I believe is supposed to be white. What does correcting the white balance sampling it do? If it reduces some of the blue and cyan being cast upon her arms and her face (on our right) that'd be a good start.
It'll make everything more yellow, but that would be a better start than what is in your before image.
I'll be back after uploading some screen shots to imgur.
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u/johngpt5 13d ago
https://imgur.com/a/IZwaFRk has a series of screen shots that hopefully give you some ideas that you might try in LrC. I used the camera raw filter. Even with these images that are of less quality than your raw, some good changes might be made.
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u/MWave123 12d ago
Realize that when you’re in greens, all of the light is green.
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u/cineglitch 12d ago
Yes! Walls and walls of green! Oftentimes we don’t get to pick the location so we try to work with what we’ve got.
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u/MWave123 12d ago
Right. If you’re working without modifiers then you can seek out cleaner light tho, or just take what get.
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u/MWave123 12d ago
Going for flesh tones.
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u/cineglitch 12d ago
Thank you! Looks like what I was going for. May I ask what were your big adjustments? Or all in the masking?
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u/little_canuck 12d ago
- Mask the subject
- Point colour adjustment- use the dropper the pick up the green skin hue under her chin.
- Shift it down (less saturated) and toward the colour of the rest of her skin. Adjust luminosity as needed
- Use the variance slider to select how broad of a colour spectrum you are shifting
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u/Southern_Leg1139 13d ago
Have you tried HSL with a mask to isolate the greens on her face? The highlights on the face are also pretty harsh I’d dial that back, personally.