Need help finding a process to make the eyes pop and smooth facial imperfections...

[shadow]

It has been a while since I have done any major portrait retouching and I am trying to find some things which will help me bring the eyes out a little brighter and to soften the blemishes in the skin.

I use photoshop elements.

Thanks.

 

[little big man]

Does Elements have the healing tool/brush?

Sean

 

[JakeEbersole]

Elements 7 works for that.

The only way I know how to fix eyes is if they're blue.

1. Use the "magnetic lasso tool" to select the eyes. (Make sure you click on the "add to selection" button)
2. When you've selected both eyes with the lasso tool create a new adjustment layer and choose hue/saturation.
3. Adjust the brightness and saturation until the eye pops.

To fix blemishes you can use the "healing spot brush" (or spot healing brush). It looks like a little band-aid. All you do is click in the area and it will fix it.

 

[cwilt]

I can tell you but then I would have to kill you. :wink:

Kodak digital gem airbrush for soft skin. Use it on a duplicate layer and then mask in only the skin. Reduce opacity to taste.

shhhhhhhh! Don't tell anyone.

 

[Joe Photo]

Imagenomic portraiture is one of the best plugin applications for skin treatment. However, you can use the healing brush and do some selective dodging and burning and get very good skin results.

As for eyes, check out my tutorial on basic eye touchup.

 

[lossy]

Clone, dodge, burn and healing are the best bets for minor skin touchup.

 

[web52]

Agree with lossy above re: clone, dodge, burn, healing.

Photoshop mama has some tutorials on youtube that might help you some. (photoshop mama aka Shan Canfield, also at photoshopmama.net) She also has some "tasks" tutorials at her website.

 

[Debbi]

Check out the CoffeeTeaPhotography Blog - scroll down past the blank space.

http://coffeeteaphotography.blogspot.com/search/label/PS%2FPSE%20Actions-Retouching

There are several retouching actions, for PSE and CS3/4 and they are free. They are pretty good but you will have to play with the opacity to get the look you want.