Well if you can't get a brutal critique here, where can you get it? Post some up and let us have a look! Lea ----- Original Message ----- From: "Gregory Fraser" <Gregory.Fraser@pwgsc.gc.ca> To: "List for Photo/Imaging Educators - Professionals - Students" <photoforum@listserver.isc.rit.edu> Sent: Tuesday, September 30, 2003 1:35 PM Subject: RE: First portrait session > > > Jeff typed: > > > > Sorry to hear about your experience with the dog. I had the > > same thing > > happen in a studio once, but it wasn't a dog, it was Robert Earnest. > > Hey, who hasn't been bitten by Bobert at some point in their lives? > > > Here's a simple way to soften portraits: > > > > 1) Duplicate the background layer, then apply a blur over the entire > > photo. The amount of blur depends on the size (pixel-wise) > > of the image, > > but 4-5 is probably a good starting point. > > > > 2) Move the layer opacity to 50%. > > > > 3) Use the eraser tool with a soft brush to erase the layer > > where you want > > fine details, like the eyes, lips and teeth. Don't do it to > > the nostrils! > > > > 4) If you want to unsoften anything else (like the > > background), make the > > brush a lot bigger and brush off all the other stuff. > > Thanks to your advice and the same advice from potty-mouthed Karl, I'm actually starting to be glad I did this portrait gig. It's a very simple and effective technique. I may even do what Lea asked and post some of the images. I would really, really like some brutal critique. > > Greg > > >
