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RETOUCHING EXPLAINED - A NO-NONSENSE GUIDE TO PERFECTING FASHION, BEAUTY & PORTRAIT IMAGERY
DIGITAL RETOUCHING FOR FASHION, BEAUTY & PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY In Photoshop CS3 Eureka Imaging Publications As photo-retouching has gradually become the norm, glossy magazines have dramatically raised the bar for visual perfection to a flawless zenith that has influenced all areas of photography. Photographers today are expected to produce the same kind of flawlessness – but although there’s an abundance of tutorials for the consumer market there has been a distinct lack of guidance for the professional photographer-retoucher. Take a look at Gry Garness’s ‘DIGITAL RETOUCHING FOR FASHION, BEAUTY & PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY. This 190 page e-book on retouching and post-production explains and de-mystifies the essential techniques within retouching and colour adjustment. It’s presented as a series of straightforward ’recipes’ that provide solutions to specific ‘cosmetic’ problems, with sections that focus specifically on colour, skin, facial features, hair, figure, fashion and finishing, as well as a chapter dedicated to efficient retouching. The book is refreshingly free from jargon and Photoshop jokes. It’s a working tool for all photographic professionals; including portrait and beauty photographers, digital operators, retouchers as well as graphic designers; in fact anyone wanting to transform ‘good’ people shots into stunning, high-quality images.
In this book you won’t find any help on transforming grannies into supermodels; it guides the reader towards producing images that stand up to close scrutiny and large output sizes – the overall message being ‘keep it natural’. Although there are plenty of tricks, the emphasis is focused on developing good technique and skills. The e-book is well designed, easy to follow and refreshingly logical; it lets the images and tutorials do the talking. The PDF format serves as the perfect medium, with quick links to subject references, and tools for zooming in to examine the images in detail – saving a few trees in the process. The majority of images in the book have been published, as fashion editorial, high-end magazine covers, advertising campaigns and CD-covers.
The book can be read and used almost like a cookbook; there’s a mix of in-depth retouching concepts and step-by-step tutorials. The tutorials are advanced, but structured to be as straightforward as possible, acting as a source of inspiration as well as knowledge. The book’s 85 tutorials consist of well-proven techniques that Garness has used and refined over the last few years, and the ‘recipes’ have been tested on various photographers and retouchers. Based on Gry’s vast experience as a Photoshop trainer, the tutorials are suitable for all levels. Although it’s by no means a beginners’ book, there’s enough detail for inexperienced Photoshop users, while at the same time a fast-track way of skimming the text for more advanced users. The general emphasis is on making light work of the retouching, by working in a smart and bold way – while still keeping it subtle, realistic and editable! ---
DIGITAL RETOUCHING FOR FASHION, BEAUTY & PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY IN PHOTOSHOP CS3 Eureka Imaging Publications
Gry Garness says: ‘These days, many magazine covers are starting to look more like paintings or photographic illustrations, rather than photographic images. Of course there’s a place for photo-illustration and airbrushed painterly images – but much of the heavy-handed retouching in evidence around us is unintentional and simply caused by lack of skill. Over-retouching is the biggest mistake I see when I teach beauty retouching courses. Many people underestimate the amount of skill that goes into retouching – not to mention the patience that goes into it. Many people come to me wanting to learn the ‘one killer trick’ but I have to say I’m sorry – there just isn’t one single killer trick that fixes everything! I believe in gaining a wide repertoire of skills and solutions. It’s the many small and subtle steps that come together to culminate in a successful retouching result. My book is not about producing one particular retouching aesthetic. It’s about finding solutions that suit each particular subject, without leaving obvious evidence of retouching.’
See a preview of the Beauty retouching book View readers' comments on all Gry Garness books Various magazine features on Gry Previous published WDC Photoshop tutorials by Gry
To obtain review copies of any of the e-books, please email us with your request. You may also request a limited 20-page preview of the Retouching book. See the Contact page for details.
Editor’s notes: Gry Garness’s background for producing this book couldn’t be more suitable; she worked as a hair & makeup artist for several years while at the same time moonlighting as a radio and TV presenter, followed by a successful career in fashion, music and advertising photography. In the last six years she has dedicated herself entirely to retouching and Photoshop training on a high level and has been a tutorial contributor to What Digital Camera and Advanced Photoshop Magazine. The readers get more than just technical know-how from this book; they get to share the benefit of her unique insight into the aesthetics of both beauty and photography. Garness today works mainly as a retoucher and Photoshop trainer, finding time to write in-between projects. She retouches for other photographers - mostly portraits, beauty and music photography, but also some interiors and creative montage. She has trained clients ranging from large broadcasting companies, publishing houses, design agencies, fashion buisnesses, holiday companies, photo-labs, magazines and newspapers, as well as a whole host of photographers, digital operators and retouchers.
Gry ©John Sanders 2008 The Digital Retouching book sits comfortably alongside two Photoshop colour books by Gry Garness, also on Eureka Imaging Publications. These are: Essential Color Management This 50-page e-book has evolved from a Photoshop course handout to a comprehensive resource, full of practical advice, for all of those who can't take the mind-numbing science of color management. It's worded as down-to-earth as possible without dummifying the content. It's aimed at professional image-makers who need to deliver high-standard images for reproduction, and be confident that their workflow follows good industry practice. It reveals what lies behind the industry jargon, and clarifies the different colour specifications and definitions. Essential Color Optimization This 110-page e-book explains all the things a photographer needs to know about the core Photoshop color commands and the tools we use to define and measure color. The tutorials are based on the most typical and common challenges we face when adjusting color – using editable adjustment layers and Raw processing superior quality and full editability. In the tutorials the most essential content is highlighted in bold italic, so you can choose whether to skim them or follow in-depth. |
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