Anyone who has photographed a newborn knows how difficult it is to accomplish that smooth, creamy skin we want to see from their photos. Here's a quick before and after and how to that should help you get from red, blotchy and bumpy to smooth, creamy and pretty.
This is my before photo. All I have done to this image is added the watermark. Otherwise it is straight out of the camera (SOOC):
I use several steps to get to my after. The first thing I did was to brighten the photo using curves. Don't overdo the brightness though. My image was slightly underexposed due to my house beng more like a cave.
After my basic brightening, I used the dropper to pick a color off his forehead where there is less red. On a new transparent layer, I use this color to paint at 13% opacity over the redder areas on his cheeks and nose. Then I add a gaussian blur to the layer and reduce the opacity until it looks natural. This step will dramatically reduce your red areas.
The next thing I did was to fine tune my curves. For this image I raised the midtones and added more black.
Then to really give your newborn that dreamy look, go to hue and saturation and lower your reds and yellowws. How much will depend on your individual photo.
To smooth out the blemishes I use a combination of the heal tool and the clone tool, set to 20% opacity.
The last two things I do to my image are an USM and run the image through noiseware. This is the finished image:
And cropped down:
I hope you enjoyed and can use some of the steps in your own photos. Just remember, each image is unique. There is no one-step process for them all. I hope to post more photography how to's once we get settled in TX. I hope you'll look for them!
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Comments: 29
Nice tips!
very cool
I need to try this with the very few baby picks we have of James. If I can't get it to work out will you be willing to help me out?
By the way I am going to feature this in Baby Book I think this is one that a lot could use in the group.
Is the same done on toddlers?
I don't usually do anything extensive on toddler skin. They don't have the same issues newborns do. If the skin is red or blotchy you could use this technique though.
Thanks... I'll have to try it out. :D
Oh, and what Renee said about toddlers?
I love how you cropped it, but the original is so beautiful that I would have been happy with that too!
I'll definitely watch for your how-to's!! Gorgeous photo, I love the cropped. So sweet!
Excellent result and description of your process, Lacey. On my screen we lose a bit of the hair above the forehead on the lightened images, but the overall effect is great!
All three are lovely photos! I'll bet the parents just loved them!
Yes, they did. He's my son. ;)
Thanks for sharing your steps too. I'm always looking to learn.
wonderful techniques~
Thank you for the tips! While the original photo is precious and one I would be completely happy with the edits you did really do give the final image a dreamlike and professional look.
Amazing!
That is some amazing photos. Wow
ooh God... he is sooo beautiful... Blessings always to you and yours...
Fantastic editing, Thanks for the tips!
I have a version of photoshop, but don't know how to use all that stuff..
oh, btw, your son is beautiful!
Thank you! I certainly think so!
Great tips! and what a gorgeous baby!
Thank you, he's mine!
I think all the photos of your son are beautiful! I haven't learned all those techniques yet and they all sound greek to me. The layering, using the dropper or paint brush, those kind of editing I haven't figured out yet, but you did a wonderful job. What editing program are you using? Is it photoshop?
great tips, thank you
awesome.. thanks!
I have a question though - what is USM and what does running the image through noiseware do?
I'm asking because I am still working my way through photoshop and don't know much but have been wondering about other ways to make my photos pop the way I want them to. I would hope photoshop would be all I need but it sounds like you use 2 other programs?