Portrait Skin Softening

Different programs will call it by different names, but the need and the results are all similar.

We tend to look for sharpness in our cameras and lenses, but sometimes sharpness can work against our intended end result.

People don't often want to see themselves or others in a tack sharp photograph. We would rather see a  pleasant smoothness. And that is a form of realism. It's the reality of how we perceive ourselves and others we admire.

Look at two photos. Both have been image processed. The RAW files (not shown) captured everything and then some. This first image is after processing to adjust exposure, contrast, color, and sharpness.

Processed

It's a good likeness. But, we can make our subject happier if we retouch it a bit more, this time specifically targeting skin softening. We could either do it step by step or we could use one of the new, super powerful, portrait specific programs. Either way, we get a result that, while not being exactly what our eye would capture, but rather what our mind sees when look at our pleasant loved ones, is actually the more "realistic" portrait.

I feel that the this final, specifically skin softened image is the better image, even tho we have sacrificed sharpness. Have a look for yourself:

Softened

Interestingly, this final image is about one fifth the size of the interim image, which I had already processed down from an even bigger file size. The original image file was 21.8mb, the secondary image was saved with compression to about 7.6mb. Final image is under 2mb. Usually, I want the most info possible in my final file, so that any prints are as sharp as they can be. In this type of portrait work, tho, I deliberately save down to a less sharp jpeg as opposed to my usual tiffs.

Hopefully, this discussion can enlighten us  to use our artistic skills to end up with the proper final image file for the needs of our subject type.

Thanks to my lovely wife for being a willing model/Guinea pig for this post.