Piano Portraiture

[jerryph]

My niece entered her 15th piano competition and won 1st place now for the 15th time. Since she did so well I went and bought her a hand painted oil painting. Of course she wanted to show all her friends, I was more than happy to take her portrait with her piano and piano painting.

Now, the problem... she is at the age where acne and what not is a concern for her, and she had a couple of breakouts on her cheek and forehead. She asked me if there was something I could do, and so I tried.

Here are the results:

Please pardon the larger size, I left it larger so more details can be seen.

C&C as hard or soft as you feel appropriate, please. :)

Thanks!

[dkippen]

Jerry - Congratulations on your niece's wonderful talent. She is very lucky to have an uncle like you!

I'm no expert, but I think you did a fantastic job on touch-up. Her skin looks very smooth and not "teenage"

[LensBaby]

I think you did a great job. It looks very natural and smooth. She doesn't look like plastic how some of the photos that are retouched look.

[coffee]

Wonderful lighting Jerry!

[colelover178]

I noticed that if you look close their is a break in the shadow like when you were retouching you went down a tab bit too far. but i dont know much about retouching or if the shadow is supposed to be like that but it kinda threw me off. I dont like the composition either she isnt as much in the picture as she should be but i understand how you were trying to get the piano and the painting in the picture also so it works for what you were going for. just my input and i dont know much lol. just opinions is all.

[jerryph]

Thanks for the CC colelover, but can you explain what you meant in a little more detail about the shadow? I did not touch those at all, they are just like you would see them in real life. All I did on this picture was light it a very specific way and compose it in a manner that:

- lets us see the oil painting
- lets us see the piano she practices on
- lets us see my niece... but with all facial "blemishes" removed.

The 3 components had to share near equal billing in this picture for her needs, with slight emphasis on her, of course (lol).

For the blemishes, I used a combination of the healing brush, selective noise reduction and a very subtle face softening technique, all three ONLY on the face where needed.

I appreciate the input. :D

[colelover178]

on her face on the right side at the bottom of her cheek/chin there is a small shadow and it isnt straight it has a little bit of a curve to it now like i said i dont know if it was like that when you took the photo or not. i used a facial blemishes removing thing once (i dont have ps just something cheap so im sure yours is better) but if i went into a spot it shouldnt have been you see it and thats what i was thinking it couldve been but i am sure you did it right. it does look nice and she is a pretty girl you should get some pics of her playing the piano and in thought i am picturing it and it would look nice i think. but again just opinions, dont take anything bad. you are a good photographer. better than me lol

[jerryph]

lol... I see what you mean now, thanks. Yes that is the curve of her chin, and perhaps had I asked her to turn her head an inch to my right or had the light 2 inches to the right, it would have lessened or disappeared. I could cheat and PS that out, but I kinda like that shape... even if it is a little harsher than it should be.

Nice catch, thank-you, I do appreciate it!