Portrait photography is considered a very complex genre for a reason. Not only do you need to capture your subject’s face beautifully, but you also need to do the perfect post-processing. So how do you do that, especially if you’re a beginner? Don’t panic! We’re here to help you.
Today we’re going to share with you the secrets of face, eye, and skin editing in the most popular apps. Be sure to use them to make your pictures unforgettable!
Portrait Retouching in Luminar Neo
Luminar Neo is a great app that is just right for enhancing portraits. You can use tools such as:
- Portrait Bokeh AI. If you want to emphasize your subject by blurring the background behind it, this is a great way to do it. The AI is able to recognize people in the foreground, put their images in a mask, and blur everything behind them.
- Face AI. The advantage of this tool is that it recognizes faces shot both in full face and in profile. With Face AI, you can make your face lighter and slimmer so that it looks just perfect. You can also easily change the color of your eyes or make them deeper, make your eyes bigger, remove dark circles, and enhance the color of your lips.
- Skin AI. Skin retouching has never been easier. Quickly and easily remove imperfections, remove overexposed areas of skin, and areas that are heavily shiny.
- High Key Tool. This technique produces bright, high-contrast images and is often used in fashion and beauty photography.
A very common mistake when editing skin is over-editing. As a consequence, the skin starts to resemble plastic and looks unnatural. With Luminar Neo you can forget about this problem because the AI tools do everything in such a way that no one will even know that you’ve done post-processing.
Portrait Retouching in Photoshop
Photoshop isn’t called the king of post-processing software for nothing. It does provide an impressive number of tools for professional editing. However, there is one nuance: it is much better suited for professionals than for beginners. If you already know how to use this software or are ready to learn, here are some tools to help you make perfect portraits:
- Spot Healing. One of the best tools in this photo editor for skin enhancement. Moreover, it is a basic tool that you must know how to use to create good portraits. In the realm of model photography, this remarkable tool proves invaluable for effortlessly eliminating blemishes from both the face and body.
- Frequency Separation. In situations where the skin of the model appears excessively sharp or blurred, this essential tool proves invaluable in restoring its natural appearance. By utilizing this tool, editors can effectively address these issues while preserving the model’s skin tone and overall condition in the image.
- Dodge and Burn. Although some users underestimate the importance of this tool, we will not do so. It is an essential technique in portrait retouching using Photoshop. It involves manipulating light and darkness within an image to achieve a more balanced skin tone. Dodging allows you to brighten specific areas of the photo while burning darkens them.
Portrait Retouching in Lightroom
Lightroom is also a stunning app that makes portraits so much better. Its interface is simpler than Photoshop, but it is not AI-based, unlike Luminar Neo. If you choose this software, try tools like this:
- Spot Removal. Allows you to remove bumps on the skin. The principle is simple: you select an area in the picture that you want to correct, and the tool automatically finds something to replace it with. You can adjust the size of the brush depending on which area you want to change.
- Red Out. Allows you to remove the redness of the skin. Simply choose a brush and paint over the area you want.
- Enhance. Using this panel, you can bring your portrait to perfection. Enlarge your eyes, change their color, smooth your skin, and whiten your teeth. Moreover, you can add or remove shadows with it.
Tip: Don’t forget to use presets. There are a lot of them in Lightroom, so you’re sure to find what you need.
Closing Thoughts
Editing portraits is both challenging and interesting. It’s worth taking some time to learn the basics, but you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the results. Practice and you’re sure to succeed!
