How Can I Remove ...Wrinkles ...Using Photoshop(cc)

How Can   I Remove ...Wrinkles ...Using Photoshop(cc)

Sometimes, skin needs an overall touch-up. It could be in addition to the other two techniques we’ve looked at or in place of frequency separation. , named after the retoucher who invented it, is particularly effective for quick, overall smoothing that retains skin texture. Like frequency separation,  is very technical to set up, but the reward is worth the effort.

I like to use this technique for smoothing out poorly applied foundation makeup, evening out skin tone, or correcting skin with large pores or patches of small breakouts. The byRo Method is also ideal when the subject has beautiful skin, hasn’t worn makeup, and needs just that tiny bit of evening out. Consider this technique, too, when the camera lens is so sharp and clear as to be cruel. (My favourite portrait lens, for example, is a 100mm macro lens, but it is so sharp and clear that I usually have to adjust for it in post-processing.) I also use  in combination with a bit of brightening with Levels to lift the tired look people tend to have when they skip too many vacations or have suffered an illness.

The Retouching  is good for dealing with noticeable blemishes, blotchy skin, or red patches. Blemishes are better handled with a touch-up layer, and red patches respond well to frequency separation. For blotchy skin, check out the Tuts+ tutorial, Minimizing Red Blotches on the Skin in Post-Production.

Step 1

To get started with the byRo Method, create a new Stamped Layer as you did for Frequency Separation. Duplicate that layer.

Step 2

Select the duplicated layer, and in the Filter menu, choose Blur > Gaussian Blur. You will not be applying this blur; you are using this step to determine the settings you will need further on. Adjust the radius in the Gaussian Blur dialogue box until the skin smooths out and any variation in skin tone goes away. Note the radius you selected and then Cancel the dialogue to finish without applying the blur.

Step 3

Return to the Filter menu, and choose Other > High Pass. In the High Pass dialogue box, enter the radius you selected when testing the Gaussian Blur in step 2. Apply the High Pass filter.

Step 4

Still working on the same layer, go back to the Filter menu again to apply a Gaussian Blur to the High Pass layer. This time, your radius will be about one-third of whatever radius you used for the High Pass filter. For example, if your setting for the High Pass filter was a radius of 9 pixels, use a radius of 3 pixels for the Gaussian Blur.

Step 5

Next, invert the High Pass layer. (Under the Image menu, select Adjustments > Invert.) Change the layer blending mode to Linear Light. Lower the opacity of the layer to 40 to 50%.

Step 6

Mask out the whole layer (Option or Alt + Add a Mask from the Layers palette) and select a small to medium, soft brush. Set the brush opacity to 50% and the colour to white, and begin to paint in skin that needs smoothing. Do not paint in areas with details, such as eyes, nose, hair, and lips. Also, do not paint in around the edge of the face.

Step 7

Continue painting in the mask until you’ve achieved the desired amount of softening where you want it. You can lower the effect by changing the opacity of the brush as you paint in different areas of the face, or by lowering the opacity of the whole layer. If you’ve smoothed an area of skin more than you intended, switch your brush to black and paint the correction back out.

In this portrait, the model had large areas of small blemishes. Otherwise, her skin needed little touch-up, so I used just the Touch-Up Layer and the byRo Method. I didn’t bother with Frequency Separation.

Final Touches

Regardless of the touch-up techniques you use to achieve beautiful skin, consider these two final steps to finish your work.

Hue Adjustment

Digital photography seems to emphasize reds in skin tone and over-saturate all colours. We’ve grown accustomed to the look of digital photographs, but the reds and over-saturation will ruin a fine portrait with corrected skin. To adjust this, apply a Hue Adjustment layer.

Select Reds and nudge the Hue to the right just until you see the red tones settle down (usually about +1 to +3).

Select Yellows and nudge the Saturation down until the skin tone looks more natural (usually between -5 and -10).

Select Master (all colours) and lower the Saturation down a tiny bit, watching just for that over saturated look to ease a bit (usually between -1 and -7).

Adjusting skin colour by eye takes practice, especially if you are working on a skin tone or colour unfamiliar to you. The Hue Adjustment layer can be revisited and tweaked, so don’t be afraid to play with settings until you are able to get skin that looks natural and healthy…