{"id":12340,"date":"2012-12-24T23:38:52","date_gmt":"2012-12-25T03:38:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/neilvn.com\/tangents\/?p=12340"},"modified":"2025-02-15T00:17:53","modified_gmt":"2025-02-15T04:17:53","slug":"bounce-flash-portrait-post-processing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/neilvn.com\/tangents\/bounce-flash-portrait-post-processing\/","title":{"rendered":"Bounce flash portrait & post-processing"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Ulorin<\/p>\n

Bounce flash portrait & Photoshop retouching technique<\/h1>\n

When we were done with the studio shoot with Ulorin Vex<\/a>, we still had a few minutes left, so I thought I could do a bounce flash portrait<\/a> as well. Just for a comparison of sorts to show that on-camera bounce flash can give interesting results too. Here is the low-key portraits we did with the Profoto set-up<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The only semi-interesting background I could find in the studio (that wasn’t a white wall), was this grungy green door to one of the store-rooms. I thought it might work as a gritty urban setting. I shot about eight frames in the tight corner, but didn’t like what I saw on the back of my camera, so called it a day. We were done.<\/p>\n

Looking through the images again today, cleaning up my hard drives, I hovered over the first image I took and thought it might hold some promise still if I worked it a little bit in Photoshop. Here is where I started …<\/p>\n


\n\"\"<\/p>\n

The image on the left is the out-of-camera image. The White Balance was way off, but that wouldn’t be a problem in adjusting\u00a0the RAW file<\/a>. The middle version then is the out-of-the-RAW-converter JPG.<\/p>\n

I knew I wanted a glossy look to this, so I adjusted my usual post-processing for portraits<\/a> a little bit.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

1.)<\/strong> The first step would be retouching for skin blemishes and marks on the door frame that I didn’t want. I mostly use the Healing Brush for this.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

2.) <\/strong>I used to use a plug-in called Shine-Off<\/strong> to remove or reduce shiny skin or hot spots on the skin. That plug-in appears to be no more.<\/p>\n

Instead now, I use this easy Photoshop method. Even better, is that this method allows you a lot more control and nuanced flexibility than the plug-in did.<\/p>\n