How I use Frequency Separation for Skin

I love using frequency separation for skin because you can take care of shadows or inconsistent skin tones without over smoothing or over processing. No one wants plastic skin!! This technique separates the color from the texture, allowing you to adjust the tones, and imperfections.  For my example I am using a picture of my nephew.  And while his sweet little baby skin is PERFECT, he does have a little stork bite right in the middle of his forehead, and some tiny tiny bumps.  Using frequency separation is the perfect tool for taking care of this.

Here is my image before:

And here is the final image:

After making my normal adjustments I start by making 2 virtual copies of my image using ctrl+j. I rename one layer high and one layer low.  Put them in a group folder. I then use a Gaussian blur over the lower layer and set the radius around 8. This may vary.  

For my top layer I use  Image>apply Image. Then set the layer to Low, and the channel to RGB. Set the blending to Subtract, and the scale to 2, and the offset to 128. Set this layer to linear light.

For the next part I like to turn off the high layer and look for red patches or inconsistent colors.  I then use the patch tool (the shortcut is j).  I then go around all the places I see inconsistencies and correct them with the patch tool.

I then turn the high layer back on and use the patch tool on it to correct any tiny bumps, or rough skin.

And there you have it! Here is the before:

And the after:

It is subtle adjustments like this that can make a big difference.  Frequency separation works well for acne, undereye circles, birthmarks, weird shadows, basically all skin issues!! Phlearn has an excellent Photoshop action for frequency separation you can purchase here.

Here’s just a few more from this adorable session.

 Thanks for reading!!

What to photograph (other than your children)

So many children, including my own, get tired of participating in pictures.  I always want to practice on my own kids, but I know they get tired of having a camera in their face.  I’ll admit this has been a struggle for me.  My kids are great sports!  Not to mention they will not object to a chocolate bribe now and then! But lately I have been wondering what I can photograph besides portraits.  I love portraiture. It is so fun, but sometimes I just want some creative alone time.  So, here are some ideas that I go to for pictures other than children.

Flowers:

Setting up a still life is an excellent idea.  Perhaps just walking around your yard will give you some inspiration.  I love flowers, and I have a decent flower garden in my own back yard.  So sometimes, I just like to walk around there and see if I can find bugs or butterflies, or interesting flowers.  Then I try to compose a shot in the best way I can imagine.  Sometimes still life is so much easier than a fast-moving child.  It is also a great way to learn how to free lens!  

Cars:

I have an automotive background, so I love to photograph cars! I know, it’s kind of a weird background for an artsy girl.  But combining my love of cars and art is so fun for me. Once again, it is so much easier than trying to get a genuine reaction from a child! There are so many possibilities with cars from light painting to panning! Cars are a great way to experiment.  If you have a fisheye lens this might be a good time to use it!

Landscapes:

Landscapes aren’t something that I am used to doing.  Maybe that’s because I’m in Indiana and it’s pretty flat around here! Ha! However, I think that no matter where you live you can make a beautiful landscape picture.  Sometimes it’s just a matter of beautiful light! I find what helps me with landscapes are layering and making sure that you have a subject.  Whether it’s beautiful light through a tree, or a mountain or a barn. 

Details:

Sometimes it’s best to just give your children something to do or play and then capture all those little details.  Think of your composition and light. Hands and feet tell part of the story! Dirty bare feet, hands full of frogs or mud.  There are many possibilities!

Hope you enjoy these ideas! Thanks for reading!

How to Add Fireflies to A Photo

Fireflies, lightning bugs, bioluminescent creatures of the night, (whatever you call them): they are fascinating creatures to catch and watch. Not to mention it is a staple of childhood! I remember staying up late and catching them as a child, and I love to watch my kids as they chase them all over the yard.  We used a pickle jar, and punched holes in the top of the lid.  It is easiest to catch them when they land on the ground!  They are hard to see, which is also part of the fun of catching them.  If you live in the Midwest, this is a MUST!  

However, in pictures they just don’t show up so well.  Not to mention it is not that easy to snap a shot when they are all lighting up.  In order to make that picture as magical as it is for your child you will need an overlay! That is how I have created these pictures. I used an overlay in photoshop and set the layer to SCREEN.

Then I hit ctrl/j to duplicate the layer as much as I want.  I use the shortcut ctrl/t to transform and adjust the size. Then I place them in varying areas and sizes to add depth and atmosphere. The closer they are to your camera the bigger and blurrier you will need to make them.  I have created my own shortcut in photoshop to add a Gaussian blur.  But you can get there by going to filter>blur> Gaussian blur, and then blur to your taste.  I also lowered the opacity on some to make them blend better.

Remember the rule of odds if you place them close together or in the jar. To read more about the rule of odds, go here. This adds visual interest and helps to move your eyes throughout the picture. 

I have made this overlay available for download for free! I added some noise to the overlay, because chances are if you are out catching lightning bugs it is going to be very low light. I had to increase my ISO to a very high number in order to capture anything and keep my shutter speed reasonable. Make sure to set the overlay to SCREEN. I hope you enjoy it! Please let me know if you do! Please share your pictures with me!  I would love to see what everyone comes up with!

Download the Firefly overlay here.

Thanks for reading!

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