Skin: The Complete Guide to Digitally Lighting, Photographing, and Retouching Faces and Bodies, written by Lee Varis, is a highly recommended book for serious students. The author “begins with a discussion of the right hardware and software and how to configure them, then teaches digital color management and lighting techniques as they apply to portraiture.
He also provides in-depth chapters on retouching and special effects, including such techniques as skin smoothing, beauty retouching, screen diffusion, and depth of field effects.” He covers a range of skin: women and men, young and old, various tones, in-studio and outdoors, tattoos. The 432 pages are step-by-step illustrated. This is indeed a complete guide and also includes a CD (advanced Photoshop users will also find something provocative in this book).
One thing you should know is that Lee tells us not to alliterate reality too much, but just some needed adjustments such as retouching eyes, scars, dark spots. And another thing: it does not just cover the retouching, but also color, lighting, and printing, makeing sure that your final portrait will result in a magnificent print on the wall. I warmly recommend everyone photographer to have this book, no matter if he shoots on film or digital.
[tags]Skin: The Complete Guide to Digitally Lighting, Photographing, and Retouching Faces and Bodies, skin, lee varis, retouching skin, photoshop book[/tags]
