Hi Turtle:
Honestly, I prefer the "before" shot. But I must admit my bias toward naturalistic, available-light photography.
I know that there will be others who can better evaluate how skillfully/competently you applied the various tools in Photoshop. I only offer my impression that the final results of Photoshop, exemplified in your "after" image, feel (to me) glossy, artificial..., even romanticized, if you will. Indeed, if it can be true that the life-worn "edges" of personality can be discerned, traced-out in a close study of our faces and skin, then, for this viewer, you have "rubbed" them away in a digital haze of manipulation.
Regarding photographic portraiture, I suppose that, ultimately, I am an advocate for a more judicious and transparent use of manipulation -- whether digital or analog.
Best,
Z
"We do not see things as they are, we see them as we are." Anais Nin
|