Skin tone adjustment: where?

[bfcoughlin]

When using the skin tone adjustment in PSE 4, on what area should one click? In a photo of a child, for example, the cheeks are rosy, while the forehead is not. There are bright and dark areas. Which is the best to choose for the optimal result?

Bobbie

[MikeH]

Hi Bobbie,

There is a free video tutorial on skin tone adjustment in the Learning Centre:

http://www.photoshopelementsuser.com/learningcenter/elements.php

Mike

[Pauline]

which you probably won't have access to because no one seems to be able to access the subscriber area this morning!

[MikeH]

That video is in the free PSE4 learning area, which is working ok:

http://www.photoshopelementsuser.com/learningcenter/elements.php#videotips

Mike

[bfcoughlin]

Thanks...I watched the video. He seems to click on the forehead, but he wasn't very explicit about it. I'm wondering if people here have used the tool and, if you have, what you experience has been.

[MikeH]

Ok... I have only used this tool a couple of times, I found the results are variable when you have differing tones (e.g. light and dark). Also, the adjustment applies to the whole picture, not just the skin. So if the subject has very differing skin tones (as it sounds as though yours has) where you select to sample will produce very different results for the entire image.

In my experience, it works best where the skin is more or less the same tone and sample an area that doesn't represent an extreme (e.g. a light or dark area. If you want to affect the person only then select the subjec and put them on a separate layer.

Hope this helps..

Mike

[Foxhound]

I've used the skin toner several times over the last week and have found the most practicle way to use it is to make a fairly loose selection around the face and neck. That way it only effects the area selected. I click on different areas to see all the possible color changes before deciding on just one.

Make your selection first and then just play with it. It's a pretty good tool to have around when you need it