Retouching - LensStartLab

Retouching Basics

Retouching enhances portraits while maintaining natural appearance. The goal is subtle improvement, not perfection.

Frequency Separation: Separate texture from color for natural skin smoothing
Healing Brush: Remove blemishes and spots
Clone Stamp: Duplicate clean skin areas
Dodge & Burn: Enhance facial structure subtly
Gaussian Blur: Use sparingly for selective smoothing

Brighten Eyes: Use curves or levels on eye area

Enhance Iris: Increase saturation and contrast selectively

Remove Red Eye: Use red eye removal tool

Sharpen Eyes: Apply sharpening mask to eyes only

Work on Layers: Always use separate layers for each adjustment

Use Masks: Apply effects selectively, not globally

Zoom In: Work at 100% zoom for precision

Take Breaks: Step back to see overall effect

Keep It Natural: Avoid over-processing