It is widely thought that it is very difficult to retouch portraits and that this process requires certain specific skills. However, I was always curios about technique of group photo retouching as it seams to me much more difficult task. Comparing with portraits, group photos contain more important objects and minor details that influence on general perception of the picture. Obviously, there is no need to make cosmetic retouching to group photos as they will not be seen in any case but the photo will lose its volume.
So what can we do with group photos? By means of Photoshop settings (Levels, Filters, Curves, etc) we can adjust lighting and correct color scale, add sharpness etc. However, the result may not satisfy our expectations when photo has composition or other artifacts. In such cases, we shift the blame on bad quality of the photo and stop trying to make it look better. What to do to turn an average quality photo into something really great and amazing? Of course, we can find some detailed tutorials written by professionals about artful means used to achieve such a result. But I always prefer to do all simply, quickly and effectively. That is why I offer you to follow the next procedure while working with group photos.
As an example, let us take this too dark and blurry group photo. As you see, there are large objects with great differences in contrast and brightness (white dress, almost black roof of the arbor on the background); faces of the people captured on the photo differ in colors and deepness. In a result of standard correction using settings Levels and Curves, we may lose light and shade details, faces will be of different shades and poorly illuminated. In such cases, it is essential to correct image elements separately – of course if you want to make the perfect image :). So, we begin.

1. First, analyze the chosen photo and find the lightest spot. In our case, it is the bride’s dress (Pic.1)



2. Duplicate the layer, change the blending mode to Screen. Adjust opacity values to get the best result. Merge the layers (Cntl+E) (Pic.2)
3. Now, highlight the darker spots of the image – in our case it is faces of people. Duplicate the layer, apply blending mode Screen, and adjust the opacity values. While highlighting faces, we lost dress color intensity (Pic.3). That is why use layer mask to this layer and hide the result by mask inversion (Cntl+I). By means of white brush, draw your faces (Pic.4). Then merge layers.



4. The background seems to be too dark. We need to highlight bushes, trees and the arbor. For that purpose, follow the procedure as described above. (Mode: Screen 50%)
5. So, we lightened the image a little but it still is too blurry. (Pic. 5) Let us correct this. Duplicate the layer, apply blending mode Vivid Light, and fix opacity values at 10%. (For better result, you may also change the blending mode to Soft Light or Overlay with higher Opacity values starting from 30% (depending on the image you retouch).



6. Check the green part of the image (trees, grass, etc). In our case, it looks too dark and clothes can be brighter. So, we should highlight the green and brighten the clothes. On this stage, save your layer at History palette in order to turn back to your previous version if something goes wrong))))). So, on menu bar select Image- Adjustment – Hue/Saturation. Select Yellows and add some saturation, then work with Reds. If you do not like the result you got, turn back to your History palette. (Pic. 6)
7. The faces are still blurry and a bit out of focus, therefore we need to light them up. For that purpose, apply effect of brightened eyes and shining hair. Create two layer copies. Change blending mode of one new layer to Screen. As a result, pupils became lighter and discolored. To the second new layer use the blending mode Overlay/Soft Light or Vivid Light (pupils got shining effect and became more contrast). Select both new layers. Holding Shift, group them (Cntl+G). Selecting the group apply the layer mask and hide the effect (Ctrl+I). With the layer mask selected, use a white brush and paint over the eye pupils, separate strands of hair. Then merge layers.
8. The image is almost ready. However, I noticed that gravels on the path lost its volume. To darken the path a little bit, duplicate the layer, change the blending mode to Multiply (nearly 40%). Apply the layer mask, invert it and paint with soft white brush.

Let me share a little secret with you: if while painting details on layer mask you gradually increase the brush opacity values, your image will not look flat.
Let us take the face as an example: first, with white brush paint the whole area fixing low opacity values. Then moving to the center, increase your opacity values. Outstanding spots (the lightest ones) on the chin, cheeks, forehead, tip of nose draw with maximal opacity values. Analogically, you may add volume to trees, buildings, clothes, etc.

One more thing…
Each detail (faces, clothes, foreground and background) plays an important role in the whole image perception; therefore, you should pay attention to all small and large details of your image. If the group of subjects is irregularly illuminated, you should adjust lighting and faces’ colors, as someone’s red nose can take attention off your main heroes and spoil general image impression. Sometimes, enhancing saturation and contrast of the background, we may spread attention overall the photo, distract attention from indistinct faces, while effect of shining eyes and hair will make photo look more impressive and cover some technical artifacts (blurring or noise)

Group Photo Retouching Samples ( by applying layer mask and changing blending modes).

Written by Brenda Kollins, photo retouching expert from HundredPics studio.

This entry was posted on Thursday, August 7th, 2008 at 12:35 am and is filed under Designer's tricks. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.