Camera Labs

Sorry if this question is stupid, but it's getting time for me to poop or get off the pot as far as editing software goes.

I'm pretty new, only had my Nikon D90 ( first slr ) since Christmas. I've been trying hard, have the basics of exposure pretty well down, am learning composition etc...
But, as far as postprocessing all I do is use Nikon Capture Nx2 to edit my raw files for some color points, exposure comp and white balance if needed, then I actually use Picasa for cropping because I tend to like some of their auto crops.
But I think I would like to learn how to make people's faces look better in portraiture. I have a feeling that would help make my photography popular with the people I know. I mean what person ( woman especially ) wouldn't want someone to take her pic and make her look great in it right ?

But I've not ever really grasped the whole photoshop layers thing. So my questions are really along the lines of:

1) Is there a good software that specializes in touching up portraits ?
or am I just talkign about photoshop to do it along with the tons of other things it can do.
I think I don't want to spend a lot of $$, as I've been breaking the budget lately anyway, so for Adobe, that would probably mean just ps elements. Is that enough to do what I want ? Or is there another software in the same price range that may be easier ?

2) Assuming you guys advise me to buy photoshop elements, what is really the easiest / quickest way to learn enough to be productive at portraiture ? Free tutorials ? which ones ? or do I have to bite the bullet and buy books or take courses ? ( Lord knows I'm busy enough with composition books, etc... ).

Anyway, sorry for being so long winded, I wanted to try and convey enough that the wise ones will be able to advise me correctly.

Thank you,
floyd

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Peace,
Floyd

One new software application I know of is Portrait Professional. I have never used it but it is available for a free trial from their website PortraitProfesional.com
The standard version is advertised for £40 in the UK so it will not break the bank and it is probably cheaper in the States or elsewhere. We do get ripped off in this country for photographic gear and software. Also Elements has a few useful tools for portraiture such as the healing brush which is better than cloning as it smoothes out blemishes duplicating adjacent pixels. Cloning from another part of the face sometimes ends up with a worse result than the original, being patchy and obvious. It does when I use it anyway!

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Nikon D300 D80 D40 18-55mm 18-70mm 18-135mm 55-200mm 18-200mm 28mm 2.8f 50mm 1.8f 85mm 1.8f
Panasonic DMCFZ28 Slik Pro 700DX

I know a little about a lot, a lot about little and everything about nothing.

I'd spend a bit more time with the camera and make it work for you.
I think more women would be offended if I said -
"I took your pic and then I made you look better with the computer."

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Pentax K-5
Pentax 18-55mm,Pentax 50-200mm,Sigma 17-70mm,Sigma 70-300mm, Sigma 50-500mm

thank for the good advice Dave. I'll check that out.

lol kpr. are you telling me I can learn to make blemishes, wrinkles, agespots, eyebags etc.. go away by getting better with the camera ?
that would be my kind of camera, where can I get one ?

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Peace,
Floyd

I bet alot of us would like that model...lol

"blemishes, wrinkles, agespots, eyebags etc"

They exist, it's just the way it is.
I know what you're sayin, portraits aren't my forte.
I've got a couple free downloads each does one thing or another, love to find one I could cut the occasional twig or branch out with(other than a chainsaw) but alas,
I've never had a bird or deer complain about it yet.

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Pentax K-5
Pentax 18-55mm,Pentax 50-200mm,Sigma 17-70mm,Sigma 70-300mm, Sigma 50-500mm

i agree with kpr leave all of that software alone for now and get yourself a nice fast 50mm lens a 50mm f 1.8 should only cost 150 bucks and you are good to go

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Nikon D700+Nikon D-80 + Nikon SB 900 Flashgun+Lumiquest Ultrasoft softbox + Nikon 50mm F 1.8 + Tamron 28-75mm F 2.8 + Sigma 12-24mm F 4.5-5.6 + Sigma 70-200mm F 2.8 + Sigma 150-500 F 5-6.3 Manfrotto 190XPROB tripod+Manfrotto 3265 Joystick Head+Gorillapod SLR-Zoom+Crumpler 7 million dollar home bag+ Crumpler Karachi Outpost Backpack
http://www.kristymacleodphotography.com/

Go download Adobe Lightroom. Your never regret it

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Canon EOS 5DmkII + BG-E6 + Canon EOS 40D + BG-E2N + Canon EOS 33
Canon 17-40 F/4L USM + Canon 24-70 F/2.8L USM + Canon 28mm F/1.8 USM + Canon 70-200 F/2.8L USM IS + Canon 85mm F/1.8 USM
Canon Speedlite 580EX II + Canon Speedlite 540EZ + 2 x Nikon SB-80DX
Cactus V2s Wireless Trigger - 5 x Cactus V2s Wireless Reciever

MY FLICKR!

I've heard good things about lightroom. It's good at organizing, workflow, and light processing I think. Does it work like the other ps software with layers ?

thanks.

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Peace,
Floyd

Lightroom is not a replacement for Photoshop. It's lacking many of Photoshop's editing tools. Adobe designed it to work seamlessly with Photoshop as an advanced raw image processing tool. Then convert and pass them to Photoshop for final editing.

Lightroom is an organizational tool with a bit of editing tacked on. It's not a substitute but it has it's own niche.

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I second that!
If you're beginning with post processing, LR will give you GREAT results with very little work. There are MANY MANY tutorials on Youtube that will help you getting started too!

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Canon 40D and lots of lenses.
my Flickr

+1 on Lightroom

About taking flattering model pictures:
Make sure the light is properly diffused, not just one hard light. Those cast shadows and make wrinkles more apparent.
Also try to zoom in to your model, shooting with a wide-angle focal range won't make your model look good

Last but not least, try lowering the clarity just a bit when postprocessing, this will smooth out the image in a non-intrusive way. makes the skin look softer.

^Just some things I've picked up from the internet, and a tiny bit of experience

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I take pictures so quickly, my highschool was "Continuous High".