Notes

Retouch Your Skin Using Frequency Separation in Photoshop


Frequency separation has been a trusted retouching course of for many years. Showing you the easiest way to use this method for flawless portraits.

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Photoshop is used for pores and skin retouching. You are in luck if this can be a technique you've at all times needed to grasp and use in your pictures. We'll present the method to set the layers up in Photoshop so as to carry out frequency separation. Let's get began.

What is Frequency Separtion?

Frequency separation, also referred to as frequency separation, is a retouching course of that separates a picture in two layers - low and 'excessive' frequencies. Low frequency represents the colours, whereas high frequency represents primarily the texture details.

When you're employed with frequency separation, every layer is treated independently. This permits for a extra targeted editing, which is best at eradicating skin discolorations, blemishes or bags underneath the eyes.

Professional retouchers as soon as used the frequency separation method, however have since largely abandoned it in favor of newer strategies. However, many photographers continue to use frequency separation as it's an easy and quick approach to retouch a pores and skin image with out having to rely upon third-party plug-ins or professional retouchers.

8-Bit vs. 16-Bit Frequency Separation
For 8-bit and 16-bit photographs, two separate setups are commonly used for frequency separation. The most common way to determine on the right one is by looking at your image. Most DSLRs and phones have an 8-bit standard mode. Many superior systems, nonetheless, have 14 or 16 bit options.


If you examine the image tab on the top of Photoshop, it will present the file name. In the title you will notice RGB/8 for eight bit or RGB/16 sixteen bit. You'll need 16-bit frequency separation in case your image is 14-bit or larger.

Over the years, a couple of Photoshop fanatics have observed that they had been unable to tell the distinction between one method and the other when evaluating side-byside images. So, in this tutorial we are going to cowl both methods.

Step 1: How To Setup Frequency Separation
There are totally different versions of this setup. We have chosen to make use of the only method of separation of frequencies that can be achieved with the least number of layers.

We're going show you two separate background copies representing low and the excessive frequencies. Each layer might be titled accordingly. The low frequency will have a blur applied, while the high frequency makes use of an Image Rendering.


Even although it is a easy setup, you can automate it by creating an motion in Photoshop. Finally, grouping these layers will help us organize them and permit for extra modifying to be carried out if required.

Download the Pexels pattern picture when you wish to comply with our example.

Two copies of the background could be made by urgent Ctrl+J two instances.
Step 1 Ctrl+J twice
Double click on the first model and rename it to "Low-Frequency".
Step 2 Low frequency
Double-click "High frequency" on the copy you simply created.
Step 3 High-Frequency
Unfold the field containing the High Frequency layers.
Step 4 Remove the High Frequency checkbox
Select Low Frequency. Gaussian blur is out there in Filter > Blur.
Step 5 Gaussian Blur
Radius is set at a pixel value that fits the image. This will differ. However, you need to regulate it to the point where texture details are starting to fade. For this image, we chose 8. Then, click OK.
Step 6: Change Radius of eight
Click on the High-Frequency Layer and select it.
Step 7 Select High-Frequency
Image > Image Apply.
Step eight Apply Image

Here's how you can change the settings in 8-bit image files. Change the dimensions to 2, the offset to 128 and the blend to subtraction in the Apply Image option.
For 16-bit picture, set the Layer to Low. https://pps.innovatureinc.com/what-is-frequency-separation/ Check the Invert choice, set the Blending Add to the scale of 2, and change the Layer to low. Leave Offset as 0.
Step 9 Apply Image Setting
Linear Light Blending Mode:
Step 10 Blend mode Light Linear
Click on High Frequency and Shift+click Low Frequency to select both.
Click Ctrl+G to group the layers.
Name the group FS for frequency Separation.
Step thirteen Name layer FS

PortraitPro transforms your portraits.

Step 2 Edit the High-Frequency Layer
Now that the Photoshop frequency separation layers are prepared, we will start retouching this picture. Let's begin by eradicating blemishes.

You will need to choose a Hard Round with Flow set at 100%. Sample ought to be set for Current Layer.

Clone Stamp Brush Sets
You can zoom in using the Z key. Use the mouse to maneuver left or proper to find a way to make the image full screen. Start at the high of your face. Identify areas that require retouching, corresponding to a strand on the forehead and the black spot on the lady's eye.


Zoom in to the brow
For a fast evaluate, we'll present you exactly tips on how to use this software.

Continue down the picture and remove any blemishes. To avoid pixel distortion, use the Soft Round brush if you're using the Clone Stamp to create strains and borders.

Soft Round Clone Stamp
The first cross doesn't have be perfect. Even if you go to the following layer, you should still have to return to High Frequency to finish the work.

High Frequency works

Some spots could require different tools, like Healing or Spot Healing. If you're simply beginning out, you'll be able to attempt different instruments to see what works for you.

Step 3 Edit the Low-Frequency Layer
The Low Frequency is the layer that contains many of the details about colours. This is the layer the place we smooth out color transitions to achieve a extra professional look.

There are completely different strategies to clean out patchy regions. Working directly on the layer Low Frequency with the Lasso, and making use of Gaussian Blur to every selection is a method.

If you like to work with out destroying the unique layer (Low Frequency), you'll find a way to convert this layer to a Smart Object.

Here are the steps.

Select Low Frequency layer. Double-click the image by pressing Ctrl+J.
Step 1 Duplicate low frequency
Right-click and choose Convert Smart Object.
Step 2 Smart Object
Gaussian Blur could be found under Filter > Blur.
Step 3 Gaussian Blur
Then, pick a number the place the texture has light. We selected 18 to use for this image. Click the OK button.
Step four Radius 18
Hold the Alt key down and click on on the Mask icon so as to create an negative masks (black).
Step 5 Inverted mask

Start by brushing on the impact with a Soft Round with the Flow decreased to a smaller amount, like 50 percent. Avoid brushing on the perimeters. This will scale back the depth of the picture.

Brush smoothing
Our information for the Brush tool will assist you to to refresh your information.

Here is the picture that we created earlier than converting our Low Frequency layer right into a "Smart Object":

Before Low Frequency
Here's the finished picture.

After Low Frequency

You also can scale back Opacity to find a way to scale back effects. We lowered it to 75%.

75 percent Opacity
The finest good friend of a photographer is the frequency separation
Photoshop's frequency-separation function is good for photographers who do not wish to spend hours retouching photos.

The frequency separation approach will not only save you time but additionally let you avoid sending your pictures to an costly professional retoucher..

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