Commercial / fashion style retouching

[tim]

I am new to this forum, not new to photography or photoshop. I will keep it short. I have found some very exciting kind of retouched images and having hard time figuring a way to get similar effect. I will appreciate any valuable inputs or samples that can match it.

Example 1:
http://www.amydresser.com/retouch.html (the girl on Honda
motorbike, and similar ones)
Example 2:
http://rasmusmogensen.com/portfolio/campaigns/diesel/diesel-1.htm

Those are done by top industry gurus, well established and extremely talented photographers. You can see the before and after images for
example 1.
Any ideas ??? I am not asking a step by step method, but some pointers to get any close.

[fred]

You're not kidding... they're wonderful.

Interesting that one of the ones you mention happen to be in the DTG "Designing Women" spotlight this month: Amy Dresser... an extraordinary photo retoucher (http://www.graphic-design.com/Gallery/dresser/index.html)

If you want to get into this, it's going to take lots and lots of learning, patience and trial & error.

Amy first STARTS with a photo well suited for the technique the project calls for. In many of the images, the photo is taken specifically for the retouch job.

She then goes in and begins completely rebuilding the image -- very carefully...

Brush, blur and color adjust the flesh tones, add highlights, remove blemishes... the list goes on and on.

By the time she's finished, the file has practically been completely painted over.

I'm afraid the answer to your question goes way beyond the scope of ANY online forum or tutorial. But perhaps the above will get you started.

There are a number of good books out there... check out the Design Bookshelf Photoshop department (http://www.design-bookshelf.com/Photoshop/index.html) ... you're going to have to invest something if you plan to get that good!

[Ovidiu]

Don't be so woried. What you see is not so hard to do. It just take alot of time if you have a picture with many details. You need to learn how to use blur and ajustment layers and masks, and sharpen... If I have the time and you send me a picture you whant it retouched, I will write a tutorial.
The way tose pictures are retouched is actualy verry easy, as it keeps no realism in them and you can see the fact that is a retouched image. The real retouching art is to retouch them and still have them look real. But plastic sales well and many times is good to know how to make it. Is cool, anyway.