This book is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G

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	• Skin: The Complete Guide to Digitally Lighting, Photographing, and Retouching Faces and Bodies Lee Varis Sybex, 2006 - 432 pages average customer review:based on 54 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Excellent book

I won't cover what has already been said by the others that have reviewed this book. Suffice it to say, it covers a lot of what a professional would do with lighting, etc. Its interesting and gives you some perspective but if you're an amateur like me, most (but not all)is well beyond what is practical.

What is does do, is give very good info on "skin" tones, shading and fixing imperfections. It should of been titled Retouching/Fixing skin and Photos with Adobe Photoshop. You must have Adobe Photoshop and a very good understanding of it. The results of his instructions were very nice. Some very detailed methods that made a BIG difference in the end results. The photos I have fixed using his methods really look good.

I would definitely recommend this book. Even if you're only going to use half of it.

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Skin (deep?)

Is this the complete guide to perfect (studio) lighting and skin (colour correction) retouching in Photoshop as the sub-title says? No it is not. Is this a book which gives you helpful tips with good examples for both lighting and correction and retouching on a medium Photoshop level, yes it is.

As many Photoshop book authors Lee Varis does not make clear for whom he wrote this book. It's not for the Photoshop newbie with a digital SLR who likes to get quick 'correct' skin colour with post processing (read Scott Kelby) It's not for the professional Photoshop user which aim is to get a complete picture of (digital) lighting setups in relation to post processing; the first chapter, digital imaging basics, is already a proof of that.

The book however starts very promising, with a foreword by the Queen of retouching herself, Katrinn Eismann (I would strongly advice anyone to read her book about restoration and retouching if you do not know it yet.)
Than Lee Varis makes a big mistake by starting about "digital imaging basics" in the first chapter, followed by the second mistake, chapter 2: "colour management workflow and calibation."
99% of people who do care about getting professional looking results with retoucning and lighting setups related to skin colour finished that "Scott Kelby level" knowledge years ago.

The third chapter gets into it. Still it does not go deep, at least not as deep with many more examples as I know for sure many people like me hope for. The middle of the book gives probable for many hungry skin retouching lovers the climax with chapter 6 (Retouching) and chapter 7 as the end. There is another filled chapter; chapter 8, but that unfortuntely goes back to Kelby level, with "Preparing for print"

Is the book worth it? For me it was, not that I really learnt a lot of new things. But Lee Varis gave me a lot of ideas to do things different, not only skin related of course. Also the lighting setups are well explained, which give me good info and ideas. The Photshop techniques he uses in this book can be used in many other cases. All are written in very clear English, with good examples and 'lesson files' on a CD-ROM. The downpoint is that it is not skin deep, and that material which is shared by so many (beginner) Photoshop books can be found in this book again.

Next time I hope Lee Varis write a book about skin retoucing and lighting setups, which goes skin deep and that deserves the sub-title which this book has now.

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Advanced Photoshop

With a quick review of basics, this book quickly delves into more complex tasks that are rarely addressed in other so-called "Advanced Photoshop" manuals. During a period where I'm finding it consistently difficult to find books which can teach me things I have not already learned about PS, "Skin" provides both new information, and a different viewpoint on things already known.

A good book indeed

I really liked this book. It is very helpfull to understand the color process. It also has a good explanation about the workflow, since the studio lighting until the post process in photoshop.
I really recommend this book.

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This book is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G

i love this book. it's concise, to the point, and super interactive and informative. my photos have improved 110% because of this book... plus it put my anxiety about color management at ease...

reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, page 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11

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