Feb 13, 2009

Bossy’s Favorite Things.

The luminous skin Photoshop technique, which, by the way, Bossy has not yet perfected.

Bossy thinks no one does it better than Heather Armstrong, who, when processing her photos, routinely creates an alabaster daughter.

Bossy likes her daughters alabaster, and so she has been experimenting with photoshop layers such as screen and multiply, and experimenting with various ways of masking those layers so the technique only applies to the desired areas.

Here is a before and after of the photo in question, and hello friday morning legalese!

Can you even tell the difference? Is it worth it? Back to the drawing board.

permanent link to post

48 comments

1. 1
   on February 13th, 2009 at 8:50 am
   psjdp said:

   Exactly what I hate about phony digital photography (and digital music too, but I won’t pontificate about that now). One never knows if a photo is “real” or manipulated. Imagine if Ansel Adams had photoshopped the clouds.


2. 2
   on February 13th, 2009 at 8:53 am
   MariaV said:

   Seen side by side, I prefer the before. The after looks overexposed to me.


3. 3
   on February 13th, 2009 at 9:23 am
   Joie said:

   She is already alabaster. Beautiful, beautiful girl.


4. 4
   on February 13th, 2009 at 9:33 am
   MidLifeMama said:

   I don’t know about Heather Armstrong’s photos, but in this example, you lost some of the detail when you alabastered Bossy’s daughter. They are both beeeautiful, but the first one gives more detail.


5. 5
   on February 13th, 2009 at 9:50 am
   Lauren said:

   This is so cool!! Your alabaster daughter is purrrrrrrty! I love Photoshop.


6. 6
   on February 13th, 2009 at 9:53 am
   rikki said:

   Both are gorgeous. (Whoo, thanks for your awesome input Rikki. You have clearly helped Bossy choose a direction. Dumbass.).


7. 7
   on February 13th, 2009 at 10:03 am
   imom said:

   You have mastered more of photoshop than I have! That’s not saying much since I don’t know how to use it at all! Both pictures are pretty, but I like the first one better. Looks more natural to me.


8. 8
   on February 13th, 2009 at 10:04 am
   Asthmagirl said:

   I like both as well. However the after is clearly headed in the “alabaster” direction. I think if you went much further and took the “rose” out of her cheeks it would look over exposed.

   She’s lovely as always!


9. 9
   on February 13th, 2009 at 10:04 am
   Cheri @ Blog This Mom! said:

   So so lovely.

   I am inspired to email you a photo. You’ll see why.

   XOXO


10. 10
    on February 13th, 2009 at 10:21 am
    pamela said:

    Bossy’s daughter is perfection.


11. 11
    on February 13th, 2009 at 10:22 am
    dgm said:

    Of course Bossy’s Daughter is lovely any way you look at her. I vote for the before pic as well, though. Too much of teh alabaster looks ghostly to me. Which is to say pasty. (But then again, my perspective is skewed because I’m of the brown-skinned persuasion.)


12. 12
    on February 13th, 2009 at 10:40 am
    Cat said:

    II see Pajama Bottom Girl has moved on to wearing pajama tops as well.. The is a blogger called Bethany Actually who takes the most stunningly beautiful pictures of her daughter. I wish she’d come over and take some of mine.


13. 13
    on February 13th, 2009 at 10:40 am
    Heather R said:

    At least Bossy has Photoshop, and can develop Photoshop skills… I work with paint.net (hello poverty party!), which does not have a luminous skin option.


14. 14
    on February 13th, 2009 at 10:41 am
    abby said:

    I dunno about the alabaster daughter part, but as a flannel jammy connoisseur, i applaud the pink ice skating elephants!


15. 15
    on February 13th, 2009 at 10:55 am
    kerry said:

    Alabaster or not, your daughter is gorgeous! I will say though, I prefer the before- more natural and she’s got lovely rosy cheeks!


16. 16
    on February 13th, 2009 at 11:27 am
    Kathy from NJ said:

    Boxxy’s daughter is beautiful just the way she is. Don’t mess with perfection.


17. 17
    on February 13th, 2009 at 11:43 am
    Smalltown Mom said:

    Bossy’s daughter is perfect either way, but I prefer the before. Because it’s real.


18. 18
    on February 13th, 2009 at 12:44 pm
    rebekah said:

    This effect is creepy. See Tim Burton’s remake of Willy Wonka…It looks like the rapture is about to take her. Eek!


19. 19
    on February 13th, 2009 at 12:47 pm
    Lisa said:

    My daughter has beautiful skin….like a china doll and I love it. She doesn’t like it. She wants to be all bronzey and tan. Tanning just made me all wrinkly and dry…..


20. 20
    on February 13th, 2009 at 12:51 pm
    Elsewhere said:

    Ha! I guessed before I pressed and I was right!
    (and btw, the before picture is way more beautiful, stop fooling around with photoshop and take more cloudpictures)


21. 21
    on February 13th, 2009 at 1:12 pm
    Windy said:

    I have those pajamas… I’m 35. Is that a bad thing?


22. 22
    on February 13th, 2009 at 1:14 pm
    Zandor said:

    I like the before picture better, but they both look good.


23. 23
    on February 13th, 2009 at 1:37 pm
    Momo Fali said:

    The prosecution rests. That picture looks spectacular.


24. 24
    on February 13th, 2009 at 2:04 pm
    Fabs said:

    I prefer the original photo!


25. 25
    on February 13th, 2009 at 2:39 pm
    Andrea's Sweet Life said:

    I’m always blown away by Heather’s photos of Leta, but I didn’t realize they’d been “alabastered” (is that a word?). Little Miss Sunshine looks beautiful as-is, but what better subject to practice photo shop skills?

    One of these days I’ll get me one of them thar photo shops.


26. 26
    on February 13th, 2009 at 4:15 pm
    Wendy said:

    Call me crazy, but I really like the 2nd one best…


27. 27
    on February 13th, 2009 at 4:37 pm
    Say What? said:

    Bossy’s daughter looks goh-jus in any color!

    And those pj’s rock!!


28. 28
    on February 13th, 2009 at 4:38 pm
    Amysprite said:

    Screen is my absolute most favorite Photoshop trick to making every slightly underexposed photo look fabulous. You can even rescue a horrendously dark one with it. I never called it the “Alabaster skin” trick, but It has more of a ring to it that “Oooh! ooooh! I just used screen!”


29. 29
    on February 13th, 2009 at 5:31 pm
    julie said:

    Personally I think the alabaster ones (especially Heathers) look over-exposed. Like, if I accidentally get a shot like that on my crummy point-and-shoot camera I complain that it’s washed out. I love texture in a photo. I like to see the little peach fuzz hairs on my son’s plump cheeks to where I want to nibble on the photo.

    Now, I’m not a photo-savvy person by any means, so my opinion is of little value, but I would vote for the “real” photo. yes I can see the difference, but I prefer the original.


30. 30
    on February 13th, 2009 at 5:45 pm
    JenKneeBee said:

    I’m not usually a huge fan of this technique in photoshop, but I think you do a great job of keeping some detail while making the skin luminous.


31. 31
    on February 13th, 2009 at 6:46 pm
    jandondi said:

    NO. Not worth it. Only on bossys mom, who really really really needs it.


32. 32
    on February 13th, 2009 at 6:50 pm
    jandondi said:

    I am SO with what #1 said. Right the hell on.
    except for bossys mom, and she should be photoshopped within an inch of her life.


33. 33
    on February 13th, 2009 at 7:12 pm
    cactus Petunia said:

    Bossy’s daughter has beautiful skin because her loveliness comes from inside…and Photoshop’s got nothin’ to do with it!


34. 34
    on February 13th, 2009 at 7:51 pm
    nellie said:

    I *love* your photos so much more than Dooce’s. Her’s are so obviously reworked that they’ve stopped being family pics and are only art pics for her blog.


35. 35
    on February 13th, 2009 at 8:18 pm
    Gigi said:

    Her complexion is so pretty she needs NO photoshopping. Oh, to be young and luminous….


36. 36
    on February 13th, 2009 at 9:26 pm
    Lesley said:

    I can see the difference in the luminosity. But the “pretty” of Miss Bossy’s daughter? It is equally lovely in both versions.


37. 37
    on February 13th, 2009 at 9:28 pm
    Lesley said:

    Oh: And I must chime in to agree that I have ALWAYS loved the look of your photos much more than those posted on Dooce. Yours are filled with such warm tones (as opposed to the more “cool” visuals on Dooce) and while both are nice, my particular taste just prefers the warm and cozy.


38. 38
    on February 13th, 2009 at 9:36 pm
    Maria said:

    I want alabaster….does photoshop do “Make old sagging double chin look brand new like baby’s bottom” effect? It must. If it does, I want it.


39. 39
    on February 14th, 2009 at 1:52 am
    HAGERDASH said:

    I’m sick . . .

    . . . of Botox and Desperately Seeking Perfection and Sarah Jessica Parker and her forever faux locks and people who parade their children around like little Barbie princesses.

    Which you don’t, Bossy.

    I love your daughter just the way she is, and you and your Dane and your son’s winter coat.

    Imperfection and is the new perfection. I mean, really.


40. 40
    on February 14th, 2009 at 7:54 am
    Bossy\\\'s Friend Martha\\\'s Sister said:

    cute pajama girl!


41. 41
    on February 14th, 2009 at 1:38 pm
    The Domestic Goddess said:

    I don’t know…I like them both because I HAVE THE SAME PJS!!!


42. 42
    on February 14th, 2009 at 1:48 pm
    martha said:

    The first one is waaay better. Your daughter doesn’t need fancy tricks. She is awesome alabaster au-naturale.
    Matha


43. 43
    on February 14th, 2009 at 5:31 pm
    Stephanie said:

    I agree, first photo is better.
    second looks over-exposed.

    Bossy’s daughter is lovely without photoshop.


44. 44
    on February 14th, 2009 at 5:57 pm
    caleal said:

    Bossy’s Daughter is gorgeous without photoshop. Alabaster daughters scare me…

    But, uh, I could use some alabastering. So if you need someone to practice on, you could Alabaster me all day Bossy.

    I think that may have come out wrong.


45. 45
    on February 14th, 2009 at 9:27 pm
    amy said:

    Ahh I agree, to be young and have completely gorgeous skin! She is lovely.. I could use some alabastering though.

    Really? Leta has been worked over consistently? For shame!


46. 46
    on February 15th, 2009 at 1:34 am
    Bush Babe of Granite Glen said:

    She is lovely… and while I do admire HA’s photo work, I like your style just the way it is. It’ll give her a complex if you need to ‘blast it before you plaster it’ on the blog.
    
    BB


47. 47
    on February 16th, 2009 at 12:28 pm
    dawny dee said:

    i like them both (how can you go wrong with that grogeous face) although the second has a bit of a radioactive glow to it. i didnt know alabaster could do that.


48. 48
    on February 17th, 2009 at 5:51 pm
    Unemployed Susan said:

    I know a certain unemployed, post menopausal, largely decaffeinated almost 49 year old suburban mommy with a potty mouth that could use a little alabasterin’.