Editor of SEJ, CEO of MoxieDot and StoryShout, graciously invited me to attend this powerful woman's breakfast. I was honoured, honoured, and encouraged to share a table with some of the best seeking minds I have sought out throughout my career. Some of the attendees included: Katy Katz Annie Cushing Jenny Halasz Kelcey Piper Robyn Johnson Kendall bird Susan Wenograd Jenise Uehara Henrikson Jessica Cromwell Danielle Antosz I look forward to many more “Women in Digital” breakfast sessions. If you know more about women in tech from Pubcon, check out Kelsey's article.
Advertising Continue reading below Keynote speakers Gary Illyes and Bill Hunt Google is changing to a mobile-first index The hair masking service morning kicked off with Gary Illyes, Webmaster Trends Analyst for Google, sharing some huge insights into the inner workings of Google's search algorithm. Here are some of the great takeaways: Ranking without links is difficult. Penguin 4.0 will devalue "all links" to a site if it sees signs of link manipulation. Rankbrain was live months before it launched. Everyone should switch to HTTPS. Google moves to a mobile-first index.
President of Back Azimuth Consulting, presented the current state and future of SEM/SEO in 2016. Hunt has worked with global brands such as Cisco, Absolut Vodka, IBM, P&G, and more. . Let's take a look at the big takeaways from Bill's keynote: PPC is the best marketing tactic, but we don't do it well. SEO is not magic. Focus on the quality of pages and links. You need to check out its DataPrizm keyword research tool. Use site search data with organic SEO. Google AMP appears for non-news page sites. Session 1: Optimizing for Amazon Robyn Johnson I had the pleasure of meeting Robyn Johnson at the “Women in Digital” breakfast. Her story of starting with $100 and growing it into a seven-figure e-commerce business is inspiring and powerful.
I wanted to share some tips and insights on hair masking and skin retouching in photo editing. These are essential techniques for achieving professional-quality results in portrait photography.
Hair Masking:
Use the Right Tools: Start with a high-quality selection tool like the Pen Tool or the Quick Selection Tool in Photoshop. These tools allow for precise hair selection and make the masking process smoother.
Zoom In: Always zoom in to ensure accuracy. This helps you avoid capturing unwanted background elements and ensures that you're working with individual hair strands.
Refine the Edges: After making the initial selection, use the Refine Edge tool to refine the hair strands' edges. Adjust the radius and smoothness to get a natural look.
Consider Layer Masks: Instead of permanently deleting the background, use layer masks. This way, you can always go back and fine-tune the mask if needed.
Hair Brushes: For a more realistic result, consider using custom hair brushes to add stray hairs or improve the overall look of the hair.
Skin Retouching:
Non-Destructive Editing: Always work on a duplicate layer when retouching skin. This way, you can easily compare your edits with the original and make adjustments as needed.
Frequency Separation: This technique separates texture from color and allows you to work on each aspect separately. It's great for maintaining skin texture while retouching blemishes.
Clone and Healing Tools: Use the Clone Stamp and Healing Brush tools to remove imperfections like acne, scars, or blemishes. Be careful not to overdo it, as you want the skin to look natural.
Dodge and Burn: Create a new layer and use Dodge and Burn tools to enhance the highlights and shadows on the skin. This can add depth and dimension to the subject's face.
Skin Tone Correction: Use adjustment layers like Curves or Hue/Saturation to correct skin tone variations. Make sure to sample from areas with the correct skin tone for the best results.
Remember, subtlety is key in both hair masking and skin retouching. Over-editing can make your photos look unnatural. Always keep the original image in mind and aim for enhancements that maintain the subject's natural beauty.
I hope these tips are helpful in your photo editing endeavors! Feel free to share your own techniques or ask any questions if you have them. Happy editing! 😊