Circular Light Studio Portrait

High-end retouching

A portrait built around a large circular light, with the halo evened and the black wardrobe kept readable against it.

Lighting
Skin
Wardrobe

Service: High-End Photo Retouching / Post Production

The same portrait with the halo evened radially and the black wardrobe opened up — Drag anywhere on the image, or focus the handle and use the arrow keys, to compare before and after.

Portrait against a large circular studio light with uneven brightness across the halo — Drag anywhere on the image, or focus the handle and use the arrow keys, to compare before and after.

Project overview

The circular light is the composition and it is uneven — brighter on one side than the other. Evening it by hand risks flattening the falloff that gives the frame its depth.

Transformation details

The circle was evened radially rather than uniformly, so it keeps its natural falloff toward the edge.
The black wardrobe was opened in the shadows so its shape reads against the bright field behind it.
The flowers were corrected to hold their red against a warm background.
Skin was evened and modelled, with the rim from the circle kept along the arm.