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Beauty (Studio Version Only)
Beauty is a plugin that lets you control texture. In Ultra Beauty mode, you can selectively smooth image detail that falls above a particular threshold, while preserving detail falling below a particular threshold. In this way, you can smooth larger textures you don’t want, while either preserving or exaggerating smaller textures that you do want.
In the case of faces and skin, this plugin provides another method of smoothing larger, unwanted blemishes, while preserving desirable edge detail and underlying structures such as pores, so you can improve the complexion of subjects on shoots where hair and makeup was not available, without over- softening realistic skin details and creating an overly fake plastic look.
(Left) The original image, (Right) A face with Beauty applied to soften the complexion while retaining fine facial detail
TIP: This plugin is best used within a qualification that isolates the particular feature you’re trying to smooth. The default settings apply a moderate amount of smoothing and fine detail recovery that’s appropriate for faces in closeup but will not be universally appropriate for all situations, so some fine-tuning will always be necessary. For naturalistic results, this plugin produces the best results when used in moderation.
TIP: This plugin is best used within a qualification that isolates the particular feature you’re trying to smooth. The default settings apply a moderate amount of smoothing and fine detail recovery that’s appropriate for faces in closeup but will not be universally appropriate for all situations, so some fine-tuning will always be necessary. For naturalistic results, this plugin produces the best results when used in moderation.
TIP: This plugin is best used within a qualification that isolates the particular feature you’re trying to smooth. The default settings apply a moderate amount of smoothing and fine detail recovery that’s appropriate for faces in closeup but will not be universally appropriate for all situations, so some fine-tuning will always be necessary. For naturalistic results, this plugin produces the best results when used in moderation.
Please note that this plugin is not only for skin detail, and it’s not only for softening. Once you isolate the fine detail you want to preserve in a subject, you also have the option of exaggerating it to create highly textured results. This plugin is effective for any subject with textures that need refinement.
Operating Mode
The Beauty plugin has three operational modes, including an Automatic mode with simpler operation when your objective is to create a maximally smooth or textured result while still preserving important details, an Advanced mode if you want more nuanced control, and an Ultra Beauty mode that provides additional controls that let you preserve fine detail that you want, while smoothing coarse details that you don’t want.