If you have an active Twitter account, you also become a target for Spammers.  The latest tactic is to send tweets calling out an Twitter username with just a link. No message, no explanation, just a link.  Take a look at the screenshot below:

BEFORE YOU CLICK on the link, take a look at the sender’s account info.  A sender who is not following anyone and not being followed back is a great indication that this is a Spammer.  This account was created for one purpose – to send tweets with links until it is flagged for Spam!

Let’s take a closer look at that link.  If you have not used LongURL.org, add it to your bookmarks now!  LongURL will expand compressed URLs and show you the full path, along with any redirects to additional webpages.  Take a look at the report on the link that was sent to me:

Spammers make money by generating traffic through these redirects.  From this link maze, they can embed cookies in your browser to get credit for your purchases on a particular site.  In this case, the spammer is attempting to get affiliate credit from any future purchases on Amazon.  Escort services and porn sites have also start using this technique to get around Twitter’s Terms of Service.  Here’s someone that just tried Following me using Bit.ly to hide the escort/porn address.

But, Spammers can do even more – they can also send you to an infected website and subject your computer to trojans, web viruses, identity theft and other forms of malware.  LongURL will show you exactly where the link goes and the trail along the way.

If you receive a tweet like this, think BEFORE you click!  Use LongURL to decipher these links.  If it is a Spammer, be sure to flag the Twitter account for Spam!

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If you have been reading my blog for a while, you know that I prefer to create realistic enhancements in Photoshop CS5.  It’s easy to make something look like a Photoshop fake (or worse a Photoshop disaster).  The art is in creating something that looks real.

I have been experimenting with Topaz Labs new plugin called Star Effects.  It’s incredibly easy to add a star highlight to any light source and make them POP.  But, I wanted to try using it with portraits for a realistic enhancement.  After some experimentation, I finally created the right glamor look (in the above image).

1.  Quick and Easy Portrait Retouching.

Everyone can benefit from a little Photoshoping … even models.  The above before and after results were achieved in under 5 minutes using the steps in my previous tutorial – Photoshop CS5 – Quick and Easy Portrait Retouching.  Again, the results are realistic glamor enhancements without looking fake.

2. Removing real Catchlights.

The model was shot using a large rectangular softbox.  Since I am planning on using Topaz Star Effects, I need to replace the existing catchlights with ones that work best for the plugin.  Star Effects works best with a round light sources of pure white.  My first step is to add a new layer in Photoshop and cover up the existing highlight.  (The steps from my portrait clean-up are hidden in Group 1.  I always keep source files!)  I used the Eye Drop Tool to sample the pupil color and painted on the new layer using the Brush.  Depending on your photo, you may want to use the the Clone Tool or the Healing Brush.

3. Creating new Catchlights.

I used a separate layer in Step 2 for a reason.  It is very easy to make a model look cross-eyed if the catchlights do not match.  By turning the layer on and off, I can position the new catchlight in the best location using the real catchlight for reference.  The size of the catchlight is also important.  Again, I used the real catchlight for a reference.  Using a Brush of 10 pixels with a 50% Hardness and pure white, just one click in each eye was enough.

Note:  In the above photo, the softbox was directly in front of the model and the real catchlights were the same size.  Using the existing catchlights is very important.  Depending on the location of the light source, it may be more natural to have the catchlight in one eye be slightly smaller than the other.

4. Duplicate and merge layers.

Once you are happy with the new catchlights, it’s necessary to duplicate the layers and then merge them.  Star Effects does not work with transparencies, so the plugin needs a solid area to apply its effect.  Also, I wanted to keep the original layers just in case I later wanted to reduce the opacity of the Star Effect or start over.

5. Isolate the area for the effect.

Star Effects will attempt to analyze the whole image.  To speed things up and isolate the plugin to the desired area, I used the Lasso Tool to create a selection identifying the target area for the plugin.

6. Remove wrong light sources.

Under the Star Settings tabs, click the Stars Only option.  It will display the location of light sources which Star Effects has identified.  Since Star Effects did not identify the correct light sources (the new catchlights), I needed to remove the wrong ones.  Under Add/Remove Stars, I selected the Remove Brush and just clicked on the stars to remove them.

7.  Eye Twinkle by Photoframd.

Finally, we get to the good stuff!  Click here to download my zipped Preset for Star Effects.  After you unzip the Preset, click the Import button in Star Effects and select the unzipped file.

With the Preset in place, I used the Add Brush with a Brush Size of 64 and clicked on the new catchlights.  You can tweak the Preset as necessary in the Main Adjustments tab by adjusting the Size, Angle, Spread and Luminance.

In just a few minutes, you can add a realistic twinkle to anyone’s eye

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Ever look at a photo and think it needs a little POP?  Topaz Labs just released their easiest Photoshop plugin to date – Star Effects.  It is so simply to use that you will have to resist the temptation to add it to every photo

Topaz Star Effects starts you off with 25 presets.  But, the fun is in experimenting.  In the Main Adjustments tab, you can adjust the Threshold to control which light sources are turned into stars.  Want a few stars? Lower the Threshold.  Want lots of stars? Increase the Threshold.  You can refine the overall effect further by using the Brush in the Star Settings tab to remove/add stars exactly where you want them.  Also in the Star Settings, you can adjust the overall look of the star from a natural burst to a stylized vector look.

Also in the Main Adjustments tab, you can adjust the star size, star angle, number of points, spread and the overall luminance of the stars.  Under Additional Effects, you can even add a burst within a burst, glow and ring flare.  You can adjust the overall color, saturation of the star and even add a rainbow prism effect.  You can even mix all of the effects by using the Apply button between setting changes.  It’s so Easy!

If you are a Photoshop perfectionist, you may want to apply the star effect to a new layer with a black background (by using the Stars Only setting under the Star Settings).  Just change the Layer Blending Mode in Photoshop to Screen to see the effect directly on the photo.  You can then add a Mask to control the application or create a selection by selecting black in the color range and inverting the selection.  So many options!

Topaz Star Effects is brand new and ready for you to download.  This is also the first new filter NOT to be included in the Topaz Bundle; so it will require a separate purchase.  The filter is regularly $29.99 but can be purchased for only $19.99 when you use the coupon code TopazStars (expires 2/15/12).  Topaz has scheduled a series of Webinars for Star Effects so that you can see the plugin in action.  But, I warn you — once you see it, you will want it!

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Facebook is a great place to connect with people.  Unfortunately, it has also become a place for Spammers and scams.  Without knowing, you could be dragged into a conversation because of a Friend of a Friend and be sent a message like the one above.  Since the iPhone5 does not exist, it’s obviously a scam.  Worse, by clicking on the link, you could be sent to a webpage which could capture your Facebook account (access your account and take control of it)!

Next time this happens, click on the Actions button while viewing the message and take a look at the options.  You could simple select Leave Conversation to opt out of this discussion.  This is also a great choice when you are dragged into a personal argument between spouses 

The more aggressive response is to report it as Spam.  Hopefully, Facebook monitors such Spam reports and will ultimately take action against the Spammers.  At the very least, the entire conversation is removed from your message area.

Unfortunately, just like your email program, Facebook will continue to collect these messages in a Spam folder.  Under Messages, click on Others  and then scroll to the bottom of that page.  You will see a link for Spam; click it access your Spam folder.  From there, you will need to individually delete each spam message.

I am curious to see how Facebook treats repeat offenders.

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I have a secret for you – models are human too! Even the prettiest model can have imperfect skin. But, that’s what Photoshop is for. And, if you use the Topaz Labs plugins, it’s really quick and easy to retouch any portrait!

1. Topaz Clean minimizes small details.

I have had the Topaz Labs Bundle for years, but I never knew what to do with Topaz Clean. After some experimentation, now I know. Topaz Clean will minimize details in a photo based on parameters like size. Think of it like filtering sand and pebbles. The sand falls through but the pebbles remain. It even comes with a Preset called “SkinEven”. But, since I live in the real world, I know skin has pores. If skin is too smooth, it looks fake. The goal is to minimize pore details but leave some texture. That detail will also make the photo look really sharp. To make it easy, you can download my SmoothSkin by Photoframd presets for Topaz Clean 3. This Zip file actually contains three different Presets depending on the resolution of your photo (ex. Hi-res photos should use the HR version, web low-res photos should use LR and something in-between can use the MD version). Each of these presets can be tweaked further as needed just by adjusting the sliders.

2. Apply SmoothSkin to a duplicate layer and add a mask.

Topaz Clean does a great job on skin, but you do not want to lose any detail in the eyes or hair. So, I applied the SmoothSkin HR by Photoframd preset to a duplicate layer of the original image and added a mask layer to it. Working in the mask layer, I filled the mask with pure black and used a feathered brush with pure white to start brushing in the smooth skin. Remember, I am aiming for realistic beauty. Don’t worry about any remaining flaws. I will get back to that zit.

3. Make the eyes POP with Topaz Adjust 5.

The trend is to exaggerate the detail in eyes. There are some very complex tutorials on the web on how-to create this effect. but, I find Topaz Adjust 5 does a great job and is a very quick one-step enhancement! Note – I used a duplicate of the original layer, not the layer from the previous step! (If you find the detail enhancement too extreme, you can always use a duplicate of the Cleaned layer from step 3.) You will need to play with the presets to see which one works best with the eye color, but Dynamic Brightness in the HDR Collection gives a POP without looking turning them into an extra for Twilight. Don’t worry about the rest of the face. This layer is only for the eyes.

4. Add a mask to the eye layer.

Just like the previous layer, I added a mask to the eye layer and filled the mask with pure black. I then brushed in with pure white to reveal only the iris. This eye layer can also be used to bring out some details in the model’s hair. Try framing the model’s face with a little extra detail in the hair by brushing it in just like the iris.

5. Use the Healing Brush to fix any imperfections.

Now for that zit! I used the Healing brush sized just big enough to cover the zit with one click. The Healing Brush was set for Content-Aware and Sample All Layers. I just clicked at the flaws to fix them. Note – I used a new layer to apply the Healing Brush so that I can always lessen the effect or rework the effect later.

6. Remove Yellow cast from eyes and teeth.

One last step – you may also want to whiten the eyes or the teeth depending on the model and lighting. Try using the Sponge Tool in Photoshop set for Desaturate. All you need is to remove any yellow cast. The existing shadows will keep the photo looking realistic. If you think it is still a little too dark, try using the Dodge Tool for Midtones. But, use it sparingly to keep it natural.

Less than 5-minutes to complete. I told you it was quick and easy to retouch a portrait with Topaz Labs! Best yet, to final image is very realistic and not over-processed — just realistic beauty!

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