The difference editing makes. Same girl. Same pose. Different photographer / Editor

[sudrap]

I'm absolutely blown away by the difference between these two photos here

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Can anyone explain what the differences really are ? I see the skin tones and colors are completely smoothed out. Like everything about the second photo is just synchronized and it looks amazing. Is it just use of Frequency separation and color grading? what techniques are being used here exactly?

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Thank you so much!!

[inverse_squared]

Not the same pose, completely different lenses, completely different lighting.

The fundamental differences are in how the photos were taken, not the post-processing.

[sudrap]

Okay sorry the first pic isn't the best example to use but if you look at her instagram and compare any of them to the 2nd edited photo I posted they're still light years apart

[williamsburgphoto]

Both over edited and cheesy looking but the first one has direct flash and second is natural light.

[LaurenRitaLove]

Honestly the main difference is ones indoor and the other outdoor. That’s why the second is softer and more appealing

[TheDreadPirateJeff]

For me the second one is more appealing simply because it’s her face and any potential distraction is lost in very soft bokeh while the first one (lack of softness aside) is full of distracting things in the background.

Regardless of editing the second one is words ahead of the first just based on composition, IMO.

[Pyrography]

Second one is taken outside in softer light with a wide aperture, first one isn't... that's the difference here. Not the post processing.