Best way to create skin texture maps using photos?

deathbycanon

I want to use photos to create texture maps for my characters, but am unsure how the best way to go about this is. I have a tutorial on using photo references over UV maps in photoshop, and have started doing things this way but have read that you can use Blacksmith 3D to paint the photo directly on the 3D model. Is this just as good as using the photos over the UV's in photoshop, quality of image wise? It seems like it would make it a lot faster and make seams easier. Any other program or process recommendations?