Post your before and after pictures here.
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Hi Everyone! I would really appreciate some honest feedback on my basic photo editing here. I sometimes have a tendency to take things too far in one direction and am really trying to achieve a better balance. :D I'm particularly interested in any opinions on the overall color and exposure balance, etc.

Image

taken with Sony DSC H1

Image

PSR Defog action
Levels (master and red)
Shirt desaturated
Sharpened with adjust sharpen

Thanks a bunch!!
Michelle K.
Michelle K.
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PSE 5-6, CS3
Sony DSC H1, Canon Powershot A590 IS
Hi Michelle, and welcome to the forum. Adorable little girl. I think you are off to a good start with the edit. A little brain dead here this morning and just can't put my finger on anything I would do to to change it further.

Kim
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Michelle,
A very nice model with soft lighting. There is not a lot of difference between the before/after so that our preferences might be greatly influenced by the calibration of our displays.
My first impression was that your edit had given some more overall contrast while toning down slightly the pink of the shirt and skin. However, I preferred the softer face in the original... but the blue of the eyes was greatly improved in the 'after'.
So I decided to see what it would look like in print. Now I find your edit to be ideal with just the right skin tone and crisper look. Good work!
Michel B
PSE6, 11,12,13.1 - LR 5.7 Windows 7 64 - OneOne Photo Perfect Suite - Canon 20D, Pana TZ6 - Fuji X100S
Most used add-ons: Elements+


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I find the Curves Action from Grant's Tools to be more and more useful. If you have this, or any other Curves Action or Plug-In, I'd recommend a slight tweak on that, making a fine 'S' Curve.
Also, the area around the eyes could be brightened up a little..... I'd try a Brightness/Contrast Adjustment Layer, applied to a feathered selection of the eyes. Just an increase in both the Brightness and Contrast sliders would work well.
It's a lovely picture and worth spending a little time on it.
PSE6 on WinXP, Pentax K10d...... and now a Canon G10.

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I agree with Geoff.
If you have a look at the histogram, you have got a typical 'mountain' look showing the predominance of midtones. A mild 'S-curve' is often a good solution to compensate the soft look. By the way, if you use the 'adjust color curves' enhancement with the preset 'increase contrast', that is exactly what happens (look at the curve). If you are using add-ons, keep in mind that a steeper S-curve will also affect saturation, which may not be advisable. In this case, you can do your adjustment on a layer copy set to luminosity mode. If you are using the smartcurve plug-in, use the L*a*b mode and only play with the lightness channel.
Other ways to get the S-curve effect (check histograms):
- use a levels adjustment layer (no adjustment) in softlight mode, with low opacity (10 - 30%)
- use a black to white gradient adjustment layer in luminosity mode (adjustable just like curves)
Both methods have the advantage of providing a mask if you want to protect parts of the image.

Another well-known trick to add some contrast is to use USM (enhance/Unsharp mask) with settings like (20,50,0). This increases local contrast. (Use with moderation...)
Michel B
PSE6, 11,12,13.1 - LR 5.7 Windows 7 64 - OneOne Photo Perfect Suite - Canon 20D, Pana TZ6 - Fuji X100S
Most used add-ons: Elements+


Mes Galeries
Thank you all so much! I can't tell you how happy I am to have found this forum!

On the printing comparison -- Thank you! I have only viewed them on screen so nice to know the print outcome.. lol

I did install smartcurves a few days ago but had not played with it much. I didn't realize it had an LAB setting AND since I just read a thing on lab in one of the snazzy newsletters on pdf here... I played with that and just LOVE the result. I think it did a great job and was pretty easy to use. :cheer2:

I also did the eyes in 2 seperate adjustments. (she was blessed with my natural dark circles)

Here is the result of all of your wonderful suggestions! It definitely brightened up without altering my color/saturation. I have a real thing against over saturated colors in photos.

Image

Michelle
Michelle K.
My Gallery

PSE 5-6, CS3
Sony DSC H1, Canon Powershot A590 IS
For easier comparison..

First edit..
Image

Image
Michelle K.
My Gallery

PSE 5-6, CS3
Sony DSC H1, Canon Powershot A590 IS
You are doing a great job!!
Nice work. Michelle
Perfick!
PSE6 on WinXP, Pentax K10d...... and now a Canon G10.

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