Post Processing photography/art/design

[Bubblegum Bandit]

Its amazing how if you know the right buttons to push in PhotoShop, you can make a dull image much more appealing. I've been spending some time on the Fred Miranda site (linked in our sticky topic up there) and posting some images for critiqueing as well as figuring out what I like from other people's images. There are some really good photographers that post there. I posted a set out of the pictures I took of my family the other day and a fella responded with some PS actions and little tips that will help liven up my those shots. I originally thought they were pretty good. But seeing them next to some of these other guys' stuff made me realize they were a bit flat and lacking in the lighting department. Anyway, so I've been messing with some of his tips on other photos and what not. Here is the result of one I've been playing with.

 

Before

 

After

[pavid]

I'm amazed at the difference. Before was an interesting picture. After is much more.....I want to say entertaining but that isn't quite right. I do like the After much more.

[EbilDustBunny]

lol very nice!

[Chief]

The big change on that photo is "depth of field" by adjusting sharpeness and softening the background. It looks like there are very slight adjustments to the color levels, but 90% of this photo-retouchis depth of field. That's why the drop cloth in front of your daughter's shoes look funny: it shouldn't look blurry because it is right next to her shoe! It's almost the same steps as the one's we did a while back:

 

 

 

The key is to be very patient in slicing different elements to different layers, and playing with variations of "blur" filters on the back layers, and a little tweak with the "sharpen" filter on the forward layers.

 

Select your daughter and the stool, then right click and "new layer by cut"

 

Sharpen your daughter

 

Blur the drop cloth

 

The final details are adjusting the colors (auto adjust levels, contrast, colors)

 

Then put a little color back into the picture, all the white in the background washed out the color of her skin and clothes (image>adjust>photofilter then play with the different warming filters).

 

Take an hour to get a good selection that is pixel accurate on the details. Less 5 minutes later (thanks to a really lazy selection):