Help me choose which photo to use...

[crystal_lynn]

I am posting these photos for 2 reasons first I need some help deciding whether I have overdone the photoshop versions.

Second, to show all of you who said my studio photos were "sears" and lacked creativity that in "my element" I can take good photos.

Being that I live in Wisconsin and we have had one of the worst winters on record I need to learn studio out of necessity, can't just work when it is warm...

Set 1:
Original

Brightened Eyes

Set 2:
Original

Cross Processed

Set 3:
Original

Wall patch, skin healing

Set 4:
Original

B&W Filter

Set 5:
Original

Cropped, Cross processed

 

[niforpix]

Just a comment on the 1st set... Since the eyes are so small, there is barely any difference in the 2 photos. If you didn't tell me the eyes were brightened, I probably would've never noticed.

 

[Sw1tchFX]

These are worlds better!!

I'm not really into the cross process, but it has potential. I agree with the above comment and the eyes, its better suited for 'set 2'

All of these could also use a little cleaner, and careful post production, layermasking, slight dodging and burning, sharpening, etc..



Original

Sharpened, dodged, burned, slight gaussian blur for skin, white balance adjustment, and patched.

nothing amazing, no voodoo, just simple color correction and careful, quick editing. It makes a world of difference on the finished product.

 

[herrickphoto]

I like the cross processing, too. (originally from Chicago and remember those winters!) Lynn

 

[JaimeGibb]

Sw1tchFX, could you tell me exactly where you dodged and burned in this photo, and HOW you got your eyes so sharp?! I usually burn the edges of my eyes and lighten the color with dodge, but how did you achieve that glassy, sharp look? Please share!

 

[crystal_lynn]

Sw1tchFX, could you tell me exactly where you dodged and burned in this photo, and HOW you got your eyes so sharp?! I usually burn the edges of my eyes and lighten the color with dodge, but how did you achieve that glassy, sharp look? Please share!

YES! You must tell me exactly what you did because that looks awesome! I am just learning CS2 as I go and I need to know how you did those eyes.

 

[Emerana]

Much better I think. I really like natural light
Not digging the cross processed look. Otherwise great start

 

[AverageJoe]

 

[Sw1tchFX]

Sw1tchFX, could you tell me exactly where you dodged and burned in this photo, and HOW you got your eyes so sharp?! I usually burn the edges of my eyes and lighten the color with dodge, but how did you achieve that glassy, sharp look? Please share!

YES! You must tell me exactly what you did because that looks awesome! I am just learning CS2 as I go and I need to know how you did those eyes.

Magic!


All I did was do a white balance adjustment in the color balance window, high pass sharpen it using smart sharpen, dodged the highlights in the eyes, and then selectively sharpen them, I also burned the bricks to give them more texture, and layered a gaussian blur with a 40ish opacity to smooth out the skin, and layer masked out the brick and the eyes.

all in all, about 3 minutes. I used CS3, but it all still applies to CS2.

I highly recommend shooting RAW, and getting a book on photoshop to learn how to use it photographically.