I re-edited this picture

[MyNameIsChris]

because I hated the way my first one looked. Let me know what you think!

Before:

After:

I think I'm finally happy with the way it looks.

 

[Parago]

I love it, I think you did a really good job. Mind telling how you did it?

 

[kellylindseyphotography]

I think that looks MUCH Better than the one I saw you post the other day. Good job

 

[MyNameIsChris]

Thank you very much! I'm really happy with the way it came out, she doesn't look sick or anything like that anymore haha.

I started off by duplicating the layer and doing the gausion blur skin trick. I set it at about 5 and lowered the opacity of the layer to about 40% and then I masked it and made it so the blur was only applied to the skin on her face.

Then I selected the left side of her face with a 10px feather circle and adjusted the levels slightly. Then I selected her eyes and raised the midtones a bit.

Finished off with a little contrast and saturation adjustment and a watermark

 

[Parago]

Thank you very much! I'm really happy with the way it came out, she doesn't look sick or anything like that anymore haha.

I started off by duplicating the layer and doing the gausion blur skin trick. I set it at about 5 and lowered the opacity of the layer to about 40% and then I masked it and made it so the blur was only applied to the skin on her face.

Then I selected the left side of her face with a 10px feather circle and adjusted the levels slightly. Then I selected her eyes and raised the midtones a bit.

Finished off with a little contrast and saturation adjustment and a watermark

Would you mind if I played with it some, too? I really like the angle and eyes and all that..

 

[nynfortoo]

Looks pretty good, though a tiny bit too soft for my liking. There's a patch you missed on her right cheek. Took a minute to notice it though

 

[GermanyBert]

Yup....number 2 look much better. You just gave me an idea for some photos I have been having problems with.

 

[MyNameIsChris]

Thanks for all your input everyone!
Yeah go ahead and mess with it Parago, I don't mind.

 

[Parago]

Thanks for all your input everyone!
Yeah go ahead and mess with it Parago, I don't mind.

K, here's mine:

 

[nynfortoo]

How's this?

 

[MyNameIsChris]

Parago that looks pretty good. Looks about the same as my final except not quite as soft, and some will like that better.

Nynfortoo I don't see much of a difference other than maybe a level adjustment on the left side of the picture. What else did you do?

 

[Parago]

Parago that looks pretty good. Looks about the same as my final except not quite as soft, and some will like that better.
\

Check out the difference in her iris.

 

[Kegger]

He sharpened her eyes.

 

[MyNameIsChris]

Oh yeah I didn't notice at first but I see now, how did you do that?

 

[nynfortoo]

Nynfortoo I don't see much of a difference other than maybe a level adjustment on the left side of the picture. What else did you do?

Pah! It's all in the subtleties! Though it isn't all apparent until you switch from the original to the new one, or place them side-by-side!

Layers of lighting, healing, brightening, blurring, contrast etc.

Top left: original
Top right: finished
Bottom left: all the changes without the base

The eyes were dodged and burned to add more highlights and detail. Sharp eyes make the world of difference