This Fix it Friday is my own little pumpkin! 😀 The original photo was just uninspiring to me, and I knew it needed a little help. I liked the backlighting, but it just needed some help.
Original photo:
So my first fix, I did a boost on it, and reduced that layer to 65% so it wasn’t so bright. Then I used levels to brighten it up just a touch more and darkened the shadows. She had eaten a red popsicle on the way to the pumpkin patch, so I knew I had to fix the red on cheeks and mouth. I used Essential Kit action “reduce red in skin tones” from Marta loves simple and that did the trick! Then I dodged her little allergy under eye circles, and softened her skin SLIGHTLY! (Opacity 20%) I ran a high pass filter to sharpen a touch (opacity 13.9, then reduced that layer to 55%) I bumped the curves slightly and then ran USM (60/1/0), and that was my BASE for the photo.
When I had all my basic fixes done, I ran Florabella action “Musette” from the Florabella Luxe set. I tried several other ones, but this one made the most POP for me, and I loved the undertones of blue in the photo! Then I cropped to a horizontal 5×7 and that was it!
Second Edit:
I will be the FIRST to admit, this one was a COMPLETE accident. I wasn’t going to do a black and white just because the pumpkins were so beautiful and the colors popped so well in the original, I thought a black and white would be sacrilegious. But, I wasn’t paying attention when I was editing, and I hit Florabella’s B/W Mink action from her Florabella Luxe collection and was instantly taken with the result! I reduced the action to 55% and then bumped the levels and curves to give it a little more drama, and I really liked the result! It was just so unexpected, like your eyes LOOK for the color that isn’t there. Is that a hint of orange on the pumpkins? Is that a hint of green in that grass? It was just something totally different. Then (because let’s be honest here, I wanted to figure out my new actions from Essential Kits) I ran Bring the Texture out in Marta loves it simple just to see what it did. (Yes, I’m like a little kid at Christmas…..don’t hate!) I brushed it over the pumpkins and over Brooklyn and the results were STUNNING! It was like brushing away clouds to reveal little hidden treasures in the photo! I have NO idea what I did, or even if I could do it again, but I LOVED the results!
And I’m not too big for my britches to admit it! 😀
So, just experiment and have FUN!
Dana
Just sit right back and you’ll hear a tale, a tale of a fateful trip that started from this tropic port aboard this tiny ship. The mate was a mighty sailing man, the skipper brave and sure. Five passengers set sail that day for a three hour tour, a three hour tour.
(Who’s paying attention here…..and who’s still singing that song? HAHAHAHA)
My photographic journey began in July in 2007 where I assumed I would purchase the expensive camera, and all my photos would be breathtaking, and I’d make a kajillion dollars. People would throw their wallets at me….I’d be famous and stuff….
I learned very quickly the error in my thinking.
It meant late late nights studying all I could and practice practice PRACTICE!
I’m not the best. I’m not the worst. I am learning, and I think it’s pretty acceptable to camp out there for awhile….maybe the rest of my life. For when I have reached perfection, what more is there to do?
Dana’s Photography Facebook fanpage (Feel free to LIKE me! I’d be honored! And a little giddy….I might do a little dance of joy!)
Dana’s website: Dana’s Photography (Click on that a few times so my ratings will go up! LOL Wait…..does that work?)
Jen~Beautiful Mess said:
Can’t decide which fix i like better… too beautiful!
hope said:
i like the 2nd fix better:) thanks for stopping by my blog.
Rachel said:
Amazing – as always.
But per usual – you have an unfair advantage in that gorgeous little Brooklyn.
(Strange to think she may not be the baby for much longer, eh? 🙂
I adore your edits. And you are inbelievably talented.
But you already knew that. Because everytime I remind you, I send you a little virtual butt kicking too, hee hee!
Foursons said:
People would throw their wallets at you? Bwhahahaha- girl, you are so living in my brain. 😀
Love the edits. Not sure which one I like more, there is something special about both of them. Maybe ’cause that little girl is such a doll. *grin*
Karin said:
I love how you can take an ‘uninspiring’ photo and change it into something amazing. I bow to your greatness, my friend. 🙂 I love learning from you!!