My first Newborn

[MPpro]

Let me know what you think. These are moms three favs.

http://mabryproductions.smugmug.com/Portraits/edits/IMG0415/749932730_qAV77-L.jpg

2

http://mabryproductions.smugmug.com/Portraits/edits/IMG0407-Edit/750642286_5Svyb-L.jpg
3
http://mabryproductions.smugmug.com/Portraits/edits/IMG0530/749936843_TAWsA-L.jpg
C&C always welcome

[hawk911]

1 & 2 are wayyyyy overexposed. # is the best of the bunch.

[nyc2sd]

Very cute baby !
Not sure is that was the look you were going for but like the previous post said, 1 and 2 are way blown out.
#3 I would add a little bit of saturation back in. Don't take this wrong, but the lack of color makes the baby look lifeless IMHO.

These shots can be easily fixed. Did you shoot in RAW?

[MPpro]

I kinda liked the blown out look for some reason I was diffidently not going for the lifeless look. I will change a couple of things and put them back up.

[Kristy]

I believe they are overexposed. There is a difference between going for an almost blown look and actually being blown. I tend to overexpose my images slightly because I like them that way... but honestly, and I'm not trying to be mean... these are pretty cooked.

I might suggest reshooting and try to bring down the exposures by at least a full stop. We are all here to learn something from each other... so I hope my CC is taken as a gesture of paying back for a lot of help I have received here. :)

[MPpro]

http://mabryproductions.smugmug.com/Portraits/edits/IMG0407-Edit/751159317_fahN9-L.jpg

http://mabryproductions.smugmug.com/Portraits/edits/IMG0415-Edit/751160428_f9Et4-L.jpg

http://mabryproductions.smugmug.com/Portraits/edits/IMG0532/749937596_tmonu-L.jpg
here are the originals. I am trying for the blown out look I guess I took it to far on the other ones.

help me with were to go from here guys. I like the blown out look were the skin looks smooth I agree the top two are overly cooked just playing around and trying to learn. Do you guys have any actions or plug ins that you recommend for this?

[Kristy]

Oh my gosh.... I'm so glad you posted the originals... they are a thousand times better than the edited versions... really great on the exposures and the sharpness of them. You are doing really nice work.. so now just to figure out your PP on them.

Not a lot is needed... and you can boost curves and/or levels to get a lighter looking image, bit still retain the detail in your shadows and textures...

Here's a quick edit for you... let me know what you think and if you like it I will tell you how I achieved it... no actions, nothing fancy.... :) Might be oversharpened because I sharpened for web....

[MPpro]

It is over sharpened. But I like the colors. I have no idea how to adjust curves. Any tips on how to start?

[S-S]

what kristy said/did

[Kristy]

Here's a screen shot of curves and levels... you just have to play around with it some and get used to how they work.

Look at the layers palate on the right of the Photoshop window. I suggest doing everything on a separate adjustment layer so you can go back and make changes easily if needed... and you can reduce the opacity on each layer individually to taste.... It just gives you more control that way....

I think I added brightness/contrast layer also.. brightness +5, contrast +1

Hope that helps.... :) I did push the sharpening way up because I was saving for web.. and the details get lost in compression. I know I over did it, but youget the idea...

[MPpro]

thanks alot i will try it