Can you make the best out of this picture?

Sorry for such a big picture.

First shot with my new setup, of course it's gotta be of the wife. 350D with the 50MM 1.4


http://img137.imageven​ue.com …mage=2a9d2_Imag​e00001.jpg

1/40 Shutter
ISO 200
F/1.4
AWB

No post processing other then convert from RAW to JPEG. What would you do to get the best out of this shot, and how would you do it? (I have PS6) I didn't see the lost eyelash untill I was done taking the pictures. I had a hard time with soft spots too. Of course, this is my first time shooting with a SLR (first ever dSLR) in the last decade.

{img} tags removed.


Nick,.. when posting image larger than 800 pixels in a given dimension.. post the link.. do not embed.

:o Guess I gotta read up on the rules...

Nick, welcome to the forum, and you'll find this to be one of the best on the net.
( The best IMO.)
Follow the rules, 'cause the Mod's here are the best, and rarely miss a thing !!
This might not be as good as others may be able, as I haven't learned to "Shmoezel" yet !!
This is a short attempt, as I'm tired, and losing concentration, so I'll probably make another attempt in the morning. I just recently started taking PP seriously, so I'm still learning the infinate possibilities of photoshop. Let me say, I hope you always shoot raw, as I have found it to be the best place to start PP.
In CS2 I did a Levels adj., Healing brush on face, and shadows under eye's, Smart sharpened hair and eyes. Ran noiseware in portrait mode. Mikes framer. Resized for Web. I'm fairly new at this, and have a tendancy to get heavey handed with PP. So I hope I did O.K. by you? I'm sure others will give this a try.
(maybe crank the iso to 400 )
Dennis

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I did a little spot healing, a guassian blur layer and then saturation and usm. nothing major, and real quick.

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Wow replies look great!

Just noticed where both of you are located. I was born and live in SE michigan, my wife (Andrea) was native to Ashland, Ohio.

Dennis;
Have you any experence in PS6 or PS7? If so how could you rate them next to CS2? I know it's kinda like apples and oranges. I haven't done much in the way of learning PS6/7 but I'd rather spend time to learn as much as I can in CS2. I install grass for a living and in the winter (no work) I need something to focus on, this year I've been on a photography kick.

I downloaded the trial version of CS2. Didn't think I would, but I feel right at home. The healing brush is awesome.

One problem though, it won't read RAW from my 350D and it has the "Camera RAW" plug-in. Anybody else have this problem with the trial version?

Wow, sorry off topic question but she looks so young! How old are you two?

Nick, I also started with the download copy before purchasing the $299 upgrade, and don't have any buyers remorse!! I migrated from version 4, so it was a major leap for me. ( used elements 2 & 3 in intrem ) There are a lot of nice tools in CS2, some of my fav's are Filter>Distort>Lens Correction, and Smart Sharpen ( go easy as I have found it's so easy to over do.) Mike's Framer is a plug-in that you can find the link to here.
I've think some kind of noise removal software is almost a requirement. You'll find tons of threads in this forum on that subject. And Noise Ninja, Neat Image seem to be the most popular, but I went with Noiseware Pro plug-in for CS2, for the GUI. They all seem to be about the same to me, and all have try-out versions you can download at their web sites. ( google 'em ) Noiseware has a free "community" version, and I'm not sure, but I think one of the others has a free version also.
Download Adobe Camera Raw version ACRv3.2 from their web site and I think it reads 350D Raw? I use the lastest version and have no problem with 10D & 20D. Tons of threads here on that issue also, and there are third party editors like Raw Shooter Essentials which I also like, and many here swear by.
Dennis

I edited my original:

I used the eyes from my original and combined them with PEKKA image below. Also took the spec off the the left cuff...

Have you tried flipping this on the horizontal? I know it's backwards, but for me it has more compostional interest in the reverse.

here is your image with some corrections:
Corel Paint Shop Pro X - spot healing brush
Plugin used:
Phototune Skintune (http://www.phototune.c​om/skintune_intro.html)
Pictocolor iCorrect Portrait (http://www.pictocolor.​com/portrait/default.h​tm)

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I love a challenge. Cropped, adjusted levels, brightness, contrast, dodged with 50% gray overlay layer, used healing brush, sharpened eyes, nose, mouth and hair. Also added blue filter to get rid of the yellow cast.

She's 19, I'm 18. In May it'll be 2 years. When somebody comes to our house they ask us if our parents are home

And when I said I haven't had a SLR in about a decade, I ment it. My grandfather give me a old Canon SLR when I was 7 and I couldn't for the life of me figure out the difference between Tv and Av.

Just in case anybody was wondering, she was on the laptop when I took that shot.

I have to thank everybody for their time and effort! It's nice to seen how different effects have an...umm...effect on the picture! The blue filter IMO really helped out with the coloring.

Thanks for the tips Dennis, I know I'll find those problem names very useful in the next week as I'm goin' PP wild.