Overprocessed Portrait?

Photo of my wife.

HTTP response: NOT FOUND | MIME changed to 'image/gif' | Redirected to error image by FLICKR

This one could be a bit tricky to process; the subject is backlit strongly.

Can you post the original?

What software are you using and what adjustments did you make?

I would be tempted to crop right at her hands on her hips...

It is necessary to somehow tone down the background, which is too distracting.

Why would anyone want a candid portrait with sunglasses on?

Rather than set yourself up for difficulties, try to find Open Shade and get your portrait there.

What is Open Shade, and How Does It Improve Outdoors Portraits?
Open shade is the shade created by a structure that blocks the direct rays of the sun but at the same time allows the bright sky itself to illuminate the subject.

Examples of Open Shade ---
Your subject is near enough to a large structure that he or she is completely in the shade of that structure. At the same time, there is little or no blocking of the open sky above the subject. In other words, if the subject were under a canopy or roof that blocks the sky, that would be shade but not "Open Shade".

What are the Advantages of Open Shade?
-- The fact that there are no direct rays of the sun falling on the subject means that there will be lower contrast light falling on the subject. The light that illuminates the subject will be from a large expanse of blue open sky and will be diffuse or soft, in comparison with the direct rays of the sun. The effect on the image will be that the facial shadows will be lighter or softer and more detailed, and the highlights will be softer and more detailed.
-- Portraits made in Open Shade will be less contrasty with softer shadows and with more detailed highlights rather than having deep black shadows in the eye sockets and under the chin and nose.
-- The subject will be able to pose without squinting.
-- There will usually be a background for the shot that is not white and blown out.
-- The camera's AutoExposure system is less likely to be confused by the extreme range of brightnesses in the scene and will be more likely to command a correct exposure.

What are the Disadvantages of Direct Sunlight?
-- A subject illuminated by direct rays of the sun will have very high overall contrast. In fact, the range of brightnesses on the subject will typically be greater than can be captured without special processing.
-- The subject will usually find it difficult to keep his eyes open without severe squinting, the shadows will be so deep and black as to be featureless or without detail.
-- The highlights of illumination on the subject will often be such a bright white that they will be featureless or without detail.
-- There will be very few elements of the subject having mid-range tonal values - everything will be either overly bright or overly dark.

What is the Quickest Way to Recognize an Overly Harsh or Contrasty Lighting Environment?
-- Look to see if the subject is casting a deep black shadow on the ground. If so, he is in the direct rays of the sun - not in Open Shade.

Here is the RAW file 10mb unprocessed.

http://lazypanda-crazymonkey.com/pics/I​MG_3258.CR2

I am not liking the green. I think it look over processed but not sure how. Also I prob could of lowered the depth of field as it was at F5 but did not to have so much of her OOF. Thanks Robert, this does help. She was wearing glasses as that is what she always does. I am surprised she did not give the peace sign too.

I process in LR and dont really touch the curves dialogs, just the sliders.

Try going easy on contrast and saturation; you may like the result a bit better.

I don't know LR, but if it has a 'Fill Light' or 'Shadow/Highlight' slider, and you used it, go easy there as well.

EDIT: One tip, when you are processing, watch the skin tone and let that guide you to better results.

Overall, less is more.

At this time, is the photo important enough to you for a POTN member to retouch it and post the result? (I ask because you have 'Image Editing' turned off at this time)

Oops Image editing is OK and updated the profile for myself.

Is it important enough..I will say yes as I want to learn to steer away from this. All my photos are turning out pretty much the same colors as this and I know it is a bad habit.

See if you can get a good book from, say, Scott Kelby, and then use LR to do color correction. (I assume it can do that, I don't know)

Also, I would suggest never to use sunglasses for doing portraits unless its for artistic value for several reasons:
The sunglasses hide the model so the photo becomes less personal
The sunglasses tend to reflect light so our eyes will either steer to the bright background or the reflection
IMO, when i see a photo, I like seeing the models eyes to make a connection with that photo.
^^^
Take those with a grain of salt

Thanks horton, actually I have several of his books and use them as resources. Still learning. As for the glasses well the wife will wear what she wears. When I get her friends to help model for me I can be a bit more demanding and have them take those off.

Did a quick re-edit.
First pic is the same as the first post. Second is using a kesley smith reset and third is the new processing I did. WB, Sharpening in LR and on export and a bit of tweaking in the basic settings. Less pop but looks better to me. Composition needs to be improved I admit as the background is very distracting and the shadow at the feet. Finally doing a crop I see that this photo is way to noisy and LR does not help any.

HTTP response: NOT FOUND | MIME changed to 'image/gif' | Redirected to error image by FLICKR

Far right, skin looks better.