PP using Baby Powder Room for PSE

Every time i get excited about pictures I have done and can't wait to post them here, I check out other posts and realize I still have so much to learn. But I'm having so much fun doing it. I just recently installed the Baby Powder Room action for PSE from the Coffee Shop photography blog, and used some old photos of my little chunky monkey, Keagan to practice with. These pictures were taken 4 months ago in his nursery which just has one east facing window. Completely natural light with just my on-camera flash. C&C welcome!

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I am in the process of trying to figure out the powder room. I must be missing a bunch cause they look great! What did the befores look like??

These look a bit unreal and overly processed.

cute baby, but the PP for some reason looks eery to me.

The more I look at them myself, the more I agree. I will post the originals SOOC and would love to see what someone else can do with them. I used PSE Baby Powder Room action and followed the step by step insturctions by Morgan. But I definitely did over-do it. Here is one of them SOOC. Any one want to give it a try?

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Here is a quick go at it. You really cant bring to much back with missed focus, but some sharpening and a levels adjustment helps alot. I see you shot this with a 30D. That camera can take some great pics if you learn it. Shoot raw, and select your focus. For now, put it in the center and focus on an eye, then recompose the shot.

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Since the colors are a bit dull, a B&W conversion seemed better to me.
I really couldn't do anything about making it sharper because it would have just made the picture look weird.

For a "quick go at it", I have to say that is pretty good. I think that I am starting to figure out why mine are looking overprocessed. I was checking out some of Gonzo's posts and found a picture of his that many commented on that the highlights were blown out and it was "Photochopped". He commented that it was done that way for a web posting and included the original. I liked the over-done one better. LOL! Also, (and I'm not sure how much this has to do with it) I think my screen needs to be calibrated. Pictures that I think look great on my screen look oversaturated and very dark when printed, EVERY TIME!

Aww! I never thought of doing it in black and white!

I do think this shot does better in B&W, but I was trying to keep it as close to the OP's original as poss1ble.
And yes Teresa, mon1tor cal1brat1on s very 1mportant 1f you are go1ng to do th1s for cl1ents.

Chr1s

Sorry for all the 1's, my letter between U and O stopped work1ng

Very cute!

LOL! Well, lucky for you there is no I in teamwork, and this has definitely turned out to be a team effort!

Ok this really makes me want to hunker down and figure this PP stuff out!!!

Cute shots! If I'm ever concerned about the PP being overdone, I 'select all' on the edited version, then copy and paste it onto the original. It pastes on as a new layer, then you can adjust the opacity slider and decide if you want to reduce the effect a bit.

That's a cool tip, Nelly. I'll have to try it. Thanks.