Thank you Jan for posting here
You do have a nice image.
But let me point you somethings you could improve in my humble opinion.
Probably you can work more on her face and avoid some white areas on her skin.
If you are working with raw files you can even balance the light so her hair gets a little more detail.
And speaking of hair: the piece of cloth at the back of her head - I am sure there is a name for that in English but I don't know it - is too distracting as it is green.
Look at all the colors and tones you have in the picture. The green pops too much.
If you can - I can't - you could even change that color into the one we see her dress is.
This would give more homogeneity to the image.
And if you can - here I can - try to blur her face a little - which is not difficult as she is very young with a beautiful skin - but maintaining her right eye, lips and ear ring in sharp focus.
The ear ring is important here. Give it some detail.
Make her eyes lighter but just a tad. Just avery little bit. Be careful not to over do it and give her an un-natural look
May be you could even crop a little more up and to the right. I mean her face more up and to the left not so far as to hide the handkerchief (is that the name for it ?, it just poped into my mind)
I think you have here an image to work on and improve.
May be someone else can also drop a line ...
Enough said.
TheAdChick tell me please:
Did you use a ring flash for the portrait of the young girl ?
Dear Antonio,
Thank you very much for your kind comment en suggestions for improvent As I'm not so experienced in Lightroom, your comments motivated me to get me a book about Lightroom, and to find out how to make the changes you suggested. Please give me some time and I hope I'm able to show you an improved version.
Kind regards, Jan
Hello Jan
I am no expert neither in LR or CS
I use both now.
About books: I have this one which is good, if this is of any help.
However, I think the best program for editing the colors is CS.
These days I move between the two programs because CS is faster in cloning for example than LR. But I now nothing of CS
As I use to say: The program is 1 km long. I only know 1/10 of a millimiter.
Jan !
I forgot to tell you something: Buy a book WITH an explaining CD inside ! It is easier to learn.
You are working very well with the Gary Fong thing and with CS.
The picture is very nice with the now usual flash light.
Jan. I was remembering you when I read this.
Hi Antonio,
Thank you for pointing out this info. As I understood, you need both Lightroom and Photoshop.
I have 2 problems
First, Photoshop costs more then I can affort ( or want to pay). Lightroom I have available via a learning institute.
Secondly, As you already pointed out, both programs have a huge number of options and possibilities. At this time I do not want to spend a lot of time in learning these options and possibilities. I rather go outside with my camera.
I first need to concentrate on Lightroom. I will first try to understand and be able to work with "the work flow"" principle to develop my RAW images.
Thank you for remebering me and best Regards,
Jan Diepeveen
Last edited by Jandiep; 18th January 2010 at 06:32 PM. Reason: some spelling issues :(
OK Thank you Alis...
This was shot with the teddy bare.
Ricko what a nice SCP !
She is very cute, the young lady !
You have done a nice work in Photoshop with those masks.
I am now - yes, only now - trying to master masks. It is as essential as selections are.
Selections are harder, for me that is.
You did not remove the beauty grain in her chin and I thing you did well. It gives the portrait a more natural look.
I am only sorry there is a stick or whatever it is, in her right side - our left - back but that seems not to be important considering the image as an unity.
Thank you for posting ! Please do it again whenever you feel like