Several of you were very helpful with a different sort of flare issue I had to deal with. Perhaps you might also have some insight as to how to deal with my new issue. I have tried to burn, increase saturation and variants of both. Everything I have tried looks fake. Any ideas?

TPM

I'm just fishing and perhaps my reply with inspire other ideas. I had a moderate amount of success with the following general technique, but this sort of thing really isn't my bag.

I created a Layer Group and inside it 2 Levels adjustment layers set to Multiply and to which no setting changes were made. (FYI: Any adjustment layer would do here.) Then I use the Layer Group mask to isolate the effect where needed. A Curves adjustment for contrast seemed to help, too.

This is hard for me to fix also. In RGB mode the saturation will change as you try to adjust the luminosity. I tried lab mode some and that didn't seem to work very well.

What I did do in RGB mode was use two adjustment layers as clipping mask first I use levels and touched the center girl's hair (in lens flare area) with the black eyedropper and and area of white in the same are with the white eyedropper. In addition above that I used a HSL adjustment layer as a clipping mask too.

Whatever I think this hard to fix.

Thanks for the replies and tries so far!

I think this (http://www.adobe.com/designcenter/photoshop/articles/phscs2at_cmplxblnd.html) should help you

I think this (http://www.adobe.com/designcenter/photoshop/articles/phscs2at_cmplxblnd.html) should help you

Very groovy!~ I'll give it a whirl, your image looks great BTW.

Thanks!

TPM

I think this (http://www.adobe.com/designcenter/photoshop/articles/phscs2at_cmplxblnd.html) should help you

I have avoided this one until today and now I must fix it:square:

I have to assume you created the 1st curves layer and added the radial gradient as an effect (gradient overlay)? If so, how did you get the radius to be egg shaped or did you uses several different layers? I am also haveing trouble getting the opacity in the layer to even out. Did you adjust the opacity in the curves layer or in the effect layer?

I also must guess you worked on the area over the girls and then worked on the flare to the right.

Any help and guidance will be appreciated.

TPM

Maybe the pic below will help you.

Maybe the pic below will help you.

yes, it does, thanks. having problems making the mask as accurate as yours looks. Are you painting it on the c/b layer or are you selecting the area, feathering and then flood filling with black?

-TPM

...painting the mask with the brush opacity set between 3 - 17. It depends on the area being worked on.

...painting the mask with the brush opacity set between 3 - 17. It depends on the area being worked on.

Thanks!

My final print version is not nearly as good as yours, but I had put enough effort into it for what I was getting back. I learned many new things which I have already applied to other images. I really appreciate the help.