Beginner Help

[mille33]

I'm looking for some advice...I bought Scott Kelby's 7point system for photoshop. It seems to be a pretty good book for landscape pictures etc, but it doesn't really get into portraits or group photos. I don't necessarily want to make a lot of changes but I'd like my photos to 'POP'! Does anyone have tips tools they use on almost every photo?

Here's an example of a photo that I don't think is too bad but could use a little love. Thanks for any help!

[0lBaldy]

make a copy
straighten
rough crop
levels
color corrections
fix the eyes, lips, teeth
soften the ladies some
fix what I feel needs fixing
then try to make the subject stand out from the background

[DWThomp]

My efforts : slight crop, adjusted color of groom's face, selective dodging/burning, and a selective exposure adjustment.

[mille33]

thanks for the tips!

[Salomon]

Originally Posted by mille33

...I bought Scott Kelby's 7point system for photoshop.

haha, grab a beer mate, you just got ripped off !

[Aleksman71]

Here is mine in painted look.

http://www.shrani.si/f/3L/jE/2KfMQEOd/weding21.jpg

[igot2pman]

I found this one particularly difficult with the odd color ballance, and the man's redness.

Used selective color for the CB
Hue/sat for the redness: pushed master hue right and desat reds
Exposure correction
Teeth whitened and brightned
D&B
Some minor glow added with bluring

Also did and artsy one...last picture.

Hope it helps,
-Keven

[igot2pman]

Decided to also do a more natural at request of GF.

-Keven

[RokcetScientist]

Originally Posted by 0lBaldy

make a copy
straighten
rough crop
levels
color corrections
fix the eyes, lips, teeth
soften the ladies some
fix what I feel needs fixing
then try to make the subject stand out from the background

Good m.o. and good results with it. Of course there are more ways than one. You did an especially good job on the gentleman's 'enthusiastic complexion', Ol'Baldy. I hope for the lady that wasn't a forecast of things to come.

[mille33]

Originally Posted by RokcetScientist

Good m.o. and good results with it. Of course there are more ways than one. You did an especially good job on the gentleman's 'enthusiastic complexion', Ol'Baldy. I hope for the lady that wasn't a forecast of things to come.

haha this is actually a picture of the bride and her brother! He's probably ready for a beer, that's probably why he looks like that! Thanks for the ideas everyone I really appreciate it.

[Algarve Images]

I would start right at the beginning when taking the next photo and use a larger aperture say F2.8 - or F4.5 for full frame hence blurring out the background and making the subject "pop" saves a lot of time in pp
regards,
Gary...