Blueprint: A Girl and Her Umbrella
October 16th, 2009This adorable photo is from Kara Roberts Photography. She wrote, “I have tried and tried to post process this one but they all turn out ICK. She’s just surrounded by green, and even when I do a levels and curves adjustment it just makes the green worse.”
So I decided to play with Kara’s photo and here is what I came up with (shown as a before and then after). All editing was done using the MCP Bag of Tricks photoshop action set.
Ran Magical Contrast (left on default)
Ran Magical Clarity – lowered to 18%
Ran Magical Color Finder Brush and painted on background using 100% brush – and on her skirt and umbrella with 30% brush. Increased the opacity of the layer to 85%.
Ran Bleach Pen – and used it on her tank top to get rid of color cast on the white.
Ran Magic Light and painted on her foot with 50% opacity brush so it would blend with the rest of her skin. And used a 30% opacity brush on the rest of her skin to brighten.
Ran Magic Dark and painted the entire background darker using a 30% brush (which made it much richer) Changed layer opacity to 88%.
Cropped
*** As always I would love to hear your feedback, comments and thoughts on the edit. What do you like about the edit – and what do you not like? What would you do differently if it were your photo?
23 Comments
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9:50 amOctober 16th, 2009
[...] 1 votes vote Blueprint: A Girl and Her Umbrella This adorable photo is from Kara Roberts Photography. She wrote, “I have tried and tried [...]
10:15 amOctober 16th, 2009
LOVE it. Great job. The bag of tricks is on my wish list! I will be getting it very soon! This edit just confirmed that.
10:17 amOctober 16th, 2009
What a beautiful little girl, and the edit is super! These actions, look like MUST HAVE tools.
10:31 amOctober 16th, 2009
Ohhh… I can’t stand it! It’s glorious! NEED ME SOME BAG OF TRICKS! must type in all caps because I NEED it that much!
10:33 amOctober 16th, 2009
Wow! That’s amazing!
10:40 amOctober 16th, 2009
I love the edit…it focuses on the little girl and makes her pop out of the scene…very nice!
This is just being very pickey, but I may have not done the skirt so bright although I didn’t see it at 30%.
Wow…the new set of actions looks like a real time saver and fun to use.
I waaaaaaant it!
How are they different from your other sets and are some of them used in place of the old ones or do
they just compliment each other? Please explain the differences? Thanks! xo
10:42 amOctober 16th, 2009
Wow, what a great edit!!! It sure makes all the colors just pop! Great shot too by the way, Kara! I have some “girl by a pond shots” that I need to try this on!
10:48 amOctober 16th, 2009
Terry, they are quite different in almost every way. The only part that is a little similar are a few of the exposure things. But the rest are all specialty actions unique to this set.
11:19 amOctober 16th, 2009
Great edit. I wouldn’t change a thing. The colors are rich, and the little girl really stands out. Great job!
12:02 pmOctober 16th, 2009
This is A-MAZING!!! I just orderd the “Bag of Tricks” and “Magic Skin” soooo excited
12:21 pmOctober 16th, 2009
Thanks, Jodi. I am putting it on my wish list. xo
1:16 pmOctober 16th, 2009
I always love to see the blueprints. Lately I’ve really been working the tools you taught me in class and the actions. I love them. I only wish you had a crop action. That is where I struggle.
2:40 pmOctober 16th, 2009
This is fabulous! I bought the actions last night, and now I am even more excited to play with them on some of my old pictures!
11:00 pmOctober 16th, 2009
I really like the edit – wow!
I have a question: [Ran Magical Color Finder Brush and painted on background using 100% brush - and on her skirt and umbrella with 30% brush. Increased the opacity of the layer to 85%.]
Can you please explain just a little about what Color Finder Brush does – I don’t quite get it. Thanks.
6:18 amOctober 17th, 2009
What an amazing transformation!
8:58 amOctober 17th, 2009
gorgeous edit, love the final image! i just purchased BOT the other day, very impressed with this set jodie!! thanks for including the very helpful video
9:04 amOctober 17th, 2009
also tho, on the edit am i seeing a spot that was missed? right around the wood handle on umbrella, above her hand & foot?
10:25 amOctober 17th, 2009
Aimee – I thought about cloning that but left it as it was there in the original – and was a reflection of light (not quite a rainbow but contrasted in the original too).
10:38 amOctober 17th, 2009
oh ok! i didn’t notice until looking at it for about the 4th time. since i just purchased BOT, i was ‘studying’ your steps extra hard
4:12 pmOctober 17th, 2009
beautiful
9:10 pmOctober 17th, 2009
Beautiful girl and I love what the edits did for her skin and the vividness of her accessories, but in terms of the update, the water really “stole the show” for me. The glassiness of the water’s surface, the enhanced colors of water and trees in reflection–wow! I’m a first-time visitor to your site and I can’t wait to come back for more photoshop tips. ~K
11:35 pmOctober 18th, 2009
Are you kidding me???? This is a tremendous tool for photographers.
Love this sooo much. Great before and after!!!
7:44 pmOctober 26th, 2009
the color transformation is great, thank you for posting.