edit challenge

[dalyjk]

i was given this family shot to save - it's a challenge and i think i've done quite well but let's see if you pp's can do better
here is the original....
jon

[Pat]

Show me your "i think i've done quite well" and I'll show you mine. :)

[dalyjk]

ok im looking forward to seeing yours! thanks for your input.

[Pat]

A person could have cloned the curtains over the windows (which are totally blown) but then you'd have to deal with the glare on the hair. And the floor and furniture. A bit of cutting and pasting and cloning, I think. However, it would take more lifetimes than I currently have available to me. So I think you'd have to live with the washed out window light, if you couldn't reshoot with the curtains closed.
So, what I did was...
crop
duplicate layer
boost colour and contrast
cut out windows on the new layer
straighten (so rear pic frame is almost level)
correct a degree of lens barreling

[StephenK]

This was a tough image to do....

When correcting one problem others are created... so it was mostly a walk through this circular conundrum.

Deepened the colors with an unaltered "Levels" layer set to Overlay.... Opacity set to 83%

Then.. create a new layer while holding down the alt key... in the resulting pop-up window set
the "Mode" to "Overlay" and then click on the check box for "Fill with Overlay-neutral color (50% gray)".

Select that layer and then select the Brush Tool....Do not create
a mask.... paint right on this layer... now anything you paint in white will lighten the
image and anything you paint with black will darken the image.

This works as a great! substitute for the Dodge and Burn tools.

Also...

...once the Overlay blending mode is applied there arises a lot of discoloring artifacts. (most noticeable in the face of the family).
The blur tool, set to a light setting, and used cautiously, is good for blending these artifacts.

Did other stuff but these were the biggies... :)

[dalyjk]

i will use this as a tutorial

however the image is still in need....

[dalyjk]

thanks (too much contrast for me i think, especially in the faces)

[StephenK]

i will use this as a tutorial

however the image is still in need....

Well yes... of course... The problem is in the original exposure. The graininess that forums when trying to augment
the image is a direct result of the camera trying to adjust for the intense difference in lighting. If we reference the point
that Jerry is making in an adjoining thread, that photoshop, in itself, is not the preferred method for photographic competence.
And based on my experience it can only do so much when trying to patch over original exposure errors.

There is also the likely difference in the settings of the monitors we're each using. When I looked at your edit it seemed
overly dodged and obviously overworked. But if your monitor is set at a darker setting than mine it would likely
look okay and balanced on your end.

I run into this monitor thing a lot when working with others on the web.

Here's a great page for checking on your monitors settings for contrast and color.

http://www.hutchcolor.com/Images_and_targets.html

Some day I'll take the $300 plunge and buy the Spyder system to
help nail the settings on my monitors and thus coordinate these settings with my printers.

Photoshop is good but it can't produce miracles... believe me I've tried... it can only do so much :^)

[coffee]

Some day I'll take the $300 plunge and buy the Spyder system to
help nail the settings on my monitors and thus coordinate these settings with my printers.

Spyder is a great system for calibrating your monitors. Make sure that if you have more than one monitor, that you choose the right version of Spyder. Not all versions will calibrate dual monitors.

[StephenK]

Spyder is a great system for calibrating your monitors. Make sure that if you have more than one monitor, that you choose the right version of Spyder. Not all versions will calibrate dual monitors.

Thanks Joseph! I'm saving my pennies...

I really don't have a great printer yet... still bouncing along the bottom with Photosmart...
And my work flow is still simple enough that one monitor alone is still doable... (right
now I'm only doing stuff on the web)

But one day I can see the distinct need for a good system...

We're in the process of moving to the Washington coast and the picture taking opportunities
here are simply obscene... I know there will come a time when leaving them in the computer will no longer do....!

Thank you very much for the heads-up! I'll be watchful... :)