One Photo Focus: February

Last month, I found a great method for adding deeper colors to my photos, and I was really excited to try it out on this month’s One Photo Focus.

Here is the original photo, by Stacey at lens addiction:

original_feb_opf

When I opened the RAW file in Photoshop, I used the following settings in the RAW converter:

Adobe_1

Adobe_2

Adobe_3

These settings got me to here:

feb_opf_1

For the final touches, I used an action that I created that I call Adding Deeper Color II. It includes adding two duplicate layers of the background, one with a setting of SoftLight and the other Multiply, with the Multiply layer on top of the SoftLight layer. For both layers, I added mask layers. I also added a Gaussian Blur at 15.0% to the Multiply layer. Then I used a soft brush set to Opacity 100% and black (to remove) and brushed over the boat and buildings on the Multiply layer. This is what I got:

feb_opf_2

Thanks to Stacy for hosting this fun challenge. For more from this challenge, visit One Photo Focus: February.

After-Before logo

Click the image above for rules on joining the fun!

13 thoughts on “One Photo Focus: February”

  2. Nancy, this is brilliantly done! I couldn’t imagine how you got the blue into that darkened sky. Now, I followed along just fine with your RAW converter sliders, but then once you got into the masking and the blurring and all the other nuts and bolts of PS, I lost you. That’s not to say you didn’t explain it well. I just don’t have enough knowledge to understand it. I keep telling myself “one day,” but that “day” never seems to come. I so want to learn and will definitely revisit this post when I do to – I’ll use it as a “homework” assignment 🙂 Thanks so much for participating and sharing!

    Reply

  5. Love all the detail and the blue clouds. Thanks for the detailed description of how you got there. I need to practice — a lot. 😉

    Reply

Leave a comment