First Before/After Portrait

[quekbc]

This picture is taken during my company's Melbourne Cup Day celebration and I thought I get to learning some post-processing. After many trial and errors:
Before:

After:

After version 2:

[zona5101]

i think your sooc shot has better color, your after is a bit orange. might be a happy medium between the two but i'd say go with the original and maybe tap the contrast up a tinny bit.

[dionv]

Gotta say I like the "Before" image better.

The "After" image looks a bit orange and makes the woman look a bit, well, "plastic". Like she's a Barbie, or something.

Maybe a little less tweaking?

[faeriegodess612]

Really? Cuz it looks fine on my screen. I can see where you would say it looks a bit orange,... but I think it warms the picture. The original looks slightly monochrome to me. Maybe its just my screen,... idk.

[quekbc]

Thanks guys... All your comments are greatly appreciated.

I think I must've gotten over-excited on the tweaking part. I am very new at this and am very excited with things I can do to a photograph. Maybe I need to learn a bit of self control.

[franky]

Maybe what I will say is pointless... but... the ticket is more clear on the before photo. It seems to be, like, somewhat important because the guy is showing it to us. Maybe you could put the ticket on an another layer and improve it seperately, without affecting the rest of the photo. And, about the rest, like everyone said, the second photo is a little bit too orange to my taste too... only my opinion...
Have a nice day!

[amazing_ved]

I agree as well...I like the Before image better..Just a little tweak in the contrast may be...the second has a yellowish orange tone...But I must add very nice portrait

[windrider86]

Can you tell us the steps you took to get to your final image?

[Penary]

You’ve heard it Before, the Before image is the best of the two, it least I think so. It could be your monitor color that is out of adjustment making the second photo look best to you. TFS

[quekbc]

Hmm, I'll have to do some more research about monitors.

However, I've redone some of my tweaks I made (v2). What do you guys think?

windrider86: For After (v1), what I've done is to change the WB, push up contrast, add sharpening, soften the lady's face, increase the brightness of the irises, and sharpening of the overall picture.
For After (v2), to reduce the orangey-ness of the image, I've reduced the temperature and tint, and also push (under LR3, and from what I understand, mid-tone contrast) "vibrance" down.