My first attempt

[Cidermonkey]

This is my first post of a picture. I took a portrait lying on the floor and it came out very dark (I was playing about with aperture priority). It really was dark - I have plus 20'd the brightness and contrast in the "before" just so it can be seen. I then played about with the contrast, some curves (not having any idea what I was doing!) and stumbled on something that I liked. Then I used the smudge tool with different sized brushes to create the effect. I lightened the bright bit of the eye and then smudged that too. I then cropped it, rotated it 50 degrees and filled in the gaps with eraser tool.
I've overdone the smudging along the lip line but other than that I am quite pleased with the result.

before:



after:



Please comment - and be gentle with me!

This was shot with my new Canon S3 IS at
Exposure: 1 sec (1)
Aperture: f/2.7
Focal Length: 6.9 mm
(the exif says flash 80 but I didn't fire the flash??)

I did the tinkering in Photoshop CS2

[sk66]

It's certainly a case of getting something from nothing! I'm surprised you were able to get anything out of the original! I find it interesting and attention grabbing. Perhaps a bit overdone with the smudging overall.

[Cidermonkey]

I agree its over smudged - it's not a photo anymore - but strangely satisfying! "A fledgling killer's first attempt at transformation" as Hannibal Lecter advised Clarice Starling (ha ha!)

[FromtheBackofaHorse]

Looks like it could be a poster for a horror flick. Maybe you've stubbled on a new profession.

[Misha]

It does have a disturbing quality to it.

But, I think that it is pretty neat that you got this from the original.

[Elehd]

Very dramatic and interesting!

[Cidermonkey]

Thanks for the comments folks

[morts]

How very odd