final edit from older post....applying what I think I learned

[jax314]

This started from an older post...please tell me how you feel the edit came out. It was underexposed and color was off.....I have since researched, got Adobe Lightroom, and started using NoiseNinja....so this is a crop with adjustments and then run through NN. How are the colors, exposure, composition???


Camera: Nikon D5000
Exposure: 0.01 sec (1/100)
Aperture: f/7.1
Focal Length: 110 mm
ISO Speed: 200
Exposure Bias: 0 EV
Flash: No Flash

Thanks!!

[RLucas]

Hey Jax. It seems to have a pretty strong yellow color cast. As far as the crop, I would like to see it cropped from the bottom just above the cuff of her sleeve. Right now, it looks like she was doing an "arm" shot self portrait. Technically, you want portraits composed with the eyes in the upper third line of the image, I personally like the composition the way it is.

[jax314]

Thanks for the response. I agree about the yellow, and the crop too. Is this color better?

[RLucas]

Yeah that looks much better! good job!

[LoveDSLR]

Mark Dubovoy's quick formula (Mastering Digital Photography: Image Control; Beautiful Skin Tones: A Quick and Effective Method) may be helpful for you here.

Working in CMYK mode, use the eyedropper tool to sample a point where skin tone is light. Based on the assumption that yellow and magenta are approximately the same, adjust it accordingly using curves.

Finer adjustments are, Cyan:
~ 1/4 of yellow and magenta for Caucasian
~ 1/3 for ruddy skin
~ 1/3 - 1/2 for Asian/Brown skin
~ 1/2 for dark/black skin

[jax314]

I guess I may have to research a little more, as I am not an expert using Photoshop...I know the basics and I am familiar with most of it, but I'm not sure how to do exactly what you described here....

Thanks though!