Saturation Overkill?

[ctcook]

I took this at a recent family event. In post production I adjusted the curves slightly, dodged the white of the eyes, and bumped the saturation level. My question is two parts:

1. Is the saturation too much?
2. Is there anything else I could do to it to improve the image?

EXIF:
f/5.3
1/100 sec.
ISO-200
145 mm

[irieness]

Its adorable, I don't see any more fixing needed. Develop it how you please and makes you happy

[SusanH1970]

She is adorable, and I LOVE her hair! As far as I can see, the saturation works for her hair color, but her skin looks really pink - too much magenta. If you use Photoshop, try going into hue/saturation, choose magenta from the drop-down menu, and lower the saturation of just that one color.

[ctcook]

I tried lowering the saturation level all the way with just the magenta, but you could not tell the difference. However, I did try masking just the skin, and loweing the saturation of the reds. here is the result:

[SusanH1970]

Your edit looks better than the original. I hope you don't mind, I had a play, too. Please let me know if you'd rather I didn't, and I'll remove it immediately!

I duplicated the layer, adjustment selective color, clicked on red, and lowered the magenta by 20.

She is just so stinkin' cute!!!

ETA: It looked brighter in CS2 - somehow going from CS2 to Flickr to here made it look darker.

[Jim Bryant]

Great advice Susan

[WooD]

Really nice image.

As far as the edits, I'm back and forth between your second edit, and Susan's edit. I'd have shot for somewhere between the two.

Then again my monitor has never been calibrated.

[ctcook]

I tried the edits Susan suggested, but I created a layer that just included the skin first. I think this is a good inbetween as WooD suggested since the hair maintains the redness, but the face does not.

[SusanH1970]

Looks good! I'm guessing her skin is probably kind of ruddy naturally, like a lot of redheads. Your latest edit really looks great.

You nailed the focus, btw....her eyes are so nice and sharp, and I'm always such a sucker for tack sharp eyes with good light in them.

[ctcook]

Here is a side by side

Original	Edited