Busker – help needed.

[Jacqui Jay]

A cry for help here. I have a small MSN group and I am revamping the pages. I am using several variations of the image attached. It is heavily photoshopped to make it look 'silver' and I have added a lens flare to the crystal ball. I have removed the name so that I am not 'advertising' but the question is, what could I do to make it look more 'ethereal' or 'magic' or 'high-key'? I still have the original photographs untouched. They were just grab shots in the street, but I quite like the effect I'm beginning to get.

[Jacqui Jay]

This second one is more of a problem. I have lost his fingers almost entirely at the fingertips. Problem is, I can't remember what I did to the first one. I want to start again, but I could really do with some help on a workflow. Any and all critique is also appreciated.

[jasonbrian007]

Hi Jacqui

Hope I can help. Theres tons of effect to do in PS, i've tried a simple focus effect

Apply the following:

Gaussian Blur: 3.5 pixels
Fade Gaussian Blur: 65% ( normal ) Shft+Ctrl+F

It really depends how magical you want the image to be. Can you post an original shot, so I can see the difference.

Jason :cheers:

[Jacqui Jay]

Jason, thank you for this. I'm not sure how far I want to go with the magical thing – I suppose it would have been better to post the original in the first place and not ask you to work on top of my efforts. I'm at work at the moment, and the pictures are at home so I will post the original tonight.

[Jacqui Jay]

This is what he looks like, untouched except for downsizing.

[Jacqui Jay]

Sorry, here he is.

[Bill C]

Jacqui - I really like what you did on the first one - great job! Of course, I just had to 'play' with it :) but didn't come up with anything better (You set the bar too high)...increased saturation, duplicated layer, ran NeatImage on the top layer to soften (could have used blur filters), and erased thru on the ball.
Bill

[Jacqui Jay]

Bill, thank you. I think you sell yourself short!
Excellent ideas here, from you and Jason.
I don't have NeatImage (don't think it works with Macs, or does it?) but I can use the blur tool.

[Andre]

I had to give it a try - don't ask what I did, as I was just playing with a bunch of things.

[zoidberg]

Little thing I like to do frequently with shots is to duplicate the original layer, set the top layer to multiply and about 92% opacity. click on the second layer and give it a gaussian blur of about 26. Then bring up the curves box and grab the line in the middle and raise it until the image is bright enough for your liking...
after that you can play around with either layers levels, etc...

if you want you can even throw an extra layer on top or in between that is purely black and white or desaturated...this will add contrast + sharpness...

That'll be $20 please... :D