Photo/photoshop experts- how can this be improved?

[serenine]

before:

after:

This is one of my trial pics for a wedding reception in about 3 weeks. There will be instances when the lights will be like the above and then dimmer most of the time. How bad is this? Can someone show me how this can be improved in photoshop? I am curious to see the possibilities.

Gear & settings: 30D, 580ex flash with bracket, 24-70L 2.8, 160@f/4 ISO 200. P mode. Maybe I should've used manual mode at f/2.8? Why didn't I try other settings! It's one of those moments when my brain gets locked in a box due to lack of experience in a particular situation. I will have a chance to try again soon.


Any help is appreciated. TIA

[Raiderphotog07]

Try using Shadows and Highlights under Image>Adjustments. Start with 10 percent or so for Shadows (top value) and 5 percent for Highlights (top value for that category, if under Advanced). Then sometimes levels is needed, but I don't think it will for this photo. Also, try an unsharpen mask to sharpen her face just slightly. Hope this gives you what you are looking for, it usually works for me.

[dragonspyke]

The first one is a bit too dark, so I don't think there is much you can do with that. But for the second one, you can try using the hue/saturation, and work on the red colors, and give it a small boost to give her some slight skin color so she won't look so pale.

[riteflyt]

well here is my stab at fixing it



crop, levels, color correction, lightened up face, removed hot spots from cheek and nose, vignette. I am no expert, but I think it looks better.

[darktiger]

Post the raw and let me see what I can do...

[ndsimm]

Originally Posted by serenine

Gear & settings: 30D, 580ex flash with bracket, 24-70L 2.8, 160@f/4 ISO 200. P mode. Maybe I should've used manual mode at f/2.8? Why didn't I try other settings! It's one of those moments when my brain gets locked in a box due to lack of experience in a particular situation. I will have a chance to try again soon.


Any help is appreciated. TIA

try shooting with the 2.8 wide open and slow dow the shuter to let more light in. at almost all of my wedding receptions, I'm shooting at 100 or less to get ambient light.

[serenine]

Post the raw and let me see what I can do...

darktiger: posted .zip below the first image.

Thanks riteflyt and others for your feedback so far.

[darktiger]

Okay I spent about 2 minutes, so this is not that great. The second one might be too saturated.

This one is directly from Capture one with my 30D profile


This one is from photoshop, quickly touched up.

[darktiger]

Maybe I should of cropped the picture.....

[darktiger]

Okay I soften and crop the pic.

[darktiger]

Okay I lighten the picture a little.

[ndsimm]

Here's my stab at it in ACR: sorry for the huge image.....

[serenine]

SO I guess it started out as a pretty bad photo.

Darktiger: Thanks for your effort.

[serenine]

ndsimm: Thanks.

How did you do that? What is ACR?

[NoLight]

Heres mine..