Old Edits vs. New Edits

This post is to note the difference in my editing.  When I first began, and like many newbies so I've heard, I over-edited my photographs.  I used to think that it wasn't that I didn't like my original photograph it was more because I had such fun with the different editing software/programs.  It allowed me to be creative.  Taking the picture just wasn't enough for me.  Then it donned on me, and I mean only about 10 minutes ago, that I wasn't satisfied with my original (untouched) shots.  When I take a great photograph, I have a difficult time trying to figure out what it needs.  I almost don't want to touch it at all.  While it is exciting to see myself improving, it's a bit frustrating also.  So I stopped thinking about how to change the picture and I started focusing on ways to improve it!   Maybe a little color balance, contrast boost, sharpen around the eyes, etc.?  I just want to enhance what I've already captured so beautifully.  Anyhow, now my edits are clean and simple.  I don't really edit my pictures at all.  I process them. 

So here's the deal.  Below, I've attached some old photographs taken last year.  The first one from each collage is the SOOC/orignal untouched version.  The second one is the edited, in some cases over-edited, version.  The third is my processed version.  Clean & simple.  Okay so I added vignettes.  I have to have a little fun!  Also I tested out my new watermark. 

As I look at these, still, I'm seeing things I may have done to process these better. 

The middle photograph in this next collage is so overly edited, it's a little embarrassing.  I smoothed out her face and removed any evidence of circles, bags and lines around the eyes.  I also used a blurring effect to blur out everything but her face. 

The middle photograph of this next collage is also over edited.  Again, I smoothed her skin and removed all evidence of lines/circles around the eyes.  I also warmed up the tones a little too much.  She looks a bit orange.  Lastly, I removed/lifted the shadows a bit from the left side of her face as I felt they were too dark.  I'm still unsure about that.  The last photograph is the most recently processed version and I'm still kind of wondering if I should have lifted the shadows a bit.  I initially didn't because I loved the depth it gave to the photograph.

This last collage brings back memories.  At the time, I was so happy with the original version.  It was my first time photographing with natural light and I loved it.  Still do!  Looking at it now is different.  All I see is the color orange and an overly saturated tutu and hair bow.  My edited version, the second picture down, is not that bad.  At least it wasn't overly edited.  I boosted the contrast but didn't touch the color at all.  I also sharpened the eyes and called it a day.