September 10, 2012

Brightening Eyes

I’ve been using a pretty awesome action from Paint the Moon to brighten eyes in my photos but have since found a great little tutorial online to create the effect myself.  Of course, wouldn’t you know, I can’t find it.  I could have sworn that I pinned it to a board on my Pinterest page but apparently not so much.  Thinking back, I don’t think I pinned it because it was so easy for me to remember.  If I’d a known I was going to do a post on it, I would have saved it especially so that I could give credit.

Anyhow, for those of you that don’t have actions and want to give eyes a little pop, you just need to know where your dodge and burn tools are in Photoshop or Photoshop Elements!  All I did in my example below (original on left and edited on right) was dodge the whites and irises and burn the pupils and outline around the irises.  To keep my changes subtle, I decreased the opacity of the tools.  To finish it off, I sharpened it with the Cuts like a Knife action from Paint the Moon (part of their The Essentials bundle).  It’s nice because it allows you to selectively sharpen. 

Pretty great right? 

And just in case you are unfamiliar to Photoshop, your dodge and burn tools look like this:

Screen Shot 2012-09-10 at 4.18.50 PM

179 eye179 eye in PS

Okay, now onto my photos.  The hubby and I took Alivia to the park on Sunday.  It was gorgeous out!  We were lucky it wasn’t crowded so that we could monopolize the swing!  She must have stayed on it for a good half an hour!  I sat on the one to her left and the hubby pushed us both!  We are such lucky girls!

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This next shot was blurry but I sharpened as much as I could in Photoshop.
It was too cute to not include!

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These next few shots are of Alivia on the climbing structure.
The hubby lifted her up to place her on the ropes and she held on for dear life!
I got underneath her and took these next few shots of her!
Look at that smile!

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Hold on baby!

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Speaking of subtle, this next shot is anything but!

I used an action and it lightened and brightened the skin which I like,
however, I feel like her eyes pop way too much now (a little scary)!
It’s looking a little over edited for my taste.
Or maybe it’s the sharpness?  Too sharp maybe?  IDK.
I didn’t have the strength to process it again!
Besides any picture of my baby is a beautiful one.

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I’m linking up the shot below to the following photo challenges.

It’s a favorite!
Look at my peanut standing on her tippy toes!
This park used to be a zoo and some of the animal cages have been left up.
This particular cage was for the gorillas!
I told the hubby if he wasn’t good, I’d close him right in Open-mouthed smile (of course I’d grab Alivia first)!

3651 RSWM

Photobuckethappy jaxSweet Shot Tuesday with Kent Weakley

12 comments:

  1. Nice tip Elena! It's those little details that make some pictures amazingly beautiful

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  2. Your little one is so adorable not to forget to mention how great your photo shots are!

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  3. wow! what a difference that makes in the eyes!! thank you for the tip. i really appreciate it! i am always wanting to sharpen isaac's a little. now, if i could just get him to sit still enough so that i could take pictures of his eyes. =)

    precious photos of your little one.

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  4. She is looking so big these days!!! Natalie at Growing Up a Wife has a great tutorial on eye pop. Thanks for your tips!!

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  5. I just LOVE Alivia on the ropes...you can tell she is having so much fun.
    Laurie @ Pride in Photos

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  6. Great tip! How adorable is Alivia! Thanks for stopping by Boys Oh Boys! I just love your blog, and awesome tips!! :)

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  7. AMAZING.. Thanks so much for the wonderful tips.. What a neat idea.. LOVE your series today.. She's as always sooo darling and adorable.. ;)) Thanks SO much for linking to FAF.. Wishing you a beautiful week.. xo.. Marilyn

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  8. Oh, how pretty! I have never thought of using those tools for eye sharpening. Nice! I will try that! Thanks! (I saw you link on Love Bug's link up)

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  9. Great post- there are so many great tools for sharpening and enhancing eyes - I am all about it!! I love her on that swing - so cute! I wish we had a swing lik that here! I do like the picture of daddy kissing Alivia - so sweet - and I don't think it's too blurry at all - it's perfect. :)

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  10. great post! and the last picture is just precious! I love everything about it!

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  11. GREAT tips!! Thanks for linking up with Love Bug's Photo Show Off! I hope you'll link again this week!

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  12. She is so pretty. I love brown hair and brown eyes!!

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