I did some playing in Photoshop Elements today; well in Paint Shop Pro too, but I know that program so well it doesn’t really count as ‘playing.’ This is the result of my playing around… (this is the same image as in my header)
Okay, let’s see… I first played with the background. I ended up using the paint daub filter (I played with the watercolor one too, but really liked the effect of paint daub more). It gave it a nice blur with a bit of texture. I love that! Next I boosted the color a bit and adjusted the brilliance and warmth (nic Color Efex Pro). Then I boosted her eye color following Pioneer Woman’s technique– which I must say is so incredibly easy and so brilliant at the same time! Of all the eye popping tutorials I’ve looked at, hers always comes out looking the best! (I know that she wrote it for Photoshop, but it really wasn’t that hard to adjust it for PSE… just a matter of finding things in different places really.) After I boosted her eye color, I opened her up in Paint Shop Pro and did a little noise removal (I absolutely LOVE that feature of PSP… and don’t have a clue if it can be done in PSE, yet.) After I removed the noise, I removed some shadows from under her eyes and… voila! This is the final product! I am really very happy with the result I got. It’s pretty much dead on with what I had in mind when I started! Priss came in from school and watched as I finished it up and, well, she LOVES it… so, yay me!!
Oh, and did you see my watermark up there in the corner? It’s new. I just did that today. I don’t know why… maybe I read somewhere that you should watermark your pics? Anyway, in case you’re getting confused… Amber is my formal name. So -if- I ever (in about a thousand years or so) learn enough, get good enough, and go pro, that is what I will call my studio. 
I'm a daughter of the King, the Mom of four, step-mom of one; married to my best friend, the greatest Southern gentleman evah! When I'm not chasing kids, refereeing teenage arguments, cooking, cleaning, working my at-home business, or blogging you can find me with my beloved Canon in my hands. I love photography and hope to someday actually be good at it! ;) For now, I'm content with learning the ropes and snapping away as the amateur I am. :)
