What are some photo editing tricks?

Question

I want to know what are some professional tricks and tips in photo editing (in photoshop) to get that smooth, crisp perfect photo?

I want to know how to make those child portraits that are so smooth and vibrant, (pictures taken in natural lighting like outdoors).

Answer 1

Well, the original photograph is your best way to get clean images, by simple taking clear, in-focus, well-lit photos.

Once in photoshop, I have a few tips for pictures of people, you can get rid of blemishes by using the clone or healing brush (about the same size as the blemish you're trying to remove, hardness at 0% and).

To get rid of noise and other blemishes (from cameras using high ISOs, etc.) make a new layer (crtl+J) and go to filter>blur>gaussian blur and set the radius so that it makes the skin look smooth (don't worry about the other features) then get a soft eraser (optiacy at 45-70) and erase away pretty much everyhting thing excapt the pices of skin you want to keep blurry (so erase away lips, eyes, edges of the nose and face, etc. - and keep like the chin and cheeks blurry) and then set the layer's optiacy to 60-90.

then you can sharpen up your image by going to filter>sharpen>unsharp mask and set the settings down somewhat low, so your image is sharper, but not over-sharpened.

try these and keep experimenting and you'll discover new ways to make your images look just the way you want. =)

Answer 2

As a post processing of a jpg photo file I am using:
1.crop - the most used tool / trick!
2.Brightness / Contrast
3.Color Balance
4.Curves
5.Blur
6.Sharpness (smart sharpness filter)

If I have a photo in RAW data format (not jpg) I can add to the above list Exposure and Color temperature as a digital developing process.

But everything start with a good photo setup.

Answer 3

There are so many tricks and techniques in photoshop. What specifically would you like to know how to do would be the question.