Today, I’m inviting you to join me as I go a little behind the scenes on editing. Follow along as I transform an image from the captivating “Night Circus” series into a truly dreamlike image, I’m thrilled with how the final image came out.
The editing process
- The Magic Begins: basic retouching
- The journey starts with a solid foundation. I applied some of my PS Portrait Retouching Actions (link below)
- Whispers of smoke: Adding a touch of mystery
- Next, let’s add some smoke overlays to create an ethereal atmosphere.
- Light Fantastic: Simple yet effective lighting effects
- A touch of light can make all the difference. Whether it’s a subtle glow or a dramatic spotlight, I demonstrate how to incorporate simple light effects.
- Color My World: The power of toning
- Next, we’ll explore color toning. By adjusting hues and saturation, to create a specific mood or atmosphere. I used Fine Art Actions from the Color lab (not sure if they are still around), to really add some dimension to my images.
- The Grand Finale: The Orton Effect
- Finally, the pièce de résistance – the Orton Effect. This post-processing technique adds a subtle glow and a dreamy quality to the image, taking it to a whole new level.
Links and additional reading
- Smoke Textures are available here
- The Portrait Retouching Actions are available here
- How to create the Orton Effect here
- Model: Emily Reinhard
- Hair and Makeup: Em Mrietta
- Staging, styling, costume, photography and retouching: Julie Powell
