Those Eyes!!!

[theantiquetiger]

This is another one of my pictures of my youngest. A friend of mine did the PS work. I like how the eyes are the only thing in focus. I want to learn how to do this and I know it will just be time practicing. I know you make two layers, blur the top layer slightly and than erase around the eyes. tried it, didn't even come close

After work



the original

[Bambi]

I actually much prefer the original. That's partly because of the crop - it's too tight on the PP version. Plus I like the colours around her. She's a cutie

[theantiquetiger]

My wife has my daughters in pageants from time to time (no Glitz, just natural), and this shot was for most photogenic (which she won ). My wife didn't want the Halloween theme behind her because she used it for a couple pageants. There were a few flaws, the hair across her cheek, dirty nose.

[Marko]

I highly recommend that you learn how to do things conventionally before trying fancier techniques.(You can sharpen the eyes by just using the sharpen tool btw) But if you don't know what the sharpen tool can do (or its limitations)...playing with multiple layers at this point is level jumping and will hamper learning at this point, imo.

Become familiar with the basics of exposure, composition and post processing. This is best done by reading, practicing - taking an online course (scott kelby and lynda.com get you great videos for 25 bucks a month) and of course by posting here
I too prefer the original as the eye in the cropped version doesn't look natural to my eye.

Your daughter is a super-cutie tho - and seems likes she likes the camera!