Pixiq

RAW Conversion

Since the photo was shot in RAW format, I began the process by increasing exposure in my RAW conversion program to slightly lighten the image without overdoing the highlights. I then increased the color temperature to give the entire photo a warmer look. I also increased vibrance. I then opened the image in my image-processing program, where all corrections were made on new layers.

Adjusting Brightness and Contrast

I set the brightness and contrast I wanted using a Curves New Adjustment Layer. All other color adjustments hinge on this. I raised the heel slightly to open some dark areas, and dropped the toe slightly to put detail in the background wall. I also cloned some of the debris from the right side of the frame.

Selective Adjustments

Using selection tools and the Hue/Saturation New Adjustment Layer, I then adjusted the colors until they had the slightly exaggerated warmth and richness that I wanted. In particular, I saturated the greens of the lawn and the red flowers.

Next I used the Dodge tool (lighten) to open some selected shadow areas and to bring up some highlights in the darker shrubs. I used the Burn tool (darken) to bring down some small highlights in the yellow wall.

Sharpening and Saving a Copy

Finally, I used USM (Unsharp Mask) to sharpen the image. I then saved the file in TIFF format and renamed it. All these alterations only took a few minutes to accomplish.