vibrance challenge!

[magicmonkey]

Here's a photoshop challenge for you, I took this picture becasue the colours were really vibrant and as my name's Ben I thought it might make a good avatar or something, the problem is that it looks quite washed out and I really can't work out how to get it looking as vivid as it did in RL without setting the saturation up so high that it ruins the photo!

http://www.photography.poijoy.com/albums/uploads/normal_Ben.jpg (http://www.photography.poijoy.com/displayimage.php?album=13&pos=0)

Any help would really be appreciated!

*EDIT* I think I should also get the award for longest ever sentence! *EDIT*

[LaFoto]

Something like this then? Or have I overdone things now?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v296/LaFoto/Random%20pics/normal_Ben_myedit.jpg

Oops. That has become small..........:(

[magicmonkey]

Almost something like that yeah, it looks like it's a bit over saturated though and I'm after a really 'natural' feel to the shot. It might just appear over saturated because it's been shrunk as well though!

[magicmonkey]

I've just had a play about with it and I think it was because it was small that it looked over saturated! So what changes did you make to it?

ps. Thanks as well!!! :-P

[LaFoto]

I shifted the curves a little, just so you get a vibrant "Ben" but don't lose too much of the wood in the lefthand bottom corner, and added a +10 of saturation.

[magicmonkey]

wonderfluff, thanks LaFoto, I'll have a go at that when I get home! Well, maybe tomorrow morning, it is Friday after all :)

[woodsac]

Here's another attempt. Not sure that it's any different than LaFoto's?

http://around395.smugmug.com/photos/57516460-L.jpg

[LaFoto]

Well, it definitely is bigger!
And I guess you saved the wood even better.
You work differently with PS --- I am sure you use things that I hear mentioned all the time and know nothing about, such as channel mixers and all such things --- or even different layers?
I still haven't found out how all this layer-"business" works...

[magicmonkey]

Thanks Woodsac! Could you tell me what you did to it as well?

[woodsac]

Saturation was adjusted by individual colors. Tiny levels adjustment, brightness/contrast and some shadow/hilight tweaks.

All pretty basic adjustments. I think what helped the most was the shadow/hilight. By lightening the shadows you bring out more detail. Then I could up the contrast a little to darken up the colors. That way you don't have to try and make your colors pop with saturation.

[magicmonkey]

Thanks for all the help guys :) I've had a play around and you can see the results at the top. I couldn't find where to play around with the shadows/highlights though, could you point me in the right direction?

[woodsac]

I'm using PS CS2.
Go to >Image >Adjustments >Shadow/Highlights

[magicmonkey]

ahh, thanks, I'll hae another go now!