Let's get ready to....EDIT!

Week 2 of my mentoring session with Rachel was on editing.  WOW!  Amazing what you can do post-processing when you KNOW what you're doing! :)  So, here are my pics!

This is my raw file vs adjustments in ACR (following the steps you posted).  Love how bright they are! :)  

This is my ACR picture on the left vs. my sharpened version on the right.

This is my sharpened version on the left with my skin coloring version on the right. 

This my skin coloring version on the left and my skin retouching version on the right. 

I guess this what I would consider my "clean" edit vs. haze.  I also wanted to note that PSE doesn't have channel mixer but I was able to go to "enhance" and "convert to black and white" and then go into screen mode to get the same effect in that first layer.  In the next layer, PSE doesn't have color balance so I adjusted through my hue/saturation.  I may not have adjusted as much as I need to here.  The rest I of the tutorial I was able to follow in PSE without any other adjustments.  Phew! :) 

I'm ready for some actions now that I feel like I have a basic "work flow" I need to follow.  Thanks, Rachel!!! :)

Rachel...one last note...it was hard for me to see the slight differences when I viewed the pics on my blog so if you want me to send the files to you, just let me know!

Rachel Eve Week 1

Those who read my blog regularly can skip this one! :)  It's meant for Rachel who has graciously offered to mentor me.  Rachel, of Rachel Eve Photography, is Ah-Mazing...with a capital A!!!  Click on the link and check it out yourself!  So...this post is for her and just might have lots of photography lingo for us geeks who happen to love it!

I had a ton of fun actually thinking about what lighting to shoot in.  I thought about it walking out of Wal-Mart, driving in the car...you name it!  Thank you for the challenge, Rachel!  Also, all of these pictures are SOOC with the exception of some slight adjustments in ACR (which I tried to follow your editing steps from the video you posted).  Oh, and maybe a crop here or there! ;)  I practiced on my kiddos...they are great little models! ;) 

First picture...front lighting

Second picture...also front lighting but now that it's on my screen it looks like the light is hitting her right cheek.  Both picture number 1 and 2 were taken on a slightly overcast day.

Back lighting...haze.  I LOVE this look!

Back lighting...flare...I'm thinking that was a little much!  LOL!!!  Maybe if I had opened my aperture a bit more it wouldn't be so drastic.  But, I sure enough learned how just a change in aperture will change the whole look of a picture!

 

Back lighting...silhouette.  LOVE this!!!  I did increase the blacks in this in ACR.  My aperture was wide open and I think if I had increased my f-stop I wouldn't have had to increase my blacks here.   

Side lighting...sun is coming on her right cheek.  The reflector is slanted at an angle by her left cheek. 

Side lighting again...the sun is on her left cheek.  The reflector is at an angle on right side. There are still shadows but they are SO much better than they would have been without the reflector!!

Okay Rachel...there they are! :)  Can't wait for week 2!!!  Thanks a ton!