50th wedding anniversary portrait

[PeteB]

Hope you don't mind if I gave this a try ... touchup the wrinkles under the right eye of the gentleman (healing brush); adjusted the gentleman’s mouth; whitened teeth; whitened and sharpened eyes; slightly adjusted ladies skin tone and slight burning of her hair; applied color efex preset of skin smoothing.

[jackscrap]

Don’t mind at all, you have produced a really lovely version. I had cleaned up a few spots and blemishes in the original image, but was loathe to go too far, I’m not sure their own children would believe this version as they were more than likely the cause of said wrinkles etc 😂.
A little back story may be appropriate here, Ray (26)was widowed with three children when he met June who was divorced with two children, they met and married within 4 months of meeting, and then added another child to the fold. They have earned their worry lines.

[Tpgettys]

Aug 3, 2023 22:09:56 GMT jackscrap said:

A little back story may be appropriate here, Ray (26)was widowed with three children when he met June who was divorced with two children, they met and married within 4 months of meeting, and then added another child to the fold. They have earned their worry lines.

Wow!  ...and they obviously made it work, so kudos to them!  That is the question, always, how much will be appreciated and how much is too much?

[Chris]

Jackscrap, thank you so much for sharing this photo. They look like a wonderful kind couple! I am sure they will appreciate and treasure this photo very much.

I agree with all the previous comments that have been made. The corrections to the first photo have greatly improved it. The lighting is good and the expressions are natural.

Regarding the tight cropping on the left you might be able to add an inch using content aware or the clone tool.

If it was my photo, I would try and correct the perspective distortion a bit. Because the phone camera is very close to the subject with a wide lens, near objects appear larger*. So your father in law appears larger, and your mother in law smaller. In PS Elements you could use Filter/Correct camera distortion and correct the horizontal perspective a bit.


Kind regards
Chris

* Usually for portraits it's better to stand back a bit and use a longer lens if you have that option.


Horizontal Perspective adjusted to -22 also used content aware and the clone tool on the left.




Final result. I also used the liquify tool in pucker mode to reduce the camera distortion caused by his face being too close to the camera. 
(Liquefy Tool/pucker mode, Use a very large brush coving the centre of his face and click briefly,)

[jackscrap]

Thank you Chris, I was aware of the distortion and your suggestion on how to address it sounds like something I could do. I will have a go.

[jackscrap]

An update on the portrait saga, I have sent my files to my SIL, who has some ideas of her own, so it is now out of my hands.
This image is what I settled on for my own keeping.

[hmca]

Thanks for sharing the update, Jacki. I like your idea of including their original wedding picture. I know they will love whatever is agreed to at the end and meanwhile you have created a lovely remembrance for your family.

[Tpgettys]

Aug 20, 2023 23:54:48 GMT jackscrap said:

An update on the portrait saga, I have sent my files to my SIL, who has some ideas of her own, so it is now out of my hands.
This image is what I settled on for my own keeping.

I really like this one too.  Thanks for sharing it and being so generous to your loved ones.

[cats4jan]

I love the finished results. That little insert of the wedding day is just the touch this needed.

[Chris]

Thanks for sharing the final image Jackscrap. What a wonderful result! I am sure they will treasure this photo for years to come.

Kind regards
Chris

[mart44]

That's a good choice jackscrap. The idea of insetting the younger couple clinches it.