can someone help me do this look

[melinda25]

how can i get my photos to lok like this professional

[Bry]

Well Melinda, a quality camera and properly set lighting always helps with quality photos. I mean, if you use a webcam or something, you can't expect photoshop to spruce it up into a picture worthy of printing and framing.

[~Sidefx™]

Yeah a decent camera would be the start.

When it comes to pictures, PS can't give it a makeover and still have good quality.

[sprucemagoo1]

you can't expect photoshop to spruce it up.

I'm the only one doing the sprucing round here thank you very much!

Apart from all the other stuff, A slight blur on anything that isn't a focal point on the image, like around the babies head in the photo you used. Play with the brightness, saturation and vibrancy. I also like using camera colour screens to give a feeling of warmth or coldness. These are just a few of the things that will help give a pro like finish to normal photos.

[iDad]

"When it comes to pictures, PS can't give it a makeover and still have good quality." what are you saying?

[rhstanley3]

first of all a decent camera, and I don't mean a point-and-shoot with a built in lens. I'm talking about quality cameras. such as SLR's and DSLR's. My current favorite camera is a Cannon SLR known as the RT. Personally I think that knowing good photography will augment your photoshop skills greatly, so now that you've asked, I'm going to most likely write an extensive tutorial on basic photography. too bad i don't have a DSLR to provide the proper pictures you'll probably want. Anyways, when It's done, I'll come back here and post a link.

[Dezigns Unlimited]

I'm the only one doing the sprucing round here thank you very much!

Apart from all the other stuff, A slight blur on anything that isn't a focal point on the image, like around the babies head in the photo you used. Play with the brightness, saturation and vibrancy. I also like using camera colour screens to give a feeling of warmth or coldness. These are just a few of the things that will help give a pro like finish to normal photos.

Great post m8, and lulz @ you sprucing things!

first of all a decent camera, and I don't mean a point-and-shoot with a built in lens. I'm talking about quality cameras. such as SLR's and DSLR's. My current favorite camera is a Cannon SLR known as the RT. Personally I think that knowing good photography will augment your photoshop skills greatly, so now that you've asked, I'm going to most likely write an extensive tutorial on basic photography. too bad i don't have a DSLR to provide the proper pictures you'll probably want. Anyways, when It's done, I'll come back here and post a link.

Good point Stanley, i seen your Tutorial, great piece of work buddy..

[sprucemagoo1]

Why thank you very much kind sir.

[rhstanley3]

thanks. part 2 will probably be up later today, depending on how much homework i have today. photography is quite an extensive topic

[Scott20015]

Ok, I get that using a quality camera is a good starting point...numerous people have answered that part.
So I'll answer the rest of it generally...

1) Eyes are the window of the soul. They need to be clear and bright...I've even used a solid color fill adjustment layer of purer color and then set the layer opacity lower to accent them.

2) Set a white, Black and mid point using levels to get best tonal quality as your first move.

3) Remove color casts from each part of image individually to keep the most control (face, sleeper, bedding, etc)

4) USM (unsharp masking) can bring back minor areas that aren't detailed enough and even using a High Pass filter faded back and set to soft light will bring out the details.

5) Color correct the skin (too much to list here!)

There's is quite a bit that is involved...more than just a nice camera.

: )