Damien Symonds

https://www.damiensymonds.net/what2buy_cal.html

Online and other monitors are meaningless. ONLY the print match matters. Do you still have them?

Right. So you're not calibrated at all. Calibrate again.

That kind of stuff is minor details. I just wanted to reiterate that the heart of this look is the aggressive midtone darkening layer, with the "Blend if" sliders being used to take it off the bright end.

That's ok, just bring in the white slider on the RGB channel on that final levels layer I just gave you.

Next step?

Just by taking readings from the sample photo you posted.

Good. Finally, to get the right colour tinge, add this Levels layer on top: R 0/0.98/255 and 17/244 G 0/1.00/255 and 14/242 B 0/1.02/255 and 9/244

No, this is what I said: You must do your skin smoothing on the colour version.

No, the smoothing must happen BELOW all adjustment layers. NEVER allow a pixel layer above adjustment layers.

What the heck??????? Show me a screenshot of your layers panel.

As you can see, I moved mine to 118. But play around and see what you like.

Thank you. Now, select the Levels layer, and go to Layer>Layer Style>Blending Options. Are you familiar with the "Blend if" sliders? I need you to Alt-click on this white slider and drag it in to about halfway: (You probably already know this, but using Alt breaks that little slider in half, allowing only one section to move).

Because you're a Premium Member, of course!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

For now, please follow my lead on this. I may surprise you and actually know what I'm doing 😱 At the end of the process, you might decide that you like 0.5. But for now, please show me 0.4.