Damien Symonds

Oh gee, I beg you, PLEASE don't wait a moment longer to take the Raw Class. However, your job right away is to fix the catastrophic colour space problem. Follow this troubleshooter all the way to its conclusion. While you're doing that, I'm going to have a play with your photo and see what's possible for the fix.

May I see the whole photo, or at least a larger area, so I understand the context here?

Oh gosh, the pattern is going to make it difficult, that's for sure. Go ahead and do your raw processing as normal, then post again for me, including a closer crop of the area (I always feel seedy asking that!)

Download the PSD

This is the best we can manage, I think: Some texture is lost, but hopefully nobody will look too closely. I'll upload the PSD in a moment ...

It's a fairly simple matter of layers and masks. Honestly, the editing side of things isn't challenging - it's the conception and photography you need to get right. Angles and lighting and so on. You need to give them a fair bit of thought. Edited: What Christina said.

Oh no, how annoying! Maybe we have to use the other sleeve, and darken it somehow? May I have a closeup of the other one?

What? I haven't given you the Photoshop steps yet! But yes, a re-shoot is the best option if available.

Yeah, your fake one looks fine. I don't know, to be honest. I wing it every time this question comes up.

Ok, so I started by adding a Levels layer, and on the Red channel, moving the middle slider to 1.50. Then inverted the mask, then gently painted over the rainbow, along the red area, slowly building up a bit of red glow. My mask looked like this: Then I duplicated that Levels layer, and on that new layer, I put the Red channel back to normal, and instead moved the middle slider on the Green channel to 1.50. Then I chose the Move Tool, and nudged the layer across to the right a bit, to create the green part of the rainbow. Then I repeated that process one more time - duplicated the layer, put the Green back to normal, and put the Blue middle slider on 1.50, then nudged it across some more. Here's what the layers panel looked like at the end:

Hi Julie, which version of Photoshop do you have?

Yes, I agree with Christina. It'll have to be a transplant from another photo. There's no way to fix this.

Oh, I think the sun spot is plausible. I think this looks great.

This is something I've always struggled with, I must admit. They're hard to enhance, aren't they? This is the best I can manage. Better than nothing?

For the record, this is incredibly difficult. Don't assume that you suck just because you can't make it look amazing. I can't either. As it happens, I think you've done really well. I just think there should be more on his leg right up under the bend in her knee.

Great! Now add a D&B layer and work on burning some artistic shadowing where needed.

If you turn that layer off and on a few more times, you'll see a spot you missed on her skirt. Also, blend the sand above his leg a bit more gently.

There's still an edge on the sand, at the bottom.

I agree, but finish your masking first.

Gee, I think it has potential!

@Kingdrea?

Gosh, yeah, maybe!

I don't see anything there that will help, I fear I don't know what to do

To be honest, I don't think you'll find it satisfactory. I never have - it's hard to read. It's better to have all-black text with a white stroke around it; or all-white text with a black stroke around it.

Oh gosh. Do you have any other photos, from which you could borrow more of her skirt to stretch it down over her knees?