Damien Symonds

Actually, no, not this time First Levels layer: Green channel 0/0.50/255 and 0/130 Blue channel 0/1.00/255 and 0/100 Mask VERY carefully to the red part of the flag. Second Levels layer: Red channel 0/0.50/255 and 0/225 Green channel 0/0.60/255 and 0/245 Mask VERY carefully to the blue part of the flag.

Do not - repeat, DO NOT - try to remove the red cast. It belongs there, it's meant to be there, and the photo would look darn weird without it. Instead, make the flag redder. Own the cast. Give me a few minutes, I'll post something.

Even though it looks yellow, and orange in some parts, was the flag in actuality red?

http://www.damiensymonds.net/calibration.html

This is most likely a monitor profile issue, but we won't know for sure until you calibrate. Report back when you have done so.

I made something for you!

(It applies equally to "giving" as it does to "selling".)

How is this?

No, sorry, the repeated patterns are still really obvious. You'll need to find some generic greenery from a different photo to put in there, I think.

Well, the next time you have a photo, post it here IMMEDIATELY. And I urge you to take a little time to read these.

Fair enough. And just to check, have you read this?

He'd pour a tall drink, and start patiently cloning out the most prominent strand. He'd ignore all the thinner wisps, because he values his sanity.

Good on the left, bad on the right.

And stop using Photomechanic.

Gee, your cloning is pretty obvious in the background

Whoa. For future reference: http://www.damiensymonds.net/2010/09/extract-then-copy-vs-copy-then-extract.html For now, I suggest adding a Levels layer above the dad layer, and clipping it thereto (Ctrl Alt G). Then change the Levels layer's blend mode to either Soft Light or Overlay, and see if you like the slight extra punch.

I have a suggestion, but I'm not sure how it will work. May I see a screenshot of your layers panel?

Oh my goodness, it's wonderful.

These are files that you're selling to a client?

Oh gee, Stacey, that's a gift, use it. Your Grandad's feet are at a plausible angle that your Dad's are not. I'd try to use GD's feet, and merge the two men mid-leg if at all possible. It wouldn't be easy, but it would DEFINITELY be worth it.

Yes, it looks great to me.

May we see the original? I agree with Christina, for whatever it's worth. I think his opacity should be lower.

If your Grandad was there before, could you have used his feet shadow?

No, sorry.