Photoshop Progressions

After choosing the most appropriate and visually effective photo out of all the ones I had taken of Connie posing, I decided to develop and edit the photo, to make it suit the existing image of my front cover layout and design. First of all, I used the 'sharpen' tool to create a more crisp-looking image. I then used the auto-brightness tool to adjust the light exposure and make it look more modern. After looking at the arrangement of the text I wanted for my front cover, I then used the 'flip horizontal' adjustment to turn the picture around, so that Connie was facing the other way, to fit better with the layout. I hadn't used this tool before and found it to be really useful.

In order to blank out the background parts, like the plug socket on the wall, the door and the skirting boards, I used a technique I was shown, which was to use the colour-dropper tool to pick out the main overall grey-ish scale background colour. It was then added to the palette, so I could used a wide brush tool to edit out the background parts I didn't want to be seen. I found this effect really successful, and I am pleased with the results.
Using the crop tool afterwards, I managed to cut out parts of the photo that were just acting as negative space that wasn't needed. The final adjustment I made was using the 'Render' tool, to add a 'lens flare' to the picture, creating a modern, photographic effect.

Here are some screen shots of the editing process of the chosen final photo:

Before and after the horizontal flip of the image.

The Final Progression