It's All About the Eyes

I have found the secret to enhancing Wildlife images, in particular being able to add life to dull, dark, lifeless "eyes". In the past, Color Efex Pro 3.0 Tonal Contrast was my filter of choice, but since Viveza 2 arrived on the scene, all of my images begin with a little touchup with this fabulous filter.

By using the Shadow Adjustment with Viveza 2 and using Control Points to selectively enhance the eye area, I am able to bring out the catchlights, lashes and even the iris. If you've seen any of my "Critters and Creatures" webinars, one of my favorite sayings is "It's all about the eyes". If you don't have that spark, your image will lose some of that magic.

Here is an example of how I used Viveza 2 and the Shadow Adjustment with a Control Point to bring out some of that detail.

Before

After