Flower photo enhancement in Photoshop - Tutorial

Photoshop Tutorial - Photo enhancement

Since couple of days, I have been working on some of my old flower shots which I never looked into after clicking. :( While searching for tutorial on flower photo enhancement in internet, I have not come across anything which particularly touch upon all the aspects of enhancement. Hence, I thought I should create one tutorial for my viewers as well as for myself in case of future reference

So, here it is .... (If you find a better tutorial, please feel free to share in the comment)

Step 1 : Open the image in Photoshop
Step 2 : Resize the image as per your requirement (for my example, I resize it to 900 pixel width)
Step 3 : Duplicate background layer (it is advised to have the background layer untouched all the time if in case you don't want the changes and wants to go back to the starting point )
- Right click on the layer - Duplicate layer -Ok

Step 3 : At this stage, I like to work on LAB(Light / A/ B) mode
- Right click on the layer - Convert to smart object - Double click on the smart object thumbnail (the red square in the image below)

- Now you be taken to another tab - now we have to convert this to Lab mode - follow the steps in the image

- Click on "Create New Fill or Adjustment layer icon" + Curves / or Click on image +Adjustments + curves

- Select "a" in the box highlighted below and choose the "Click and Drag in image to modify the curve" tool, which is also highlighted in the box below (the tool which looks like a hand)

- Also you can select "b" and click and drag till you get something which you like

- After selecting the channels "a" and "b" and dragging the curve, I have something like this below

- Then you click the "x" to close this file and when promted to save, click "Yes"

- Rename this layer to "Lab Copy)

Step 4 : At this stage, Let's sharpen the image

- Duplicate the Lab Copy layer -  Click on Blending Mode - Select Linear light

- Now you will have an image which is extremely dark but do not worry
- Now click on "Filter", then "Other" and "High Pass"

- For my image, I choose a lower radius as I don't like overly sharpen image. you can adjust this as per your liking

- This action has sharpen the entire frame but I wanted to only sharpen the flower. So, I will click on "Layer", then "Layer Mask" and "Hide All"

- Now paint with the brush only the flower area to unhide, if you have painted area which you don't want, just change the color from white to black and paint that area to hide again. You can see the area I painted with white to unhide

Step 5 : This is just repeating Step 4 with only one change 
- Duplicate layer - Pull up the layer on the top - Blending mode to "Overly" and repeat all the steps in Step 4

Step 6 : This is just repeating Step 4 with only one change 
- Duplicate layer - Pull up the layer on the top - Blending mode to "Soft Light" and repeat all the steps in Step 4

Step 7 : Reduce Noise
 - Duplicate the Lab Copy Lager again. CLick on Filter + Noise + Reduce Noise

- You can play around the highlighted area to check the noise in your image and choose whichever number looks good

- Add a layer mask and unhide the background and now the image looks like this

Before and After image below :

Have Fun!