Short tutorial, plus more!

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Using Photoshop CS3
I include an example of modifying this technique to work with a different image.

Something to keep in mind with this method: the original image is not highly saturated with color - there are no extreme reds, blues, nothing really. The results are not good if there is a high contrast or high saturation of color.

01.Start out with the image at full size and do auto-levels, auto-contrast, auto-colors.
**Note about Auto-Colors: Often auto-color will drastically change the image [ex: changing this to this, which is just fugly] so if that happens, hit Shift+Ctrl+F (Shift+Cmd+F on a Mac) and fade the auto-colors [I usually go to 50% or below, to get these results]**

01b.If your image is high resolution, resize to a size that is easier to navigate/use (I usually resize so the widest or highest pixel amount is either 900 or 700, depending on what monitor I'm using).
01c. If you resized, do the autos once more.

02.Curves layer: to lighten obviously.
1st point at input:62/output:72
2nd point at input:191/output:207


03.Color Balance: I wanted to bring out her eyes, so I increased the blues, without making it much darker yet.
Midtones: 8. 0. 4
Shadows: -1. -1. -4
Highlights: -13. 0. 7.


04.Color Fill: I knew I needed to enhance the shadows, so I used a color fill which obviously adds color, but would also take the brightness down a smidge.
#dbd2d2 on Color Burn, change the FILL to 20%


05.Selective Colors: Her lips are so neutral, so I added some red to several colors. And I always increase the black a notch or two.
Red: -19. 0. 0. 12.
Yellow: -53
Magenta: -51
Black: 0.0.0.2.


06. I wanted to do more, and this was one of those times when an experiment worked.
Select the base layer and hit Shift+Ctrl+Alt+E (Shift+Cmd+Alt+E on mac) to Stamp Visible
-be sure this layer is below the Curves level


TADA!
If your final version is too light, unselect/delete the curves layer. (sometimes I will unselect the curves level, then stamp visible, and then select it again.


And here is an example of taking a tutorial and adjusting it to work for a different image.
Working with this image:


This is how it looks with the above method:

OH DEAR GOD NO TURN IT OFF.

Even without the curves layer:


Clearly it needs to be darker and just have more color.
So I increased the fill of the color layer to 40% just to increase the overall shade

Then changed the selective colors:
because the reds needed to be darker/deeper:
Red: -20.20.0.20
because I wanted to bring out her eyes:
Green: 0.-100.0.0
Cyan: 100.0.0.0
Blue: 0.0.-100.0
Black: 0.0.0.10
because I wanted more color overall:
Neutrals: 13.11.11.7


Then I did the Stamp Visible ABOVE the curves level:

SUCCESS. TELL YOUR FRIENDS.

Other examples with this coloring:


Let me know if you have any questions or I don't make sense. The reason I get all wordy is because I want to try and teach people about WHY I do certain coloring techniques.