Another Workflow Method..

Another approach I use and am doing on the "Diva" story is this..

When the Raw image has been imported in to Camera Raw, I Sharpen at between 25-30 on the slider and 50 on Color Noise Reduction, Luminance Smoothing at Zero. Click OK.

When in Photoshop, go to Layers and make a Duplicate Layer. Now Desaturate the image. Go to the Layers Menu and click on Soft Light. Now, because you didn't use the Contrast Unsharp move, i.e. 10-15 percent at 40-60 pixels you can push the Opacity and Fill sliders much harder. 60 to 90 percent. When back in PS you can now push up your overall Saturation if so desired by +5 to +10 to compensate in the loss of Saturation produced by adding the B&W layer. I don't, I like that Desaturated look. It's a matter of taste..

Ben

You can compare it to other method that is posted at:
http://pentaxlife.com/benjamin-kanarek-post-processing-method#more-213

Thank you. I'm always impressed by your generosity.

Thanks, I will want to try that when i get photoshop.

Pahrens - you have two options:
1) Get Photoshop Elements. Many methods work fine on this too.
2) Get GimpShop. www.gimpshop.net - free. It's the GIMP with a Photoshop-like exterior.

Have fun
Matt

Thanks Matt, I am putting money away for Photoshop. When I have enough CS3 should be out.

Just FYI, once you've bought a full version of Photoshop, upgrades are only a couple of hundred bucks (US). Once they have you, they want to keep you in the family!

Each license allows you to use it on one desktop and one laptop (in reality, two computers) but you cant use them at the the same time (as a friend of mine found out when he tried to have both up at the same time on a pair of networked computers).