check out this dude
http://www.topleftpixel.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=239

I'm in awe.

I use curve level's a lot.

same here, and gradient masks... but those softbush masks he does for dodging and burning... that's silly.

I need to learn more post processing.

wow, that's pretty sweet.

I've done softbrush before (never looked that good though) I've got some really nice actions that I wrote while I was working for a photo studio, along with some great tutorials I wrote (buried somewhere on my PC) nothing that came out quite that well, but they're good resources none-the-less

the_reverend said:

No.

the_reverend said:

I didn't really check out the process, but the before and afters of that picture are pretty cool. Very subtle but it adds a lot to the picture of you take a step back and look at them with fresh eyes.

very impressed, well done to that guy. whoever he/she/it is.