I have a photograph that moves me tremendously but the colors are not there in the photo and I don't know how to make the photo something more compelling to do it justice. This is a photo of my two nieces at Disney World and my mother would love for me to paint it. I just find the colors boring and I don't know enough about photoshop or enhancing photographs to know what will give it the boost that it needs. I love these two girls and this photo has an essence of their love for each other that I would love to be able to capture but am at a loss for how to go about it. I am not interested in a grid, step by step photo copy painting - I want it to look like an oil painting and have some life and love in it. Any suggestions are appreciated - thank you in advance for your generosity.

this is without cropping or any adjustments. My initial drafts involve cropping via more golden mean with Julia, in the wheelchair, being the focus. I would love to paint this with love and liveliness = perhaps color Natalie's dress better? I love the shadows but there is just still some "blah" there that is not compelling when I think of something framed. HELP! Thank you again...
Comments
The subjects are small, backlit, almost silhouette, out of focus and in shadow. What you are trying to retrieve here is the emotional narrative. The pathway here is symbolic for life's journey.
My suggestion would be to use this inspiration to set up a photo session and take many bracketed exposures with the intent of getting a great shot for painting.
Denis
not good I'm afraid,
Very very pixelated when cropped, the hard lines of the paving are a major compositional impediment..adjustment to contrast, brightness etc not much of a help.
You could try try submitting it to photoshoprequest or picrequest on Reddit to see if someone on there can assist- there are a couple of geniuses on there.
Thank you for your kind words.
The location at Disney is immaterial. Any park pathway would do. Sketch an outline of what you want and get a South Carolina photographer or family member to take it for you.
This spark of inspiration is precious and you will be forever wishing you had followed through.
Make it a priority project and think through the obstacles.
Denis
Thank you!!!! truly.
I think what I am going to do is try to make that path go more off to the left (out of frame) so the perspective line will be more severe into a vanishing point to the far right tree trunk. That will also make the path not be involved with Julia's head anymore - I will work on my measurements tomorrow. Like if the vanishing point is more in line with that far right tree trunk than the other tree to the left? Do you think that is on the right track?
Edited to add: I just commented that I can't change the world and now look.... I am trying to change the path and trees at Disney World of all places! I think Mr. Disney would be amused.
I would have never known that that hard edge was what was making it so undesirable for me. Of course, I LOVE the warm and I'm sure I'll get a little crazy with it - I'll try to slow down and be meticulous where it needs it. Thank you ever so much.
I have a golf tournament out of town for the next few days so I will start this on Sunday. I may sketch it out today as I have some canvas stained and ready for charcoal. that way the charcoal can be setting a bit before I paint. I wish I liked those yellow pencils but they just aren't cutting it for me. If I get a sketch done, I may post the progress.
I'm so excited!!!
I try to get my lights and darks down and general tone down after working out the composition (the compostion took many hours but this seemed to be the best). In seeing this photo of my initial block-in, I already don't like that Julia's head looks like she is sad so I will be adjusting her hair first thing tomorrow! She is a happy girl.
The girls now look like they are headed to the Promised Land
I know this one is for your mum but do you think the girls would like a copy each?You could get copies printed onto canvas for them- that would be 2 crossed of the Christmas list.
So, I sent the original photo to my sister, told her that I didn't know what to do about Julia's legs because the stoppers that I removed made it look like she had artificial legs and was distracting. She wrote back and said she didn't understand why it looks like she doesn't have any legs.
Then, Eureka! I turned the painting upside down and immediately saw my horrible error - when I took the stoppers out, I brought her backpack up about a millimeter and a half - it immediately didn't read right to my sister. So, I made her backpack the correct size and now, it reads correct. Julia was born with spina bifida and is paralyzed from the waist down - she definitely has legs and would have been upset at my amputation of them.
Thank you @Boudicca for helping me with your amazing computer skills to give me inspiration. The painting does look better in person - I don't know why my fancy new camera was not cooperating yesterday.
Just another lesson that reference material is the most important thing - anything subpar is a recipe for headaches.
as per usual, photo stinks.