What edits required for picture on the right?

[Ashwin]

I'm not sure if this is the right place for this question - can anyone help me with what edits I can make to picture A so that it looks like picture B? 

Picture B is actually Apple's RAW algorithm on my RAW file while viewing it in the file explorer and picture A is just my RAW file. I'm only a photo editing novice so I'm wondering if anyone else can help. 

Main thing I'm looking for help on is the face. Somehow Picture B looks very naturalistic, smoother, crisper, all at the same time while bringing out details that don't really even seem to exist in the RAW file.

Thanks in advance for any help

[v_kyr]

Well just from the above shown JPG and thus for that one ...

1. Whitebalance adjustment
2. Levels & Curves adjustment
3. A little bit brightness/contrast

 

For a RAW file (had just the JPG for tryouts) exposer compensation would enhance things too. - BTW you can switch for Affinity Photo on Macs the underlaying RAW engine to use, so you can use on Macs instead of Affinity's the Apple RAW engine as default. Look under the "Settings-Assistent" there then the button "Development Assistent...".

 

[Fixx]

+ sharpening: In Develop persona Details: Detail refinement for basic sharpening, and probably unsharp mask after develop depending usage.

AP develop does not sharpen images by default so this is needed.

[Ashwin]

Oh wow, thank you guys!

On 12/8/2019 at 7:27 PM, v_kyr said:

 

1. Levels & Curves adjustment

 

What curves adjustment did you make? 

 

On 12/8/2019 at 7:27 PM, v_kyr said:

For a RAW file (had just the JPG for tryouts) exposer compensation would enhance things too. - BTW you can switch for Affinity Photo on Macs the underlaying RAW engine to use, so you can use on Macs instead of Affinity's the Apple RAW engine as default. Look under the "Settings-Assistent" there then the button "Development Assistent...".

That's super cool. Thank you for this!

 

On 12/8/2019 at 11:02 PM, Fixx said:

+ sharpening: In Develop persona Details: Detail refinement for basic sharpening, and probably unsharp mask after develop depending usage.

This made a world of a difference. I started shooting RAW not really knowing the purpose of it but this alone makes a big difference, especially with portraits. 

[v_kyr]

3 hours ago, Ashwin said:

What curves adjustment did you make?

Image adjustments are always image dependent and varies among exposers and lightning. However for this shot something like ...

Sharpening would always be the last step I apply, after any other tweaking/modifications. And image/subject dependent either the whole or possibly only for selected portions.

[MEB]

Hi Ashwin,
Welcome to Affinity Forums
Just in case you are not aware, you can set Affinity Photo to use Apple (Core Image RAW) engine by default. Open a RAW file go to menu View > Assistant Manager and change the RAW engine dropdown to Apple (Core Image RAW). Reload the RAW file for the new setting take effect.