Just guidance

[u8myufo]

Ok so I am no expert at Photoshop, but my pictures are improving each week, I just grab an hour or two when I can. I took a few quick shots indoors and chose this one to practice on. Any comments on what I should be improving on? So far I have just been practising, dodge and burn, clone, sharpening, and the usual levels, contrast etc. What I was wondering is, is there any order that these adjustments should be made? I assume that there is one of those (as a rule) guide out their.
Any comments welcome
Cheers

Original

After

 

[purpleclouds]

That's a pretty darn good edit!!

 

[u8myufo]

Thanks Purplecloud, I am proud of it. I have done a couple of variations but plumped for this one, I suppose its knowing what to apply, when to apply it, and how much. I will be honest, I just play around with it untill I am happy with it, maybe on a hobby level that is the way to stay. But at the same time I cannot help but wonder can I squeeze a little bit more out of it, and its at that point I will raise my hands and say, if it can be improved upon further then I am up the creek, because I dont know what else I can do to give it that bit more.

Thanks again

 

[Mikesphotaes]

I am an out-of-the-camera fella, but you really have worked miracles with that PP.

 

[totalfusion]

That's a pretty good edit - not purrrfect (sorry, could not resist ), but a damn better job than I could have done with the background challenges. Makes it even more impressive when you take the fur into account - hair and fur always offer a challenge.

Nice, well done