Babine

Used the sliders in the Basic panel of ACR on a duplicate i.e. contrast, dehaze, highlights, etc then applied over the original with a mask.

Not my idea Ernie ... more trial and error when it was introduced into ACR. I also use it for an overall 'softer ' effect and play with the blend modes.

Apply the Dehaze slider in ACR to -100 to a duplicate then use a mask and a soft low -opacity brush to apply to your preference.

Thanks for the play.

Extracted to a new layer, BG desaturated a bit, darkened and blurred; missed fly-aways added back with a hair brush and smudge tool on a separate layer to control the opacity; selective sharpening.

I used ACR to remove the purple fringing. In CC, used the Sharpen/Shake Reduction filter in Darken Mode. Sharpened with a mask again in Darken Mode.

I agree that the original has been altered. I extracted the subject with the pen tool to a new layer and placed it back over a noise-filled BG then masked back the shadows.

I set colour sample points(2) on the face of the girl on picture right and matched their positions on the face of the girl on the left. With a selection of the girls face, I used curves adjustment ...

Happy Holidays!!!

Adjustments in ACR for lights, darks, contrast, etc then sharpened (in both lighten and dark mode). Applied with a mask. Couldn't stop there ...   :^)

Considering that the colour of the car is gray(?), I used curves adjustments layers to balance the histogram, added a copy of the car in soft light mode and selectively sharpened in darken mode.

Curves adjustments to adjust for colour and lighting, balance the histogram.

Subjectively.... with curves adjustments applied selectively.

Also corrected for coloured lighting. 12 mb file TIFF available here.

Dehazed, sharpened and histogram balanced in Adobe Camera Raw.

Thanks. Use ACR to enhance the colours contrast to balance the histogram; in CC, made a rough selection of the paddler and surrounding water to a new layer above then transformed the bottom later ...