Photoshop Tutorial Quest

1.) Retro photo

{attempt 1}

(original)

This was my first attempt at the retro photo. It looks okay, but i feel like it does not mach with the examples shown in the tutorial. It just looks like a red filter was placed over the original picture. This effect can be put on any picture and it would look retro.

   
  {attempt 2} 

(original)

This was my second attempt at the retro photo. I think it looks better than the first one i did. It has contrasting colors, like the bright yellows and the dark red/violet. 

https://blog.spoongraphics.co.uk/tutorials/create-a-trendy-retro-photo-effect-in-3-easy-steps



2.) Dreamy Effect

(original)

I tried to put a lens flare effect on this picture, but it didn't work out as well as i thought it would. It just looks like a simple gradient. The effect should have made the picture light pink/purple and obviously "dreamy", but it just looks like it has a white gradient placed over top of the photo.
https://medialoot.com/blog/create-a-dreamy-effect-in-photoshop/