CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Here's an example of 'fixing' an image, aka "PhotoShopping".

I'd mentioned on another thread a high-level process to fix a missing wingtip of a bird. I've included that original image in the corner of the fixed image, so you can get a sense of 'moving' the bird within the frame, as well as creating the missing wing-tip from the other side of the image.

Background

The image started as a RAW capture and was processed to completion in Lightroom (LR6). I then transferred the image to PhotoShopElements v2011 (PSE-11). At a high-level, I then:

1. Created a new and larger canvas.
2. Created 'new' sky around that bird so I could move the bird into the center of the larger frame. Here, I'm just merged sky from the original image and blending seamlessly.
3. 'Selected' the source wing-tip and created a layered copy of just that selection.
4. Flipped that layer of wingtip so it fits on the other side of the bird.
5. Merged / blended that wingtip onto the missing part of the bird.
6. Cropping the resulting bird from the larger canvas back to the original 3x2 crop
7. After importing the PSD from PSE back into LR, I considered the 3x2 and created this new 16:9 crop.

This took about 2 hours and isn't perfect. I really like the wingtip blending into the wing as well as all the sky blending. But, the wing-tip came from a slightly brighter section of sky and the process I used to 'select' that wingtip from the sky left the pixels a little ragged. Maybe this is a tool weakness. Probably a process weakness as I might have used a different brush setting and / or blending setting / mode.

I'd expect with better knowledge of the process, I can see I could get the process down to maybe 5- to 10-minutes. But honestly, this image isn't worth that additional investment in time. There's a level at which this image was kept only for the work as an exercise. I'm not sure I even would have kept the image otherwise, given there are better shots from the same day that don't require such extensive work.

What do you think? Was the result worth the effort? Does a specific 'problem' help to show how PS / PSE could be used to create / reuse image content to fix / finish an image?

If I selected instead some of the blue around the wingtip instead of trying for just the wingtip, do you think I could use a different mixing / blending mode to have those few pixels of extra blue blend into the sky? Better than the herkie / jagged results of this version?

With the image resized to 2048px on the long side, would you even look at both wingtips and wonder if they both existed in the original?

Although I say this took 2-hours, the process I 'knew' already and didn't need to research how-to videos, rather as I was building on ideas I already use frequently in PSE-11, just never like this type of fix. The thing I need to research now will be these ideas on how better to select and / or how better to blend. I'd like to believe the subscription PS software also does a better job. Maybe someday I'll know.

(Download)

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

UTMike Loc: South Jordan, UT

Thanks for taking the time, Paul!

JimmyTB

Thanks for the post and info Paul. Whether or not this image was worth the effort only you can say. But the skill is certainly well worth learning and perfecting, you never know when you may get that once in a lifetime shot, like a pair of eagles in their aerial courtship dance and you need to replace a wingtip or similar. Btw, it looked pretty seamless to me. Very nicely done

joecichjr Loc: Chicago S. Suburbs, Illinois, USA

Beautiful results 🤍🤍🎈🤍🤍

Ava'sPapa Loc: Cheshire, Ct.

Thank you Paul, for the info.

srsincary Loc: Cary, NC

Thanks for posting another useful tutorial.

I don't think Coursera offers content like this even for a fee!

👍👍

tcthome Loc: NJ

Worked & that is what matters! I wouldn't of know hadn't you of said.

ecobin Loc: Paoli, PA

Nice work.

mvetrano2 Loc: Commack, NY

Thank you for the exercise. The end reuslt looks good to me, but the original looks good to me also. It seems like way too much of a time consuming effort in Photoshop. I think I would have left it the way it was after Lightroom corrections.

I have both Lightroom and Photoshop. I use Lightroom exclusively and never use Photoshop. I have seen way too many videos on using Photoshop and still find it too difficult. My approach is, if I can't fix it in Lightroom, it usually gets deleted.

AZNikon Loc: Mesa, AZ

Me too!

Tomfl101 Loc: Mount Airy, MD

Bottom line is no one would ever know the left wing is a dupe of the right. Excellent work sir!

dpullum Loc: Tampa Florida

CHG_CANON, Your step 1 is a tool that is an often useful, too often not used modification of a photo. It is useful when adjusting prospective and straightening or as you did creating the additional background for positioning the main character.

Beyond that, my lazy way is my preference. The use of plugins is almost instantaneous. JPEG is simple in-camera processing of the RAW image... yes great debate in the photo world and UHH hundreds of times. RAW processing is fine if you love the effort. Do you buy an excellent cake in minutes or bake it from components in two hours of hard work? Are PS and LtRoom a cult status fixture considering that for most work one-time purchase programs are excellent and more than we normally need or ever use.

Shortcomings of photos can, by the magic of AI, be made better than real. [Or in the case of Google's Deep Dreams made surrealistically filled with dogs, birds, eyes, and other monstrosities... fun!!]
https://deepdreamgenerator.com/

Suggestion, for $12 you can modify your PSE with Elements Plus which opens many PS doors now closed to you. I am amazed that you are stuck in PSE 2011 there have been changes in the past 10 years, the latest is the addition of AI. I have 2022 Paintshop Pro Ultra... I up dated because of the addition of AI. Many changes in PSE 2022...
https://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop-elements/whats-new.html
https://elementsplus.net/

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

Jimmy T Loc: Virginia

Paul, you said, "This took about 2 hours and isn't perfect"
I think that it looks Great!
Thanks for the tutorial, it makes me . . .
Smile,
JimmyT Sends
Bravo Zulu