took these one year old pics - sun was really too bright (first mistake), but was hoping that since we were in the shade it would help. Got a much brighter than expected far background. i've cropped as much as i can, but don't know what else to do. please help.
The images are a little on the cool side, I would warm them a touch. That's an easy fix by adjusting your white balance. Theres not a lot you can do about hot-spots on a bright sunny day, maybe change your angle to not include the sunny areas in the background. That type of speckled light throws off your cameras sensor.
As for these images, if you wanna put the work into it, Id clip the baby and the blanket and change the background.
It will be a little tedious to mask the hair, but CS5 and the right plug-ins can handle it. What editing software are you using?
If you boost shadows to their max, is there any blue in the sky to be salvaged? If so, you could darken the picture and then use the dodge tool to darken the backround 2 or 3 stops without darkening the subject of the photo.
unfortunately, i don't have cs5 - using picasa & photoscape. mostly just relying on my eye....
Gimp is free and has a dodge tool. It's not as good as CS5's dodge tool, but might be worth playing around with.
(BTW: I don't know if you shot in JPG or RAW, but high contrast photos like these are one of the biggest reasons shooting in RAW gives a big advantage.)
Natalie wrote:
took these one year old pics - sun was really too bright (first mistake), but was hoping that since we were in the shade it would help. Got a much brighter than expected far background. i've cropped as much as i can, but don't know what else to do. please help.
Here is an idea by one with very limited knowledge and even less time. Photshop Elements 8 - mostly just selection of the forground and background - adusted both, did a little cloning and adjusted levels.
Nice job, you did that pretty quickly. The white balance is much better.
notnoBuddha wrote:
Natalie wrote:
took these one year old pics - sun was really too bright (first mistake), but was hoping that since we were in the shade it would help. Got a much brighter than expected far background. i've cropped as much as i can, but don't know what else to do. please help.
Here is an idea by one with very limited knowledge and even less time. Photshop Elements 8 - mostly just selection of the forground and background - adusted both, did a little cloning and adjusted levels.
How do you clone an area that large and make it look like it is normal? Mine always look like something was done to the pic...I wouldn't know if it had been posted just as you edited it..Linda
My cloning doesn't come out that well either. Do you drop your brush opacity while cloning or do you brush at full strength?
Have you tried CS5's new content aware fill? Pretty amazing algorithm, I barely use cloning now because of it.
johnrennie wrote:
My cloning doesn't come out that well either. Do you drop your brush opacity while cloning or do you brush at full strength?
Have you tried CS5's new content aware fill? Pretty amazing algorithm, I barely use cloning now because of it.
I am guessing that I brush at full strength...Need to look into the opacity matter...I only have PSE9 ( came with computer) and Paint.net...just downloaded Picasa Picnik...I can't afford CS5 right now...I don't know if PSE9 has content aware fill or not...will check that out... Does it need to be more or less opaque to make it look right...have trouble blending edges in a non textured background...Linda
Natalie wrote:
unfortunately, i don't have cs5 - using picasa & photoscape. mostly just relying on my eye....
I gave it a shot, what do you think?
evandr wrote:
Natalie wrote:
unfortunately, i don't have cs5 - using picasa & photoscape. mostly just relying on my eye....
I gave it a shot, what do you think?
WoW....very good...makes all the difference in the world...I need to work on my cloning skills cuz I am not very good at it...at all!!
Natalie...what program is Photoscape?
Photoscape is part of the Gimp editing program - they are both free downloads. i need to practice on cloning too - i usually use it to "remove' something, not such a big area. i tried cloning that grass, but the area is just so big, it looks sloppy. guess i'll keep practicing.....
these are wonderful! what's really weird, there is a tree a little further to the left - it's like you rotated the picture. cool! did you pull that off another picture?
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