2016 Project 52, 1st quarter by Judith Noble (Urbanflyer)

Week 12--Spring in the Swamp

I could really use some help with this one. Since I am trying to expand my understanding of the capabilities of PS I chose a photo that did not have the proper DOF. The nearly the entire photo was in focus. I used some of what I have learned this year to select the background and apply a blur to it. Then I ended up with fringing around the skunk cabbage. I assume that had to do with the imprecision of the prior selection. What should I pay attention to in the selection process? Then I worked on the fringing and reduced it considerably but would appreciate knowing how others approach correcting fringing when it occurs.

Original Image

http://i68.tinypic.com/2uj4ahd.jpg


Post Processed Image
http://i68.tinypic.com/2znwinq.jpg

This has worked reasonably well, Judith. On the few bits which look to have a problem I would say you haven't feathered the selection sufficiently so you have a hard edge.

What I do, is using two slightly different methods, select the required area then fade by at lest 5 pixels.

One option is to use the freehand selection lasoo and draw just outside the required area. Feather the selection by around 12 pixels. Then I slightly sharpen the selected area. After which I often invert the selection and apply some noise reduction.

The other method uses one of the auto selection brushes to paint in a selection (using both positive and negative brushes) until it looks about right. Then Refine Edge (or similar with other software) use about 2 pixels setting to refine the edge then feather 5 or 6 pixels and finally expand the selection slightly if the feather is looking to be too close to the edge.

Once again, invert to reduce noise.

But it looks as though you are selecting to apply a substantial blur to the background which is a lot more problematic. Possibly selecting the main subject and inverting may be easier than working on the actual background but that depends on each actual image.

Either way, a bit more feather may help.

Sometimes it is necessary to tidy up an edge with various blur or erase brushes depending on what you are doing. Or to clone from other areas. In which case it can be helpful to carefully draw out a selected area with around 1 or 2 pixels feather so the clone effect is constrained within the selection. This can work out a lot easier than having to clone extremely carefully; but still getting a bit of 'bleed from the brush. Slightly hardening the brush can help to reduce bleed.

So no easy simple answer and each case tends to be slightly different.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Geoff F

....... Possibly selecting the main subject and inverting may be easier than working on the actual background but that depends on each actual image.......

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I agree with Geoff but would just add the selection as follows "Possibly selecting the main subject and inverting the selection " I doubt in reading the full context of what Geoff wrote it would be misunderstood but just added to totally eliminate any chance of confusion.

The only other thing I would add that the use of layers and layer masks helps a lot in tidying up and making fine adjustments.

Judith, sorry for being late to this post, but I am on vacation. The method that I now used is this from Adorama. Hope this helps.

thank you Geoff, Paul and Izzy--I will be experimenting with this during the week. I really appreciate your help!

Week 13--Glowing leaf

This is a photo from a few years ago. I have played a lot with this shoot and in this attempt I have tried to pay attention to a lot of details that I think make a better image--

Original image
http://i66.tinypic.com/t0gkn7.jpg


after post processing

http://i63.tinypic.com/2975mu.jpg




As always--C & C gratefully accepted and built upon

A good edit. But the main problem seems to be your focus was on the background leaves which has left the main element, that small foreground leaf, slightly soft; and no amount of editing will change that.

Could you slightly darken the shadows on that area to give it a bit more 'pop'?

But I'm examining this image very critically at full screen size; so in reality, it isn't too bad after all. ;)

In this already state, I suppose you cannot go back and re-shoot so I will suggest LCE on the main leaf of topic and then inverse your selection (Ctrl + Shift + I) and blur the background ever so slightly.

Here are some tutorials here at CiC:

https://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tu...nhancement.htm

https://www.cambridgeincolour.com/forums/thread2022.htm

Week 14 Lovely Gentleman found in Southern California

A change of pace. Basic image was not bad but I thought to improve it to practice some PS techniques. C & C always sought and appreciated.

Original photo

http://i68.tinypic.com/bgtsh3.jpg

Photo with post processing

http://i63.tinypic.com/25jibk6.jpg

Judith -- that background blue bit is a bit distracting...if mine I will select that gold and blue and use the patch tool in Photoshop. That will make the background even. Just a thought...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by IzzieK

Judith -- that background blue bit is a bit distracting...if mine I will select that gold and blue and use the patch tool in Photoshop. That will make the background even. Just a thought...

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Of course! It was a very bright turquoise, as you can see, so I brought it down but didn't think of eliminating the bit altogether. I will try that!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Urbanflyer

Week 14 Lovely Gentleman found in Southern California

A change of pace. Basic image was not bad but I thought to improve it to practice some PS techniques. C & C always sought and appreciated.

Original photo

http://i68.tinypic.com/bgtsh3.jpg

Photo with post processing

http://i63.tinypic.com/25jibk6.jpg

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Nice, what type of processing did you do, it looks like a flash effect was applied to the image?

Is the edit crop just a fraction too tight? Otherwise, it looks OK to me.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Shadowman

Nice, what type of processing did you do, it looks like a flash effect was applied to the image?

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I usually start with the Camera Raw Filter in PhotoshopCC. Then do dodging and burning as needed and, sometimes a little selective color adjustment. Often the adjustments in the Camera Raw Filter are enough.

Thanks for your comment!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Geoff F

Is the edit crop just a fraction too tight? Otherwise, it looks OK to me.

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Agree opening up the space a little might be useful. Thanks for the comment!