C&C/Discussion from Random Thread

Tiriel

I have to ask how this was done!

CabanSail wrote: »

C&C Welcome

I remember the shot you had years ago of the egg in the pan shaped like Ireland (I'm also still curious about that one!) and this is along the same vein - a real statement shot.

A blend of images - one taken on salt or sugar or something and another wearing the glasses?! It's well done!

ScumLord

I would assume just photoshop someones eyes into the glasses. Technically it's not that hard to achieve at all.

CabanSail

It was done very quickly.

First shot was a simple portrait wearing glasses.
Second shot was the glasses on a sheet with the back raised.
(Both shots taken in the same light, so the shadows will match)

Then I opened the two images in Photoshop.
Cut out the eyes and glasses in the first shot and pasted it on the second as a new layer.
Changed the layer opacity to 50%
Then used Transform to adjust the two layers to align.
Reset opacity to 100%
I then combined the two via a mask *
Used the brush tool to paint in the eyes.
Then flattened image and did my normal PP workflow.


*I made a mask from a channel with the glasses with high contrast and did a calculation using Overlay. I then refined that mask after a I applied it and nested the layer to get a second mask to brush in. Sounds complex but saved a bit of time rather than spend longer using the brush tool.

The above method was much the same for the Irish Egg shot except I did an extra step. Found a map of Ireland and put the egg on it at a lower opacity. Then used the liquefy tool to manipulate the egg to fit the map with a freeze on the yolk.

challengemaster

CabanSail wrote: »

It was done very quickly.

First shot was a simple portrait wearing glasses.
Second shot was the glasses on a sheet with the back raised.

Then I opened the two images in Photoshop.
Cut out the eyes and glasses in the first shot and pasted it on the second as a new layer.
Changed the layer opacity to 50%
Then used Transform to adjust the two layers to align.
Reset opacity to 100%
I then combined the two via a mask *
Used the brush tool to paint in the eyes.
Then flattened image and did my normal PP workflow.


*I made a mask from a channel with the glasses with high contrast and did a calculation using Overlay. I then refined that mask after a I applied it and nested the layer to get a second mask to brush in. Sounds complex but saved a bit of time rather than spend longer using the brush tool.

Lot of unnecessary stuff there. Why bother cutting out the eyes when you were using a layer mask anyway?

Quick selection or colour range would have been easier and probably quicker for the mask

I have absolutely no idea why you'd flatten the image.

CabanSail

When I say Cut Out I just did a box selection of the area and moved that into the other image. 5 seconds.

Mask via Channels & Calculations then a quick refine, probably less than 30 seconds.

I flattened the image as I was then going to do the normal post processing workflow. My Action will delete layers above the Background so flattening was necessary.

I am not saying that this is the only way to do it, it's just how I did it. From import to finish was about 5 minutes, so pretty easy really.

challengemaster

CabanSail wrote: »

When I say Cut Out I just did a box selection of the area and moved that into the other image. 5 seconds.

Mask via Channels & Calculations then a quick refine, probably less than 30 seconds.

I flattened the image as I was then going to do the normal post processing workflow. My Action will delete layers above the Background so flattening was necessary.

I am not saying that this is the only way to do it, it's just how I did it. From import to finish was about 5 minutes, so pretty easy really.

More than one way to skin a cat, I prefer the least destructive yet most efficient way though

BTW, would your action have worked if it was a smart object? Easy way to avoid flattening. And out of curiosity, what does your action do?

Also you can see a small bit of the original frames in the picture - I'd suggest expanding the eyes a touch... but alas you can't :pac:

CabanSail

I can re-edit as I saved the interim step before flattening. I like to keep things non destructive too.

The action set does a LOT. Opens up the dynamic range, puts in contrast control in Shadows, Midtones & Highlights performs Colour Cleaning and Boosting has variable and controllable Shapening etc. etc.

Tiriel

Thanks CabanSail for the explanation - a few things there that I haven't heard of -

I made a mask from a channel with the glasses with high contrast and did a calculation using Overlay.

I'm not sure what you mean by mask from channel or calculation using overlay - could you explain? I use the overlay blend mode but not sure about calculation!

I've never used recipes actually, another thing on my list to look into along with making my own brushes.

CabanSail

Cork_girl wrote: »

I'm not sure what you mean by mask from channel or calculation using overlay - could you explain? I use the overlay blend mode but not sure about calculation!

Each image is made up of three channels, Red Green & Blue. You can utilise these to make very good masks. Under the Image menu is a function called Calculations.



These settings will make a mask using the Red Channel. The best blends are Multiply, Overlay and Screen.

This is using the image itself to make a mask which is very intuitive. You can also use the invert boxes for some masks.

Does this make sense?

Tiriel

CabanSail wrote: »

Each image is made up of three channels, Red Green & Blue. You can utilise these to make very good masks. Under the Image menu is a function called Calculations.



These settings will make a mask using the Red Channel. The best blends are Multiply, Overlay and Screen.

This is using the image itself to make a mask which is very intuitive. You can also use the invert boxes for some masks.

Does this make sense?

I've never seen that before! I must check it out when I go home to see if it's in my version (CS4) - but I'm intrigued!

CabanSail

It's been in Photoshop forever .... just not known about. Very powerful.

ScumLord

Cork_girl wrote: »

I've never seen that before!

That's the great thing about photoshop, you can be using it for years and still find out new things about it. It's a never ending learning process.

challengemaster

Is that not essentially the exact same as ctrl clicking on the red channel and then clicking the layer mask icon?

CabanSail

challengemaster wrote: »

Is that not essentially the exact same as ctrl clicking on the red channel and then clicking the layer mask icon?

That would use the channel directly. Calculations let you refine the mask.

challengemaster

CabanSail wrote: »

That would use the channel directly. Calculations let you refine the mask.

But all calculations does is combine 2 channels which you then use directly to make a selection...

CabanSail

Yes - and you can blend a channel with itself to create some very useful masks. These can be automated into an Action and then a Droplet.