Adobe Photoshop and CS

[Snurk71]

I just bought Scott Kelby's book this weekend, since I've had PSE 4 for 6 months but don't really know how to use it well. I like what I've read so far - it has some good real life examples of how to use the software instead of just going through menu by menu item.

I doubt I'll ever get real good with photo editing, because I'm color blind. But here is one of the first things I've played with. Only took about 30 seconds.

A horribly backlit picture with Captain Hook - no use of keeping whatsoever (or so I thought)...

to one you can actually see who's in the picture...

DW was amazed at how the picture went from nothing to something. Though she's probably a little easy to amaze with some technological things, as she isn't as much of a computer geek as I am.

 

[klmall]

after

(if a gray strip is across the bottom i couldn't get it to download righton photoshop , that isn't on the real picture)

jann1033 -Your mountain pictures are beautiful! Where were they taken?

FYI - For those looking for 'book help' with Photoshop Elements, I have been using "Photoshop Elements by Example" written by Mark Clarkson; very user friendly and helpful with versions 3 and 4 (don't know about 5). It was readily available on Amazon about a year ago and I got a used copy for practically nothing.

 

[jann1033]

this one was taken on the blue ridge parkway either around mt mitchel/asheville NC area OR between asheville and boone Nc,but it think the first place due to where it's at on the memory card.

that is my problem with bigger cards and multiple vacation stops, i forget where i was when i took it...anyone know a solution to that ?

 

[manning]

this one was taken on the blue ridge parkway either around mt mitchel/asheville NC area OR between asheville and boone Nc,but it think the first place due to where it's at on the memory card.

that is my problem with bigger cards and multiple vacation stops, i forget where i was when i took it...anyone know a solution to that ?

You need one of those Sony cameras that embeds the GPS location.

 

[kbnovak]

Dznefreek,

Now THAT is cool. I've seen images like these done with tilt/shift lenses, but doing it in PS makes is feasible.

Care to share your PP technique?

Kevin

 

[iwynlea]

I just bought PSE 5 at Best Buy on Black Friday...now I just have to learn how to use it! Keep the examples coming, as this really helps me to know what the possibilities are!

 

[Dznefreek]

Care to share your PP technique?

If I remember correctly . . .

Open an image in Photoshop
Press "Q" for Quick Mask
Press "D" to get B&W as you color choices, Black on top, click curved arrow to change.
Choose gradient from the tools, make sure 4th icon is a cylinder
Put your cursor over the focal poit you want and draw a line up to the top of the frame.
Press "Q" again
Go to Filter->Blur->Lens Blur
Play around with the settings never go below 250 on Threshold
Iris - Hexagon 6
Radius - 57
Curvature and Rotaion - 0
Brightness 35
These are just initial settings, try different ones

 

[JonetteA]

Hey I am a true newbie to Photshop. I have version 7.0, and I am wondering if someone can give me some help. I have a picture that I want to remove the people out of but keep the background intact. Can someone help???

Thanks!

Jonette

 

[SplshMtn99]

I just bought Scott Kelby's book this weekend, since I've had PSE 4 for 6 months but don't really know how to use it well. I like what I've read so far - it has some good real life examples of how to use the software instead of just going through menu by menu item.

I doubt I'll ever get real good with photo editing, because I'm color blind. But here is one of the first things I've played with. Only took about 30 seconds.

A horribly backlit picture with Captain Hook - no use of keeping whatsoever (or so I thought)...

to one you can actually see who's in the picture...

DW was amazed at how the picture went from nothing to something. Though she's probably a little easy to amaze with some technological things, as she isn't as much of a computer geek as I am.

Great work! I was wondering if you would share WHICH book it is by Scott Kelby -- he's written several. I was just about ready to buy the Missing Manual today, but now I would like to also look at this book, but I'm not sure which one it is. I have PE5 by the way.

Anyone familiar with Scott Kelby's books that might be able to shed some light based upon the above quoted description?

 

[MarkBarbieri]

Try the "cloning tool". It allows you to copy one part of the picture over another. So if the people are standing in from of some grass and a blue sky, you'd clone a matching section of blue sky and grass over them.

 

[MarkBarbieri]

I'm heading out this morning. If you see a short, geeky looking goomer with a Canon 1D and a belt with lens pouches, that's me. Feel free to say "Hi."

 

[mabas9395]

If you post a copy of your photo we can help judge how easy it would be. Some are harder than others depending on the complexity of the background. For example, my wife had never used Photoshop before but after 5 minutes of training from me (who's no expert either), she was able to take this other kid out of a picture of my son holding a flag. This looks like two different pictures side by side, but it really is that same picture, we just cloned out the other kid. This would not have been possible with a more complicated background.

 

[JonetteA]

Like the one in my signature. This one if I wanted the fountain.

 

[JR6ooo4]

The "image below me" thread was looking for a backlot tour photo. This was all I had:

a large level adjustment later:

open photo>adjustments>levels>move right triangle slider to the bottom right side of the histogram graph>move the middle triangle slider left or right to set the middle brightness
Such a drastic action will create some noise but it looks ok to me. When I get noise ninja reloaded (just did a reformat on the laptop) I will see how it looks after.

Most every editing program has a similar action.
Looking back at the photo I should have deselected the sky so it would still be blue.
Mikeeee

 

[mabas9395]

Wow, thats a hard one. The question you have to ask when taking something out of a picture is what are ou going to put in its place? So if you want to get rid of the water from the fountain, you will have to recreate parts of the window and tree branch. I'm sure there are people around who can do it, but its hard to create something out of nothing and make it look natural.

 

[Groucho]

This is a good candidate for making an HDR photo. (High Dynamic Range.) Here's what I came up with with about two minute's work in Photoshop, hope you don't mind:

I forgot to do the sky - that would help that, too. All I did was open both pictures. Did a Ctrl-A on the lighter one to select the whole image, then Ctrl-C to copy it to the clipboard. I went to the darker image and Ctrl-Ved to paste it. I used the erase to quickly erase the flames (which lost their detail when the image was lightened), revealing the flames from the original photo underneath. Since it was a quick and dirty exercise, I didn't bother doing nice smooth edges or anything like that - but you get the point. With a few more minute's work, it could look really nice.

 

[grover]

that is impressive!!!

 

[JR6ooo4]

Ya, my version definately blew out the flames, so to speak, most the detail is gone. It is such a small difference until you look at the two versions, then the difference is huge.

thanks for the tip!
Didn't I read somewhere about an automated routine for large dynamic range scenes and layering pics. I will ahve to look that up tonight, if I get enough decorating done and the wife will let me... hehehee
Mikeeee

 

[SplshMtn99]

I received a reply about the book via PM. Its "PhotoShop Elements 4 Book for Digital Photographers" by Scott Kelby.

In case others were interested.

I've ordered the book for version 5...and waiting for its release in December.

Thanks!! Oh...and I also ordered The Missing Manual for PE5.

 

[SplshMtn99]

I think is even harder than that. I THINK she wants to remove the people. But that's ALOT of fountain to recreate then from nothing. Do you have another shot where maybe the full fountain is visible, but maybe way off to the side & behind?