A new one and a first for me. Bless Margie ... girl has endless patience. Thank goodness she is generous with the tips. I added a levels adjustment layer (should read Sliders on the layer) and drug R G B in from each side and then added an auto Curves to improve the contrast. I balanced out the poster board in the background because the color cast after Levels and Curves was bothersome for some reason. Appreciate ALL suggestions and recommendations on how you would proceed from here. Thanks all.
(https://s18.postimg.cc/c5hebwbsl/Man_o_zpsxwynfshb.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/c5hebwbsl/)
(https://s18.postimg.cc/oy5ibtned/Man_wip_zpsfkxsheb8.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/oy5ibtned/)
Shadow, no need to balance the poster board unless it helps. In the end you will not want any poster board showing. I'm thinking the blue showing in the background around him that your will replace more with brown color around his head. This will be a fun one to watch and no feel like you should hurry. I often am so focused on getting to the finish line that I hurry to much and then I have to backup. Have fun with a really neat old photo.
Margie
Thanks Margie. It's like a really good book ... just hate to put it down.
Here's where I am ...
Put the 2 torn pieces on their own layers and then used the Puppet Warp to get the suit to line up.
(https://s21.postimg.cc/cxb3nhkur/Pieces_aligned_zpsmfkjfiuo.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/cxb3nhkur/)
Next I did some healing and clean up. Did my best to give him back his hair. Does it look right? ALL feedback welcome.
Added a Channel Mixer Layer and Hue/Sat to even out the color.
Filled in bkgd with lasso/copying/pasting good areas to blank areas and then tweaked with patch & clone to hopefully get it all to blend in.
My efforts with the suit have been pitiful so will work on that tomorrow. Any suggestions on how to even out the blotchy looking areas greatly appreciated. Am thinking those white spots are damage. What do you think?
Thanks all.
(https://s21.postimg.cc/qfhzzrx03/WIP_zpsicgorsw6.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/qfhzzrx03/)
Shadow,
I think you are doing great. Maybe on his cheek (you right) you could darken it just a tad to give more definition. What I do is add a new layer from the top menu and set to either "Soft Light" or "Overlay" and then with a soft brush starting out maybe 15% or so darken with the foreground black and to lighten with it white.
Had to smile about your saying this was like a good book, hard to put down. I know the feeling. I learned something from you as I have not used the "puppet wrap."
Margie
Hi Shadow, great job with the puppet warp.. never used it.. have to try that one. I think you are right, the white is damage. Looking forward to seeing your final. :up:
Thanks Lynn. How would you fix his suit? What decade would you guess this pic is from? Not familiar with the vest looking collar under the suit jacket - thought I would look for some images for reference?
Hmm.. I think his suit would definitely be wool and the vest or waistcoat as we say in UK would be the same.. so it would be a bit rough textured in my opinion..if it was me (and I'd probably get this wrong) I'd fade it down into darkish nothing at the bottom.. I would also maybe just use the patch tool to move a couple of the more distracting color's from the background.. not much tho.. hope that helps..(https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-qhQkgWh/0/Ti/i-qhQkgWh-Ti.jpg)
(https://s12.postimg.cc/vhh1mhm6x/WIP_2_zpsm41tiyui.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/vhh1mhm6x/)
Margie, thanks for the tip on the cheek. What would we do without our D & B layer?! So ... you know about good books huh?! ;D
Lynn, thank you for your thoughts. Yes, they helped. (And thanks for the pic as well!)
Borrowed the "good" parts of the suit and bkgd and copied them to the missing parts ... Then I added a D&B layer for the image and tried improve the uneven coloring. I know the suit is lacking ... not sure how to improve from here? Ended up using Dust/Scratches to reduce the noise-looking stuff. Do more?
By the way, ck out this video as well on Puppet Warp. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIYxyQ2s64c This guy gives all the info about PW and a tip about the Alt key I didn't know before. Very helpful.
Shadow, what a beautiful job you have done one on this one. I got both of your uploads and like this one the best. Your mention D & B for Dodge & Burn, and I wonder if you use the tools from the toolbox or like I do by adding a new layer to Soft Light and 50% gray from the top menu? I like this way better as I find it easier for me to vary the opacity and to correct something I've done. I used this method to add more depth to your version and most of the time my brush was at 11% or so, and a few times up to 20%. I like that I can hit the "X" key and shift from my foreground being black for darker to white for lighter. I compared the original photo to get some idea where the shadows were to add to yours. Shading not only gives depth to the photo but makes his a little older. See what you think.
(http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z10/hayesbucket/Shadows_zps9xgamlgg.jpg) (http://s192.photobucket.com/user/hayesbucket/media/Shadows_zps9xgamlgg.jpg.html)
Margie
P.S. Thanks for the link for the Puppet Warp! :up:
:wnw: Margie ... THANK YOU!
Yes, I too use the white/black and paint with a brush. (Even made a keyboard shortcut to add Soft Light layer @ 50% gray) Really appreciate you making the time to show me your work. I did not know how far to take it and to tell the truth, short on experience. I like your end result. Much more natural and not as "flat". Saving your whole post as a reference. Bet my distributor will say we have one to ready to go home now ^-^
Have a good one.
"Bet my distributor will say we have one to ready to go home now" :) Yes, she will. I have been lucky in that one of the water color classes I took, we had to do a sketch in black/white first and that helped in getting used to how shading gives depth to a picture.
Thanks and enjoy your day.
Margie
Lovely job Lyn :up: :up:
Didn't know how much to do here...used luminosity masking and two curves adj layers and a pass thru topaz denoise 5...to clean up some of splotchiness in the jacket
(https://c3.staticflickr.com/6/5349/30568980666_7612bcbf54_o.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/Nzh1WN) (https://flic.kr/p/Nzh1WN)
Jack, thanks for the input and another way to work the photo. Like both ways, but like how this causes him to stand out from the background.
Margie
Hi Jack, thanks for your input and example. I like what you did. What did you mean ... luminosity masking? Very nice.
Hi Shadow...Luminosity masking works off the brightness of the image only. I have an action that makes the masks. In this pic I used one that targeted the lighter areas in the jacket so I could darken them, evening it out...Here is a utube with Dave Cross, he explains it way better than I can...luminosity starts a about time 14:05. If anyone is interested I can put the action to be downloaded.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pzZv7Eqirg&list=PLDshw2xP05UCAjJ4alJcuSfsJQUoMyVTg
Yes Jack please explain luminosity mask.. I actually have Topaz denoise and rarely use it..
Jack, thanks for the Dave Cross link. :up: I love his tutorials. This was taken from I think a Podcast, This Week in Photo, which made for a longer tutorial--29:32 and the actual Luminosity didn't start until the 14:11 marker. This was really interesting as I have in the past used something similar, but simpler that Katrin Eismann had in her book. In it you went to the channels and did a Ctrl click on the RGB and you when you saw the luminosity selection, you would then hit Ctrl (Cmd) J to duplicate the selection. From there you would go back to the layers palette and change the mode to "Soft Light." I've used that when needed and sometime reduced the opacity. This version by Dave Cross took it to a higher level and more variation to tweak. Liked his making it an "Action."
I was getting antsy for the Luminosity tutorial to start, but I ended up picking up something before it did. Dave kept emphasizing the importance of Adjustment Layers and to keep your work so you can go back and see how you got to the finish. He emphasized not using the eraser tool as it is destructive. All of this I was aware of, but his point of choosing the "Smart Filter" over just going to Filter>then selecting was something I will do from now on.
Thanks again,
Margie
Lynnya, watch the utube linked above,, FF to 14:10 or so to start with Dave's actual tutorial... the older denoise wasn't all that good as it took out some detail along with the noise...the last two versions, denoise 5 and 6 are really good...and you can upgrade the Topaz filters you own for free...just d'l the new one and install it... :)
Margie, Yes I love Dave's tutorials, he is good and he doesn't put you to sleep listening to him...lol The only drawback to this was it was a podcast, and the host irritates me to no end...luckily you can FF until the real tut starts...Smart objects and smart filters are the best...being able to change things after the fact...I never "dumb" edit anymore...
Jack, thank you so much for the link. Skipped ahead to the point you said and watched it. Will write out the steps and save them in my go-to folder. You have a wonderful weekend!
Welcome Shadow, glad you got some use from it...here is a link to d/l the action for the luminosity masks if anyone doesn't want to make it themselves...this is my personal dropbox not a website...
https://www.dropbox.com/s/3myrgew518vveey/LuminosityMasks.atn?dl=0
Jack, thanks so much for giving us a link to the action for the luminosity mask! I had to smile about what you said about the host for the podcast as I was feeling the same.
Margie
Thanks for the link/and action Jack. Next time you are watching one of those shows & your tether is getting tighter and tighter, try hitting the CC button and mute ::) My BP usually drops right back down!
you're welcome, happy to share and help when I can... :)
Thanks so much Jack for the tutorial link.. I'd seen something like it from somewhere else but it went in one brain cell and out the other.. this was soooo simple and so great.. It'll be something I'll use time and again THANK YOU. :up:
Hi Jack and all, I'm playing with the luminosity masks and am I right in thinking that in some cases it does actually affect other parts of the image? seems like it depends on the image. For instance if I select say darkest it works quite well but if I select dark it seems to affect the very darks also.. am I missing something or is it kinda subtle..I downloaded your action thanks for that.. ok.. modify all that.... it's a wonderful tool!!! I've been mastering it.. don't know how I lived without it before.. works like a charm.
Thanks
Lynn
Hi Lynnya, It takes a bit to get your head around luminosity masks...they work exactly like any other mask, white reveals, black conceals...they kinda look backwards when you start with them. Darkest affects the darkest parts of the image, it doesn't darken on it's own, which I've heard people ask before...
example, if you wanted to adjust the sky only, you would use the light, lighter or lightest mask...I do not explain well, try watcing Dave's tut here...FF to 14:10 to get right to the "good stuff" :)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pzZv7Eqirg&list=PLDshw2xP05UCAjJ4alJcuSfsJQUoMyVTg
Quote from: Lynnya on October 29, 2016, 12:11:28 PM
Hi Jack and all, I'm playing with the luminosity masks and am I right in thinking that in some cases it does actually affect other parts of the image? seems like it depends on the image. For instance if I select say darkest it works quite well but if I select dark it seems to affect the very darks also.. am I missing something or is it kinda subtle..I downloaded your action thanks for that.. ok.. modify all that.... it's a wonderful tool!!! I've been mastering it.. don't know how I lived without it before.. works like a charm.
Thanks
Lynn
Most excellent...just takes some playing to get the hang of it...it is a great tool...