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Tips for repairing damage to both color and luminosity?

Started by Mike Morrell, September 27, 2017, 07:25:59 PM

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Mike Morrell

Hi OPR Photoshoppers,

I'm a newbie to OPR and not an expert in Photoshop. The damage to most OPR photo's is both in color and luminosity. I'm familiar with WB/color correction, cloning/patching and spot removal techniques/filters etc.  Something I'm still not sure about is the best way to correct damage to both color and luminosity. Especially on skin, faces, etc.

What I've found helpful so far is putting corrections to color and luminosity on separate layers. This is the same 'frequency separation' principle used in retouching but because the damage in OPR photos is often much more extensive than 'minor skin blemishes', I've adjusted it.

Color:
- create a blank layer (with 'normal' blend mode) above the working layer; check that this is the active layer
- click on the color sample tool and set the size of the color sample area to the smallest areas of 'undamaged color'(down to 3x3 or point sampling, if need be);  set the color sample mode to 'current and below'
- click on the brush tool and set the brush mode to 'color'
- using the brush, sample the the closest undamaged color (windows: cntrl i) and paint over the color-damaged areas on the new layer
- the result is a layer with the closest colors but still with all the damage to luminosity

Luminosity
- create a new blank layer above the original (with 'normal' blend mode); check that the color sampling mode is still 'current and layer below'
- click on the brush tool and set the brush mode to 'luminosity'
- using the brush, sample the the closest undamaged area of luminosity (windows: cntrl i) and paint over the luminosity-damaged areas on the new layer
- together with the color adjustment layer, the result is the best blend of color/luminosity from the undamaged areas

Tweaks
- add masked curves and other adjustment layers to blend in the two previous layers and to add 3-D effects (shadows/highlights) to any 'flat' areas (color/luminosity)

Anybody got suggestions/tips to improve this?

Mike
Musician, Photographer and Volunteer

Lynnya

Hi Mike.. thanks for tip on Luminosity brush.. I've used the "color" tip a lot but never the luminosity.. new method for me thanks. I've tried frequency separation but on such damaged images it just doesn't do it.. I think this method is going to be really useful.. I'm looking forward to trying it out on this image.
never giving up......learning from others as I go...

Mike Morrell

Hi Lynnya,

I agree that the usual frequency separation doesn't cut it (at least for me) on such damaged images. I'm delighted that I can offer you something new to try out! It can be painstaking work sampling and brushing luminosity from/into small areas but it's yet another technique that might be useful on some photos and in some areas.

Mike
Musician, Photographer and Volunteer

Jonas.Wendorf

Great tips :)!
However, the tool blend modes work only on the current layer, so you'd need to set the layer's blend mode to Luminosity for the second technique.
You can easily test this by creating two rectangles of opposite color, sample the color of the first, switch to Luminosity blend mode for the brush and paint on the second. Until you switch the layer's blend mode, you'll just have the solid color from the first. Since you usually paint close to where you picked the color, you usually won't notice it, but it might come back to bite you later.

One tip that I really love is to use selective brightening and darkening of areas (aka dodge & burn although I don't use the tools themselves as they – again – don't work on blank layers). For this I usually use a new layer in Soft Light mode (optionally filled with 50 % gray, doesn't make a difference) and paint with black to darken and white to brighten areas. Takes some getting used to, but sometimes it works better than plain cloning or healing which often needs further adjustment anyways.
Best regards,
Jonas

Mike Morrell

Hi Jonas,

Thanks for adding to this thread! Yes, you're right: the 'luminosity blend mode is always preferable. But for some photo's I've found blending in 'normal mode' at a low transparency more effective. I usually try both and see what works best. You're absolutely right that some edits/layers do come dto back to bite you later!

Dodging & Burning are usually tools of last resort for me since they're destructive. But your tip on non-destructive darkening/brightening (other than using masked curves layers) is a great one!. New for me - thanks for this! I'll try it out.

Mike


Quote from: Jonas.Wendorf on September 30, 2017, 08:27:51 AM
Great tips :)!
However, the tool blend modes work only on the current layer, so you'd need to set the layer's blend mode to Luminosity for the second technique.
You can easily test this by creating two rectangles of opposite color, sample the color of the first, switch to Luminosity blend mode for the brush and paint on the second. Until you switch the layer's blend mode, you'll just have the solid color from the first. Since you usually paint close to where you picked the color, you usually won't notice it, but it might come back to bite you later.

One tip that I really love is to use selective brightening and darkening of areas (aka dodge & burn although I don't use the tools themselves as they – again – don't work on blank layers). For this I usually use a new layer in Soft Light mode (optionally filled with 50 % gray, doesn't make a difference) and paint with black to darken and white to brighten areas. Takes some getting used to, but sometimes it works better than plain cloning or healing which often needs further adjustment anyways.
Musician, Photographer and Volunteer

Bambi

Great tips, Mike and Jonas. This is why I love Forum!

Mhayes

Thanks Mike and Jonas. Will make sure to bookmark.

Margie
"carpe diem"

Margie Hayes
OPR President
[email protected]