Damien Symonds

18 minutes ago, NicoleU said:

I usually crop final images to a 15 x 11

Just to check, you don't crop the master files this way, do you??  11:15 is only for client jpegs.

4 minutes ago, Paige said:

I found this one! This is similar to what you did, isn't it?
http://www.damiensymonds.net/replace-background-hair

That's the link I gave you in the very first sentence of the long explanation post, didn't you see it?

With an extraordinary amount of patience, quite a lot of skill, and a heck of a lot of time, it would be feasible.  You'd need to start by copying the Mickey Mouse heads on the string that do have backdrop behind them, and replacing the ones that don't have backdrop behind them.  Then you'd have to create a completely new backdrop with a series of gradient layers, then start tediously masking them in.

I suggest to you that life is WAY too short for this.  Accept a portrait orientation, and move on.

http://www.damiensymonds.net/trainingialm.html

Ok, so you pretty much want the background you already have, but with a bit more vignetting, is that right?

Do you also want to know how to do the purple colouring?

Hmmm ... extend it how far, exactly?  Are you aiming for a landscape crop?  That's going to be insanely hard.

And may I see a screenshot of your Image Size dialog in Photoshop?

Download the PSD file

Sorry it's so big. Usually I try to make them smaller and easier to download, but it wasn't possible with this one.

Gah!  I just had an internet outage.  Of all the times ...

I'll try and upload the file again ...

Well, it was a variation of this method.

1. I opened the sky photo, and (on a new layer) cloned out the pole and stuff.
2. I saved that sky photo as a PSD file, and closed it.
3. I opened the dog photo, and File>Place to insert the sky photo onto the dog photo.  I lined up the horizon as accurately as possible.
4. I applied a sufficient amount of blur to the sky to be plausible.
5. Then I duplicated that sky layer.  I turned the top one off, and returned to the bottom one for the time being.
6. I changed its blend mode to "Multiply", and masked it around the head of the dog.  In some areas, where the sky was quite light, the masking was very easy, I could let the sky encroach onto the fur naturally.  In other areas, where the sky was darker, I had to zoom in and patiently and carefully mask until it looked good.
7. Then I returned to the top copy, which was still on "Normal" blend mode, and masked it in everywhere else.
8. Finally, I added a Levels layer to make the bottom of the sky a bit lighter, so it plausibly matched the existing horizon.

If you can allow me a few minutes, I'll upload the PSD file so you can follow along.

Not at all.  The lighting is lovely.

Can you tell us the solution?

When you open your PDF in Adobe Reader, and press Ctrl D to get the file info, what size does it say it is there?

Then may I see a colour photo example of a background you like?

Or more explanation of what you want, exactly?

You're worrying about nothing, I promise.  It's just how the lighting is.  In the two "sample" photos, your lighting is way too dark.

I've adjusted one of them so that the rug is the same as your photo.  See how the background becomes light?

Hi Chelsee, do you intend for your photo to be black-and-white as well?

Hi Deinna, do you have another photo that shows what the backdrop should look like?

14 minutes ago, Brandy Palmer said:

Hello Damien, I am getting ready to order a canvas for the first time and know you use to have a sharpening group.  A friend of mine told me that a generic set of numbers to use is Amount=300, Radius=2 & Thresh=6.  Is this correct?  

No, sorry.  Generic numbers are incredibly dangerous.

Hi Paige, is this what you mean?

10 minutes ago, ishootfor3 said:

Okay I'm on the website to buy the program and its asking if i want to bundle it with Gemini, do you recommend it? I have never scanned my entire computer for duplicate files to remove them, and thats what this does.

As hard drive space isn't your primary concern presently, I reckon don't worry about it.

Safe as a bank, yes.  Very well regarded.

Next, run CleanMyMac.

You have to set that up manually, via Edit>Keyboard Shortcuts.  Have you done so?

By default, Ctrl L simply opens the Levels dialog, which is much different, and of course destructive.

1 hour ago, ishootfor3 said:

Also, when viewing images with the loupe instead of it zooming in at 100% it starts off at 200%. It wont let me zoom down to 100%.

Sure it will, just press Cmd - (minus), the same way you'd zoom out in Photoshop itself.

20 minutes ago, mmarshall said:

I don't have a clear photo of it but i could take one. That might be what I need to do. 

Oh yes, for sure.  It will be easier to replace the entire thing, rather than trying to line up that squiggly pattern.