Help with website tutorial

[lacogada]

Help with tutorial at link below.

https://www.damiensymonds.net/tut_white.html

Here's what I understand from tutorial and images.

You created a levels layer to enhance portrait to satisfaction.
Make a rough selection around subject
Added another levels layer and used white eydropper to fill selection to white.

Then I'm loss.

You paint with white brush ... but I do not get how to stop from painting
all over the hair.

Edited May 27, 2018 by lacogada

[Damien Symonds]

1 hour ago, lacogada said:

You created a levels layer to enhance portrait to satisfaction.

Well, no, not "a" levels layer.  As many levels layers as it takes.  Some photos require as few as 5-10, others 20-30.  But yes, in a general sense, your point is correct - you edit your photo to your satisfaction first.

1 hour ago, lacogada said:

May I see the SOOR of this photo?  ("Straight out of Raw" - that is, the raw processing done, but no Photoshop work yet.)  I need to see how the background was in the original photo.

[Damien Symonds]

Oh, and if you could post it bigger, that would be great

[lacogada]

Thanks for the replies.

 

[Damien Symonds]

7 hours ago, Damien Symonds said:

May I see the SOOR of this photo?  ("Straight out of Raw" - that is, the raw processing done, but no Photoshop work yet.)  I need to see how the background was in the original photo.

 

[Damien Symonds]

7 minutes ago, lacogada said:

It seems that you don't understand that the painting is done on the mask, not on the image itself?

In any case, I suspect it might be a moot point at the moment, because your floral photo looks like it needs a different method for whitening its background.  That's why I need to see its SOOR.

[Damien Symonds]

20 hours ago, Damien Symonds said:

May I see the SOOR of this photo?  ("Straight out of Raw" - that is, the raw processing done, but no Photoshop work yet.)  I need to see how the background was in the original photo.

 

20 hours ago, Damien Symonds said:

Oh, and if you could post it bigger, that would be great

@lacogada?

[lacogada]

How's this instead ?

SOOC from Nikon 750.

[Damien Symonds]

Yes, we can discuss this one.  Go ahead and do the raw processing, then post the SOOR.

[lacogada]

Thanks for the reply's ... I have no more questions or interest.

[Damien Symonds]

Um ... ok.

[lacogada]

On ‎5‎/‎29‎/‎2018 at 5:57 PM, Damien Symonds said:

Um ... ok.

Here's one with fine hair.

Thanks for the PM.

[Damien Symonds]

You are aware, I trust, that it is completely impossible to make this a white background?

If it was your intention to make a plain background for this photo, it would need to be a dark red one to match the current background (reasonably easy) or black (not too hard) or another similarly dark colour (tricky, but feasible).

So, can you clarify your intention for this one?

[Damien Symonds]

I'll press ahead ... let me show you one of my favourite methods:  Download PSD file

It will perhaps look more complicated than it truly is.  Basically, you choose a colour which is most desirable for the background (that is, most similar to the existing background, or an average thereof) and add a Solid Color layer of that colour.  Then immediately invert the mask of that layer to black, then duplicate the layer three times.  So you will have four identical Solid Color layers, all of them hidden by their black masks.

Then:

• change the blend mode of the first layer to "Multiply".  That will be the layer that you use to gently darken the too-light areas
• change the blend mode of the second layer to "Screen".  That one will be for lightening too-dark areas
• change the blend mode of the third layer to "Color".  That will be the layer you use to fix any wrong-coloured areas
• leave the blend mode of the fourth layer on "Normal".  That will be your actual backdrop layer.

Then paint on the mask of the top layer everywhere, and close to the hair, but don't quite touch the hair.

Then use a very low opacity brush to "massage" the other three layers as needed, until everything blends nicely.

(I've also added one more layer at the top of the file, to demonstrate changing the colour of the finished background.)

[lacogada]

2 hours ago, Damien Symonds said:

You are aware, I trust, that it is completely impossible to make this a white background?

If it was your intention to make a plain background for this photo, it would need to be a dark red one to match the current background (reasonably easy) or black (not too hard) or another similarly dark colour (tricky, but feasible).

So, can you clarify your intention for this one?

Any type of mask that would keep most of the hair ... chose it as it seems very difficult.

Thanks

[Damien Symonds]

Needless to say, we have no wandered a long way from your original question.  The approach for a coloured background is much different from a black or a white one.

[lacogada]

19 minutes ago, Damien Symonds said:

I'll press ahead ... let me show you one of my favourite methods:  Download PSD file

It will perhaps look more complicated than it truly is.  Basically, you choose a colour which is most desirable for the background (that is, most similar to the existing background, or an average thereof) and add a Solid Color layer of that colour.  Then immediately invert the mask of that layer to black, then duplicate the layer three times.  So you will have four identical Solid Color layers, all of them hidden by their black masks.

Then:

• change the blend mode of the first layer to "Multiply".  That will be the layer that you use to gently darken the too-light areas
• change the blend mode of the second layer to "Screen".  That one will be for lightening too-dark areas
• change the blend mode of the third layer to "Color".  That will be the layer you use to fix any wrong-coloured areas
• leave the blend mode of the fourth layer on "Normal".  That will be your actual backdrop layer.

Then paint on the mask of the top layer everywhere, and close to the hair, but don't quite touch the hair.

Then use a very low opacity brush to "massage" the other three layers as needed, until everything blends nicely.

(I've also added one more layer at the top of the file, to demonstrate changing the colour of the finished background.)

Wow ... that looks really good.

Have to print this out and try it out over the next few days ... Thank you.

[Damien Symonds]

You're welcome.  Let me know how you go.

And I'd really love it if you could provide a white background photo at some stage, so we can address your original question.

[lacogada]

1 minute ago, Damien Symonds said:

Needless to say, we have no wandered a long way from your original question.  The approach for a coloured background is much different from a black or a white one.

Yes my original question was basically, how you paint on the mask without affecting the hair ?

[Damien Symonds]

You just do. It works exactly as demonstrated, I promise. If it's not working, it means you're trying it on an inappropriate photo. That's why I need to see it.

[lacogada]

On ‎6‎/‎4‎/‎2018 at 6:19 PM, Damien Symonds said:

You're welcome.  Let me know how you go.

And I'd really love it if you could provide a white background photo at some stage, so we can address your original question.

I've looked but do not have any photos with near white backgrounds. 

Closest thing o white is the one I provided above … grandson in cap & gown.

Thanks

[lacogada]

…. or maybe this one, other grandson taken outside on bright day.

 

[Damien Symonds]

4 hours ago, lacogada said:

I've looked but do not have any photos with near white backgrounds. 

Closest thing o white is the one I provided above … grandson in cap & gown.

Thanks

Yes, as I said, I'm happy to discuss that one.  I just need you to do the raw editing first (of course we must never do Photoshop work until the raw work is done) and post it for me.

[Damien Symonds]

4 hours ago, lacogada said:

…. or maybe this one, other grandson taken outside on bright day.

The tutorial is specifically written for photos which are taken against a white backdrop.

The first paragraph of the tutorial:

Quote

Sometimes, when you photograph somebody against a white backdrop, you don’t quite have the lights to get it perfect in camera. Here’s a simple method for whitening it nicely in Photoshop.

It doesn't apply to this outdoor photo, sorry.

[lacogada]

54 minutes ago, Damien Symonds said:

Yes, as I said, I'm happy to discuss that one.  I just need you to do the raw editing first (of course we must never do Photoshop work until the raw work is done) and post it for me.

Export from Lightroom raw edit.

Thanks