Jake,Ryan different photo/background

[Cindy Young]

Damien, Christina, Samantha, anyone?

I need to extend/replace the background at the top of this photo.  I do have a photo of the background by itself which is very close to the same tint.  I'd like to retain the tiny bit of hair on dad and I know it has to do with File/Place and SmartObject.  I've been using the Sky Replacement tutorial, but not having much luck.  Any help will be much appreciated.

[Damien Symonds]

No, it has nothing to do with File>Place or Smart Objects.

May I see a closeup of that area?

[Cindy Young]

[Damien Symonds]

Use the eyedropper, like this, to match the dark section to the light section - roughly match, at least.

Then it's the normal matter of using a gradient layer to replace the whole background.

[Cindy Young]

There's that dreaded gradient layer again!  Thank you!  I will work on this in the morning.

[Cindy Young]

OK, I am *trying* to work through the gradient layer.  I am stuck on this part:

[Cindy Young]

I have clicked back on the mask, but I just don't understand "I began by using the gradient tool on the mask."  Do I click on the gradient tool in my tools palette, or on the gradient under Adjustments?  If only one of you Admins were sitting next to me!!

[Cindy Young]

I figure that it must be the gradient tool in my tools palette, but I do not get a window that adjusts the degrees or check or uncheck Dither/Align with layer. This is what I see on my gradient: 

[Cindy Young]

Well, I'm getting closer because I figured out I need to use the gradient by clicking on the black/white circle at the bottom of my layers panel.  Now, to figure out how to get the color I need.  Right now, I have turned my background to orange.  I will continue studying.

[Cindy Young]

Oh, my goodness!!  I CANNOT get this and I know it is probably simple.  Here's what I have so far:  

I'm really clueless.  I think I have the eyedropper figured out.  And have watched the video at the end of the gradient layer tute.  Sure wish I could get this.

[Christina Keddie]

Cindy, deep breaths.

It looks like you're mashing together the two steps Damien suggested that you take.  FIRST do the eyedropper step, using the tutorial with the levels layer, to get the dark side roughly matching the light side.  THEN use a gradient layer to replace the background.

When you're doing the levels layer, you use the gradient tool (from your tool bar) directly on the MASK of the levels layer.  Don't add a whole separate gradient layer!  Look at the MASK on the levels layer in these two screenshots from that tutorial:

See how the mask itself has the gradient on it, and then the gradient-ed mask is further masked off of the subject?  No separate gradient fill layers were added.  It's all on the mask of the levels layer itself.

Go sloooooooooooooooowly through the tutorials.  Pay attention to each screenshot, looking at whether Damien has added a new layer or instead done something to the existing layer masks.  It's all there in great detail, I promise!

[Damien Symonds]

Hi Cindy, here's the PSD.

I've used simple Solid Color layer where you will use a Gradient layer instead, but importantly, I want you to see the Levels layer.

[Cindy Young]

I saw how the gradient layer was on the levels mask, but HOW do you get it on there?

[Cindy Young]

OK, I am getting closer.  How do I get the gradient to cover all of the bar across the top?  Did I have my degrees wrong when I selected the gradient?  Was I supposed to click on the bar for my dark color?  I clicked on two different colors on the seamless background paper. I still don't know how to get the gradient ON the levels layer itself instead of on a separate layer. 

[Christina Keddie]

Cindy, it's not a separate gradient layer at all.  So delete that entirely.  Click on the mask on the levels layer, and select your gradient tool from your toolbar.  You can use gradients, paint buckets, etc. as well as the brush tool on a mask.  You want to have a gradient going on the mask itself.

[Cindy Young]

Now, do I start masking off of the levels layer, then the gradient fill layer?

[Cindy Young]

OK, Christina, I will click on the levels mask and add the gradient from the tool bar.  BUT, how do I get all of the "angle, scale, dither, align with layer" info if I use the gradient tool from the tool bar???  I'm sorry I'm so dense, but the fog is clearing somewhat.

[Christina Keddie]

Cindy, which tutorial are you trying to follow right now?  The eyedropper tutorial, that you posted a screenshot of, with the photo of Lara as the example?  I'm assuming so, but tell me if I'm wrong.

[Cindy Young]

Yes, that is the tutorial -- Lara and the eyedropper!

[Cindy Young]

AND I am using the Preventing banding in backdrops tutorial, too.

[Christina Keddie]

OK, so do you see how the Lara tutorial says nothing at all about angle, scale, dither, etc.?  You're confusing the two tutorials.

The Lara tutorial is simply about getting the dark bit of your wall background as light as the light bit.  In some photos, the best way to do that would be a gradual fade, which is why you'd use the gradient TOOL directly on the layer mask of your levels layer.

If you download Damien's PSD file, you'll see that the gradient isn't actually necessary for your photo.  Turn off the color fill layer, and then turn the levels layer on and off to see what it is you're trying to achieve in this "Lara tutorial" step.

[Cindy Young]

Ohhh, that helps!!  I'll be here working!

[Cindy Young]

Christina, I'm trying to mask the dark area of the photo, but it only darkens it.  Do I use Quick mask?

[Christina Keddie]

7 minutes ago, Cindy Young said:

Christina, I'm trying to mask the dark area of the photo, but it only darkens it.  Do I use Quick mask?

No, it's a simple mask.  (And Quick Mask is just a different way of creating the same simple mask.)  The levels layer itself should be making everything crazy bright -- check to make sure your levels settings are the same as the ones in Damien's PSD file.  Then make sure you're clicking ON THE MASK before you try masking anything on or off.

[Cindy Young]

Here's what I am doing:  

1.  Levels layer; 2. Click on levels icon; 3. Double click on white eyedropper; 4. Choose a light part of the background; 5. Choose a dark color from the backdrop**should this be the dark color of the wall behind the backdrop?**; 6. Click on Levels mask; 7. Choose gradient TOOL from the TOOL Bar on left; 8. Draw line on photo with Gradient Tool, but almost NOTHING happens.  Where am I going wrong?