Please help me fix this picture

[HeatherJL]

http://geoparent.com/graphics/emoticons/help.gif

There are several things wrong with this picture, about the only thing that is right is the expression on my daughter's face. Because I am usually the one taking pictures, there are very few of my husband and I with the baby... so I have to try to save any picture that I get. I thought that I had set everything for the person taking it, but apparently not.

This one is reduced, click here (http://hjlahtinen.tripod.com/golf.htm) to see the original:
http://www.growthspurts.com/drivee/images/172684834874.jpg

I've tried a few things in PS, but I'm not happy with the results. Any help would be greatly appreciated. :)

[Dave I]

I assume the major problem is the lack of a fill-flash. There's no perfect fix for that, but there are tricks. You can make a copy of the layer, lighten it quite a bit, and mask out all the layer except the parts you want 'lit up'.

Working for a few minutes, I came up with this (http://www.daveingram.com/IMG_1460copy.jpg)

You'll probably note the major problem with this technique: loss of contrast in the brightened areas. Still, it's an improvement, I think.

[sigler]

Here is my attempt at the fix:

http://homepage.mac.com/rsigler/trashme.jpg

If you would like, I could fix the original and send it to you.

Best wishes,

Rob

[Dans_D60]

Suggestions:

Shoot later or earlier in the day. Direct sunlight … squint! ….ouch!

Use reflectors. Reflectors are great for outdoors as than can be used a gobos (block direct sunlight) and to reflect some light back on the shadow areas.

Use a fill flash. Will fill-in those dark shadow areas.

Here’s a little Photoshop work but the sunlight blown-out areas are unrecoverable.

http://www.pettusphoto.com/test2a.jpg


Dan
http://www.pettusphoto.com

[kn_guy87]

Heather,
I just learned a very cool technique "Instant Sketching" from your photo.

Take a peek here:
With background intact
http://www.photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=1847820&size=lg

With background removed and add canvas textured
http://www.photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=1847827&size=lg


Note:
I'm not sure how to link an image from photo.net to this post

Ken

[DoW-Oldman]

kn_guy87 wrote:
Heather,
I just learned a very cool technique "Instant Sketching" from your photo.

Take a peek here:
With background intact
http://www.photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=1847820&size=lg

With background removed and add canvas textured
http://www.photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=1847827&size=lg


Note:
I'm not sure how to link an image from photo.net to this post

Ken

Sorry don't mean to get off of topic but program did you use to do the sketching.

Thanks
Olds

[billfranklin]

I like the pose and expressions. If you can redo the shot, put the group in the shade of the tree behind you. This will get rid of the strong overhead light and deep shadows, as well as hot spots on faces. As mentioned earlier, then use a fill flash or a large white reflector to kick in some light on subjects and even out exposure with the now overlit background. As said before, early morning or late afternoon really works best for this. The lighting just before sunset is usually best for me. Good luck.

Bill F.

[HeatherJL]

Thanks for all of the suggestions. :)

The picture was taken while we were on vacation last week, so I can't re-take. We were also between naps, so I didn't have much control over the time of day either. When I take shots like this at home, I always have my reflector with me, and it has really helped. But with everything that we had to take with us on the plane... well... the reflector stayed at home.

Hey Ken, do you have a PS action for the instant sketching, or did you go through the steps on your own?

Thanks again!

[Webster]

Rather than make a copy of the picture to lighten, just use a levels adjustment layer, and set it to be much lighter. Then set the layer mask to all black, so that the adjustment does nothing (edit->fill will do that). Using a white brush on the layer mask, paint the dark parts of the faces, and whatever else needs lightening (If the brush turns the image white, you're drawing on the picture, not on the adjustment layer's mask). Then open up the levels control for the layer and get the settings just the way you want them so the faces look natural. It takes a little while to get the workflow down, but once you're used to it it goes very quickly.

You can often, though not always, make blown-out parts of faces look good by cloning adjacent parts of the faces with a feathered brush set to a fairly low transparency. Be sure to do this in a new layer, because it always takes a few tries to get it right, and you'll want to be able to erase and re-clone the edges.

[kn_guy87]

Greetings,
I used Insta-Sketch action from Mike Finn. You can download it from here:
http://homepages.slingshot.co.nz/~mikefinn/action.html

scroll to the bottom of the page. This is an action that I used in Photoshop7.

Or...You can also get it for Photoshop Elements at...

http://www.geocities.com/rnlnero/PE2stuff2.html
(toward the end of the page)

I also later applied another action called fievel_gothic_glow on the sketch and it's even looked better. (Sorry, I haven't uploaded it yet. If you want to see the result, I can upload it tonight).

Mike Finn's sketch action is currently very popular in this forum:
http://www.dpreview.com/forums/forum.asp?forum=1006

and you can read more about fievel's action here:
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1006&message=6417872
Since after so many requests, he would want you to go here and download it yourself:
http://www.retouchpro.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2653&perpage=40&pagenumber=2 (last post)

I have to warn you: "these actions are addictive" :D

Have fun,
Ken

[Derek Smith]

Hi Heather,

I appreciate that it is now too late to recapture the image under more ideal circumstances. The following three tips are not classical 'photography' related, they are more relevant to the specific capabilities of the 10D and its darkroom (Adobe Photoshop).

1. Always capture images in RAW. That way you will have up to 2 stops available to under expose burnt out areas and up to 2 stops to lighten underexposed areas captured within the one file.
2. Convert RAW into 16bit TIF files for processing. This allows much greater latitude when trying to expand colour ranges before posterisation starts to set in.
3. For those treasured shots which might be captured in problem lighting conditions, use auto bracketed multi exposure. After all, the pictures are free and at least one of them should be in the exposure range you need to compensate for the conditions.

Using these techniques, you have access to nearly 8 stops of dynamic range on top of the range captured by the mid point image. That’s ca 16 stops of total dynamic range!! across three almost identical images. Use that awesome range within your digital darkroom and virtually every part of every image is within your reach.

However, to address your plea, could I quote you my own Photoshop mantra "Divide and Conquer".

Most people use Photoshop as a very blunt tool by applying the tools to the whole image even though they probably only want to apply the tool to a specific part of that image. The consequence is that in correcting one problem, one or more subtle faults are introduced which can surface later in other parts of the image.

The true power of PS is its amazing array of selection capabilities, which allow you to process only the parts of the image that the process applies to: ie highlights, reds, shadows, edges etc., etc.

In the case of your image, four primary corrections need to be made:-
1. Add tonality to the totally burnt out areas (ie pure white areas)
2. Brighten the deep shadows cast across the subjects.
3. Reduce the green cast caused from the strong grass reflection.
4. Sharpen key components.

1. The easiest way to process burnt out areas is to select them (using colour range tool plus feather) then clone in some tonality from adjacent correctly coloured parts of the image. So skin areas, clone at ca 10% from an adjacent area of good skin tone until the highlight has some substance.
2. A practical way of lightening an image without loosing tonal range is to take a copy, then use 'Apply Image' from the Image menu with mode set to Screen. This can be done either partially or repeatedly until dark areas have been sufficiently lifted. Note that the colours are not damaged and more importantly the tonal range is not lost, but of course, the highlights are totally blown away. Then stitch the two components together - create a mask (select highlights, feather, select inverse), then using a large brush, clone the lightened image into the selected areas of the working file (ie the one on which you have fixed the highlights).
3. Colour casts can be selected using the 'Colour Range' tool. Then use curves to wash out or exchange the tones you do not want.
4. Sharpen. My preference is to use the edge sharpening technique presented by Bruce Fraser at:- http://www.creativepro.com/story/feature/12189.html (http://www.creativepro.com/story/feature/12189.html) In this technique, Bruce selects only the edges he wishes to sharpen using the 'Find Edges' tool, makes a mask and then sharpens only these edges.

In the sample below, I have applied these four processes to your image. I have only worked them through in 8 bit mode, because to do the same thing with 16 bit files takes nearly three times as long. It is of course well worth the additional effort to work in 16 bits as it holds back those posterised areas for longer. If this were one of my 'Precious Moments' I would probably add in the additional workflow stage of increasing the resolution to 300dpi before starting work, in order to ensure that I finished up with a file that could take being printed in reasonably large format. - after all - it's going to be worth it!!

Of course, when it's your own 'precious' there is a tendency to tinker for days - knocking back the sky shine blue in the baby's collar, feathering the harsh edges of shadows, balancing tooth colour, softening the background, etc. etc. etc.

Today's photographers who step into their darkroom (PS) and take time to master the skills of using its amazing power can augment their photography skills to unprecedented levels. - Good Luck

Derek

http://www.directmanuals.co.uk/Heatherjl.jpg

[DoW-Oldman]

Thanks Ken!
Olds

[kn_guy87]

Derek,
What you've done is absolutely amazing. :D
Well done!
Ken

[ron chappel]

Derek that is SERIOUSLY well done advice!
Thanks shiploads

[HeatherJL]

I really appreciate you taking the time to give us that lesson Derek, I can't tell you how much it helped. Thanks again!! :)

[elm54]

I think all the effort shown here speaks for the generosity and willingness to help by the members of this forum.
Thanks to all

[jimsloy]

Truly amazing work Derek! Just to be clear, I assume you spent lots of time masking off the bits and pieces of the picture that you wanted to adjust? Unless I didn't read it, how long did it take you to do this?

P.S.- Cute baby!!

[scotgasch]

Here is my attempt....


http://www.pbase.com/image/22648089/medium


Personally I thought Dereks was a little too brassy (contrasty...if that's a word), but that's just a personal opinion. Otherwise great work!!!! With Photoshop there is no ONE way to do anything...you give 15 people one assignment and they will come up with 15 different solutions. BTW if anyone tells you they KNOW photoshop...they're lying....even adobe guru's are still learning.

[Derek Smith]

Hi jimsloy

You are right when you said that the work had been done by selecting pieces of the image, but you would be wrong if you thought that I had slavishly selected those areas with the lasso tool. PS's power is in its wealth of selection tools. Amongst the more useful of these is the Colour Range tool. A couple of clicks with the add dipper and you can select the part of the image you want to work with. Then use the lasso tool to deselect those parts of the image that were also picked up but which you don't want to work with, then finally feather the selection and bingo, your selection is ready to be processed - just a matter of a few seconds of work. Speed comes with PS when you explore the many ways and means of selection available to the user, then with experience, you will start to utilise the faster(easier) technique relevant to the job.

Very few tools should be applied globally to your image, and when you do they should be subtle, or applied to a layer which you intend to fade or mask, at all other times remember the mantra 'Divide and Conquer'. I gave the example of reducing the green 'grass light' present on the necks and chins. To have applied the 'curves' tool to whole image would have been a disaster, yet the selection of the neck and chin areas using the colour range tool as above took just seconds and confined the correction to just the areas that required it.

You ask how long the corrections took me. The answer is - 5 mins studying the image to decide on the corrections that were required, then about 25 mins work in PS7 (using a 2.8gHz P4 with 2gig of RAM). However, that is relatively slow, a colleague of mine would have done the whole thing in 16bit mode in about 10mins, like most women, her work speed is consistently higher than most males capabilities. You notice that I was 5 min thinking then 25min doing. Not 20 min doing, then discover you should have used a different approach, then start all over again. Like most jobs, a little pre planning tends to make the whole exercise slicker and much more satisfying.

Scotgasch's comment is absolutely true about there being multiple ways of doing something within PS. The only tests of 'rightness' are - did it work?, was it fast(easy)? and did it leave any artifacts that you will have to work on later?

Derek