Need basic CS3 help - Passport photo

[orisky]

Hi,

This seems so simple that I'm embarrassed to ask, but I need to get this done quickly. I need to photoshop her into a plain white background so it's acceptable for US passport. Can someone help me with this or point me to a quick CS3 how-to? Also, she's making a bit of a face. Do you think the passport agency will accept it?

Thanks!

http://orisky.smugmug.com/photos/255090776_GbcdU-M.jpg

[Damo77]

Piece of cake ... Make a levels or curves adjustment layer, and use the white dropper to make the light blue area white. That will blow out other areas of the photo, but that's ok, because you can paint a mask over the rest of the photo. Use a big soft brush.

[orisky]

Thanks for the reply!

I created an curves adjustment layer, then used the eyedropper farthest to the right (in the layer popup window), then clicked on the light blue area. Which resulted in the image below. While I think I can use what's below, how do I do the next step? I think it's mask and brush but when I brush, it basically paints a reddish pink hue.

Keep in mind that while I'm a technical person, my PS skills have been limited to crop, unsharp mask, and minor touchups using clone stamp :)

thanks!

http://orisky.smugmug.com/photos/255120676_5SHt5-M.jpg

[Damo77]

Great work with the first step!

Now, let's have a look at your layers palette. Your photo is on the background layer, right? On that layer, you'll see one rectangle, with a very small thumbnail of the photo.

Above that is your new adjustment layer. It has two rectangles - the left one represents the curves adjustment you just made, the right one is the mask for the layer.

To paint a mask, you need to:

1. Make sure the mask is selected, not the adjustment. Click once on the little rectangle representing the mask, to make sure it's got a bold black line around it.

2. Choose your brush tool

3. Choose a big soft brush to begin with. I don't know how big your file is, but I'd say choose a brush size that would easily cover her nose and mouth in one click. Set the "Hardness" to 0 in the options bar.

4. Press D to reset your foreground colour to black and your background colour to white.

5. You should be ready to paint your mask. Start on her blown-out left cheek. As you paint, you should see the original pixels re-appear. Paint her whole face and right-hand side of the photo.

(6. If painting doesn't do anything, it's because I've stuffed up and forgotten how to mask (I don't do this often). In that case, press X to switch your foreground and background colours around. Then try painting again.)

7. As you're painting your mask, you can correct any mistakes easily. If you accidentally reveal some of the light blue background, just press X to momentarily switch your colours, then paint that area back again. Then press X and continue.

Hope this helps. I'll be here for a few more minutes, until the baby wakes up and I have to go!!

[orisky]

thanks for the tips. i'll give it a go later on. now MY baby is up so I can't try it now :)

but as I look at the US passport requirements, it says mouth needs to be closed :( i may have to use a different picture which may have more of a background to edit.

[PixelMagic]

My suggestion would be that you go to the nearest post office or photo processor like Walmart and get proper passport photos taken. The posted photo is likely to be rejected because it has either camera shake or subject movement; plus the depth of field is so shallow that facial features are barely shown. No doubt you've already seen the Passport Photo Guidenlines: http://travel.state.gov/passport/guide/guide_2081.html

[orisky]

My suggestion would be that you go to the nearest post office or photo processor like Walmart and get proper passport photos taken. The posted photo is likely to be rejected because it has either camera shake or subject movement; plus the depth of field is so shallow that facial features are barely shown. No doubt you've already seen the Passport Photo Guidenlines: http://travel.state.gov/passport/guide/guide_2081.html


Getting a 15month old to hold still and look at the camera without smliling, frowning or some other facial expression may take many many shots, so I'd rather just setup another shot at home than go down to Walmart.

I've submitted home shot passport photos before. I just wanted to see if this particular photo can be used. We've decided to vacation within the US so since I'm not in a rush, I think I'll submit a version of the photo anyway to see if they'll accept it.

[orisky]

Cool, I think I got it. Regardless of whether this is the photo we use, the lesson was very helpful. Thank you!

Original
http://orisky.smugmug.com/photos/255090776_GbcdU-S.jpg

First step - just created the adjustment layer (disregard the size change)
http://orisky.smugmug.com/photos/255120676_5SHt5-S.jpg

Painted over mask
http://orisky.smugmug.com/photos/255372118_BX9FG-S.jpg

The other interesting thing I realized was how bad TN panels affect color. As I'm scrolling the image from eye level up, her skin tone goes from natural to a much redder tone.

[Damo77]

Glad it worked for you.