Oilfield

Photomatix (-2,0+2) , Cs5 , Topaz Adjust and DeNoise

Although faint, there seems to be the traditional photomatix halo around the exhaust pipe.

Celestron wrote in post #14878981
Photomatix (-2,0+2) , Cs5 , Topaz Adjust and DeNoise

HTTP response: NOT FOUND | MIME changed to 'image/gif' | Redirected to error image by FLICKR

IMG_9004_5_6_D2_tonema​pped by ronlhodges, on Flickr

Picture North Carolina wrote in post #14881151
Although faint, there seems to be the traditional photomatix halo around the exhaust pipe.

Thank you for your comment .

Celestron wrote in post #14881521
Thank you for your comment .

You're welcome, Ron. It's rather easy to get rid of. If you need any tips, let me know. As an aside, it's not that uncommon. IMHO, the haloing is by far Photomatix's number one drawback. Hopefully, it will be eliminated in the next upgrade.

Picture North Carolina wrote in post #14882589
You're welcome, Ron. It's rather easy to get rid of. If you need any tips, let me know. As an aside, it's not that uncommon. IMHO, the haloing is by far Photomatix's number one drawback. Hopefully, it will be eliminated in the next upgrade.

I agree , very hard for me to keep the haloing down and make a nice image also . I do hope they will fix that in a soon to be upgrade . Is there a way to take it out of this already processed image or would i have to start all over again and change some setting ? Before i resize and add my sig to a picture most times i save a large copy image incase i need to go back and change something .

No reason not to fix it as long as you saved the settings file of the image or can reproduce the settings.

In my experience, you cannot fix the halos using photomatix. When you process an image and get the look you want, if it has halos, you tweak the halos away but in the process, you lose the look.

However, with the aid of photoshop, it is easily dealt with.

Do this:

- produce your main output image in matix, even if it has halos.

- go back into matix and tonemap the same image. This time focus on eliminating the halo. disregard the rest of the image. Focus on the halo.

- put both layers in PS, mask, then blend the halo away with the one file.

There is an important key to blending. Do not use a small brush with hard edges and try to get borders exact. Instead, us a brush fully feathered and that is much bigger for the job than you think. But use it at a very low opacity such as 10 or 20%. Just keep brushing the halo away. The bigger brush with feathered edges and low opacity will allow you to do some fantastic blending with excellent gradations.

That's it.

However, this method also works well for other matix issues. For example, those oversaturated greens that look like something a clown puked up that matix often produces. Produce the main image, then produce a second image with lowered saturation, layer, mask, blend away.

It can also be used for creating styles. In your image, for example, you could produce one image to emphasize the texture of the machine, one image to create the ground you want, and one for the sky. Layer all, mask, and blend.

I cannot emphasize enough how important brushing the mask is. Properly done with a large brush, low opacity and feathered edges, you can do perfect blends. You'll get the hang of it.

Hope that helps.

Here's one as described. Three different images: machine, grass, sky. layered and blended.

http://fineartamerica.​com …tor-i-dan-carmichael.html

PNC , i've copied down your suggestions and have been working on it in Cs5 after i got off work but had a hard time with reworking the halo out . seems it just didn't want to go away so i totally reworked it and sent it to PS then not sure if i am using the correct brush . I chose a wide fan at about 30% size had to adjust strokes and density . Now did i understand correctly that i take the new image and copy and paste it on top the old image at 20% opacity then brush out the halo ? When i do that the color does not blend correctly for me so am i suppose to choose a sky color to blend with ? I have hardly ever worked with brushes . But had to go to work so i just saved the work as a PSD so i can continue later tonight . Also do i just brush to the edges of the smoke stack or just brush across the whole stack ?

Celestron wrote in post #14886371
PNC , i've copied down your suggestions and have been working on it in Cs5 after i got off work but had a hard time with reworking the halo out . seems it just didn't want to go away so i totally reworked it and sent it to PS then not sure if i am using the correct brush . I chose a wide fan at about 30% size had to adjust strokes and density . Now did i understand correctly that i take the new image and copy and paste it on top the old image at 20% opacity then brush out the halo ? When i do that the color does not blend correctly for me so am i suppose to choose a sky color to blend with ? I have hardly ever worked with brushes . But had to go to work so i just saved the work as a PSD so i can continue later tonight . Also do i just brush to the edges of the smoke stack or just brush across the whole stack ?

No fan or any of the new CS5 bristle brushes. Use a standard round brush, as found in earlier version of PS. I have CS5, but do most of my PS'ing in CS2 using the standard brushes.

No. Create the normal image in matix. Save. Create the halo-less image in matix. save. In PS layer both at 100%, normal layer style. Put the no-halo version on top and on it, create a totally black mask (completely hides the layer). then with the 10% or 20% normal, feathered brush, begin slowly brushing the halo area. In other words, what you are doing is brushing the non-halo from the top layer onto the bottom layer which has the halo. You are brushing the halo away.

Do not brush across areas you do not want the top layer to show. But it is ok to touch the edge of the smoke stack, and even go a little onto it because of the fact that 1) your brush is feathered on its edge, and 2) you are at low opacity it will hardly change the stack at all. But brushing to the edge and over the edge a little will help you to create a smooth blend from the top no-halo layer onto the bottom halo layer, eliminating the halo.

Also, set your brush so you can see the size. It should display as a round circle.

The brushing is a "technique". Finesse it, you'll get the hang of it.

Well i finally just reworked the whole thing but i think i still have halo and it has come out just a little different . I guess i'm going to need to study up on the masking again and watch a few videow at Adobe T.V. Anyway here is what i'm still working on for the masking and brush part .

Viola! MUCH better. The new sky is deeper, more saturated, has less noise, and the gradations are exquisite. The machine and the ground, too, have improved. If there is a halo, I don't really notice it. Looks like an entirely different image.

Yes - study masking and layering. Although the opinions of others may differ, IMHO layers and layer masks are the most important feature of PS. Good work!

Picture North Carolina wrote in post #14890618
Viola! MUCH better. The new sky is deeper, more saturated, has less noise, and the gradations are exquisite. The machine and the ground, too, have improved. If there is a halo, I don't really notice it. Looks like an entirely different image.

Yes - study masking and layering. Although the opinions of others may differ, IMHO layers and layer masks are the most important feature of PS. Good work!

Thanks very much PNC for all your info and help . I will continue to study more on the masking . That has always been one of my main down falls . But everytime i watch a video at Adobe TV i see something totally new and different from ways others may do there workflow . Only thing is they make it look so simple i have to watch it maybe several times to grasp it .

Celestron wrote in post #14891182
Thanks very much PNC for all your info and help . I will continue to study more on the masking . That has always been one of my main down falls . But everytime i watch a video at Adobe TV i see something totally new and different from ways others may do there workflow . Only thing is they make it look so simple i have to watch it maybe several times to grasp it .

Don't limit yourself to Adobe TV. There's tons of (IMHO better) resources out there such as Russell Brown.

And although videos are convenient, don't overlook traditional printed tutorials. Ron Bigelow has tons. He used to be here on POTN, but I haven't seen him in years. Look at this list.

Bottom line is that a decent command of PS is critical. Not only for undoing crap HDR apps create, but for everything else. Learn it, be proficient in it and there's really nothing you can't fix or a vision you cannot create.