Posted: Mon Jun 05, 2006 4:33 pm Post subject: how to create a hilightes layer and a shadow layer for same
I need an easy way to fix a high contrast image such as an interior home shot where the windows are blown out and you can't see outside detail,but the interior is either correctly exposed or is underexposed. Basically what i need to do is combine the correctly exposed interior with the correctly exposed windows, showing correct exposure for both interior and exterior detail. To get the correct exposure i have been taking a shot in which i meter the windows, and without moving the camera, take another shot in which i meter the interior. Here is where i get stuck. the way i've been doing it, which takes way too much time for my purposes, is to either use the magnetic lasso tool or the polygonal lasso tool to select the area of the properly exposed windows, and then cut and paste the selections to the other layer. The problem with this is, it takes quite a while and i usually have to go back and do some cloning around the edges to fill in the spots that got missed, which takes alot of time as well, because it usually takes me several tries to get it right. Is there an easier way?
basically, you want to use layer masks. i use them for about everything.
here is a REALLY brief tutorial.
make a copy of whatever image you have, like so
We are going to adjust the levels of the outside. to do this, hit ctrl + L or image>adjust>levels. Since you said the outside is overexposed we are going to knock out some of the highlights by moving both the black slider (on the far left) and the grey slider (in the middle), to the right side. Not all the way. But you move those sliders around until it looks alright.
after this, you need to make a layer mask. it is the button i circled in red. the way i think of it is, its a non-destructive eraser tool. once you have a layer mask, you can either select the layer or the mask. there will be a little box highlighting which one you are actually on. To "erase," you are going to make sure the mask is selected, then you get a black paintbrush and just paint all the walls, curtains, or whatever is not the overexposed outside. (you can use any kind of brush. different shapes, size, opacities, hardnesses, etc) If you messed up a little section, hit "X." This switches the foreground and backgroun. so you are now painting white. this will bring back the image you erased. Using grays and opacities only partially erases or brings back the image.
Like u said the inside was underexposed, just go to the bottom layer and adjust the levels in the oposite way, knocking out some of the darker tones and converting them to white, or lighter grays.
Hopefully this makes sense... But if nothing else, learn how to use layer masks. they are amazing. there are a ton of ways to do everything in photoshop, but if i had to do this... i would deff do it the way i suggested.
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum You cannot attach files in this forum You can download files in this forum
