Photography Challenge: Unique Ways To Display Photos - Page 3

ejingram · 10-20-2009, 08:54 AM

i got another one.

**Muddy** · 10-20-2009, 11:48 AM

Pfft! When I manipulate a graphic it looks like I did it with wooden spoons.

moni · 10-20-2009, 11:54 AM

julienm very well done mate

**juliensimon** · 10-20-2009, 12:05 PM

thanks - my biggest problem is that I only know how to use 3/4 tools.
I believe I could be a lot faster and better if using more appropriate tools.

For example, how could I make it less obvious that I cut that guy out? (he was originally taking pictures of lions)
around the face and the hands, it's pretty pixelized. I tried the blur tool but it didn't seem to do anything.

moni · 10-20-2009, 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by juliensimon

thanks - my biggest problem is that I only know how to use 3/4 tools.
I believe I could be a lot faster and better if using more appropriate tools.

For example, how could I make it less obvious that I cut that guy out? (he was originally taking pictures of lions)
around the face and the hands, it's pretty pixelized.

well you dont use the eraser or the select/cut crap. heres a quick easy step

Get the picture you want and add it as a layer to the one with the car image. work on the guy at the zoo picture and use the path tool, bottom right in your layer section etc there's a path tab, click that and create a new path then get your pen tool.

Then just click a point, drag, and basically make a path around the dude, if you bodge a point up just command+click+drag it back into place.

then make a selection out of your path by going to the path you made and right click < make selection

then go to your layer, go down to the bottom and click on add layer mask, you end up getting rid of the bg and it's pretty clear.

and to get rid of the neg space on the inside of an image just do the same by creating a new path but when you select that and right click set it as neg while doing the outer path.

EDIT: crap i was multitasking and lick replied before me etc...whatever haha

**3ncryptabl3_lick** · 10-20-2009, 01:08 PM

Quite often the best method is to use the pen tool and basically trace around the object and create a shape which you can use as the base for a mask. Then use that mask to cut your object out.

Another less popular method, but sometimes gets better results, would be a color channel mask to better seperate an object from the the background if it's been shot with a keycolor or if the background behind the object is prominently one color. Like a tree shot against a blue sky.

Unfortunately, there is no magic way of doing it and there are many steps in between that can make or break it. Not to mention blending the new object, in this case, the guy, into the new scene. Color saturation, lighting direction etc all play a factor in whether or not the new object (the guy) will actually 'look' like it's (he) is in the scene.

**juliensimon** · 10-20-2009, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3ncryptabl3_lick

Quite often the best method is to use the pen tool and basically trace around the object and create a shape which you can use as the base for a mask. Then use that mask to cut you object out.

Another less popular method, but sometimes gets better results, would be a color channel mask to better seperate an object from the the background if it's been shot with a keycolor or if the background behind the object is prominently one color. Like a tree shot against a blue sky.

Unfortunately, there is no magic way of doing it and there are many steps in between that can make or break it. Not to mention blending the new object, in this case, the guy, into the new scene. Color saturation, lighting direction etc all play a factor in whether or not the new object (the guy) will actually 'look' like it's (he) is in the scene.

I used the lasso and the wand.

I don't know how to use masks. I should really take an actual online course or read through some tutorials.

thanks for the tips though!

**Cricket** · 10-20-2009, 01:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by juliensimon

I used the lasso and the wand.

I don't know how to use masks. I should really take an actual online course or read through some tutorials.

thanks for the tips though!

One of the quickest ways I have learned to do things is through challenges. Find something you want to do, then go to You Tube and find a tutorial on it. Or, if you prefer just search Google for step by step tutorials. There are soooooo many out there.

**Muddy** · 10-21-2009, 09:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cricket

One of the quickest ways I have learned to do things is through challenges. Find something you want to do, then go to You Tube and find a tutorial on it. Or, if you prefer just search Google for step by step tutorials. There are soooooo many out there.

That's exactly how I have learned almost anything web/computer related. That and asking questions on forums!

There are some good Photoshop tips here: http://www.v7n.com/graphics/.

ejingram · 10-22-2009, 08:33 PM

I got a lot of tips from this web site. I haven't been on it for a long time. It was free when I first found it, then you had to pay, now I don't know if you still have to pay.

http://screamdesign.daz3d.com/

Check it out, it can't hurt.

**3ncryptabl3_lick** · 10-20-2009, 01:15 PM

Julien check this out.

**Muddy** · 10-21-2009, 09:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3ncryptabl3_lick

Julien check this out.

See, this is what I'm talking about. I would have used the eraser tool.

**juliensimon** · 10-21-2009, 10:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Muddy

See, this is what I'm talking about. I would have used the eraser tool.

I so did

there are a couple of videos where he says: ok, let's do that. then he pauses he says something like: STOP! I know you went to grab the stamp tool / magic wand. that's the way little kids do it and losers. Let's do it the professional way.

everytime he said that, I was going for the tool he told me not to