Image Help - - Background - Is it possible?

Wayne27 · #1 06-25-2005, 07:24 AM

Hi, I am wondering if there is any way to replace the background behind the veil in this picture sample. For example I would like to put a flower or something behind it, or at the very least change the pattern of the curtain to something more subtle. Thanks.

Legacy~Art · #2 06-25-2005, 08:29 AM

Hello Wayne welcome to the forum,

Could you possibly show us a large picture, at present that is too tiny for me to see a veil let alone help you to blend out the background.

Elle

CJ Swartz · #3 06-25-2005, 09:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wayne27

Hi, I am wondering if there is any way to replace the background behind the veil in this picture sample. For example I would like to put a flower or something behind it, or at the very least change the pattern of the curtain to something more subtle. Thanks.

All you need to do is make a selection of the area that you want to replace and replace it with the flower (or something else). The veil makes an almost perfect triangle, so it would be easy to use the pen tool (using photoshop, PSP and Photoshop Elements have a pen tool also, I believe) to click on three corners to select the area you want to work with, and then paste the image of the flower in its place. You can use Hue/Saturation to lighten AND desaturate the veil so you don't notice the original background showing behind it. Adding some noise to the veil can also help hide the original background. The veil would appear to be opaque and not show the new background through it. Depends on what look you're going for...

Kraellin · #4 06-25-2005, 10:37 AM

depending on whether this 'sample' is all you're going to use or if you're wanting to work with a larger picture and you just posted the sample as an example, i might do this different ways. for, what i did in my attempt was based solely on the sample being the entire picture you want and not part of something larger.

the first thing i did was take most of the saturation out of the image. this blends most of the background into the veil. the veil is white, so de-saturating it doesnt alter the white much.

this then made it very easy to select out the veil from the rest of the image. i cleaned it up a bit along the edges with a simple eraser tool and adjusted the contrast, lightness and saturation to taste.

then i simply used another picture; in this case, janet petty's mimosas found here in this thread: http://www.retouchpro.com/forums/photo-based-art/10851-mimosa-blooming.html and control-c'd it and then copied it into the new veil image as a new layer.

i then reversed the layer positions so the veil was on top and adjusted the opacity of that layer so the flowers would show through.

i then copied out the layers as a new image, change the file type to .jpg and optimized for size to fit on retouch.

and that's it.

the problem with how i did this is if you're working with a full picture of which this sample is only a small part. my method wouldnt work then and you'd have to do something different.

Craig

Wayne27 · #5 06-29-2005, 03:02 PM

Thanks for the help, i think ive got the idea, i do in fact have a whole background to change but think i can do it now.

Kraellin · #6 06-29-2005, 03:06 PM

ok, good

if you run into problems, post some more images, larger this time. like i said, the technique i gave you wouldnt necessarily work if what you posted was from a larger picture.

and even if you dont have any more difficulties with it, post your results. i'd love to see it.

Craig

Wayne27 · #7 07-01-2005, 08:57 AM

Ok heres the two pictures, Im not happy with it but basically its just an exercise for learning at the moment, ill have another go later. I cut out the Veil that needed to be replaced, desaturated it as suggested. Cut the main person out and placed on new background, put the veil back in as a layer and then changed the opacity of the veil layer to get the result. Probably there is a better way , but i gave it a go anyway. Im a newbie to Photoshop (and graphics) and have a lot to learn. Thanks for your help.

Wayne

Kraellin · #8 07-01-2005, 03:07 PM

well, basically, you did a great job. i'll pass on one extra trick you might try using here. take your clone tool and have both images showing. right click the clone tool over the original to pick up the image. have your opacity set pretty low, like at 40 or less. then, on the 2nd image, right click the image down on it. that will transfer the parts from the one to other.

this works well in your two images because the area between her legs in both images is bluish. so what little of the blue behind the veil passes over to the other image gets lost in the background on the 2nd image. so you end up with just a bit more veil showing there.

here's my example. this took about 2 minutes to do.

and, if you want the veil showing more, just increase the opacity or pass over the area again.

Craig

maureeno · #9 07-02-2005, 06:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wayne27

Ok heres the two pictures, Im not happy with it but basically its just an exercise for learning at the moment, ill have another go later. I cut out the Veil that needed to be replaced, desaturated it as suggested. Cut the main person out and placed on new background, put the veil back in as a layer and then changed the opacity of the veil layer to get the result. Probably there is a better way , but i gave it a go anyway. Im a newbie to Photoshop (and graphics) and have a lot to learn. Thanks for your help.

Wayne

Wayne, have you given thought to putting in a bit of shadow on the water from your model?

That might deepen the already beautiful replacement job you've done.

Maureen

Caitlin · #10 07-02-2005, 06:46 PM

Very impressive job indeed! I'm a bit confused about the original image though - where was the curtain? In your first very small sample attachment the veil is over the colourful curtain print, but in the full attachment in your later post it is over white. Is this where you have already desaturated and re-pasted?

Flora · #11 07-03-2005, 02:01 AM

Hi Wayne27,

Welcome to RP!

Quoting Caitlin "Very impressive job indeed!"

The one thing I would correct is the rather strong 'orangy' glow on the woman ... The original picture was taken indoors, the lights were on and she was surrounded by reddish-brown furniture ... all this gave a yellow/orange cast to her skin ... which was and looked natural there .... The new background, however, casts a cyan/green/acqua glow, so, in spite of a seamless transition with it, the original yellow/orangy skin cast, makes her look out of place and somehow too 'opaque' for her new surroundings...

I overdid it a bit in my attachment, but I only wanted to show you what I meant..

Graig,

great job!!

Wayne27 · #12 07-04-2005, 06:58 AM

Craig, Thanks for your help i appreciate it.

Maureen, Yes thats a great idea , however i dont know where start. ill have a look around and see if i can do it.

Caitlin, Im sorry for the confusion, the original picture was a samle from a different pic as I thought that this one may have been unsuitable, after looking around the site I decided its probably acceptable.

Flora, Thanks, I noticed this as well but wasnt quite sure how to go about fixing it. Now I have an example i can experiment.

Thank you all for your comments and help, hopefully in the future i will be able to contribute as well.

Wayne

Kraellin · #13 07-04-2005, 09:32 AM

flora,
thank you

and yes, going from indoors to outdoors always changes things. good on spotting and handling that.

wayne,
you're welcome. let us know if you have more questions.

Craig

Wayne27 · #14 07-05-2005, 06:36 AM

Maureen, Yes thats a great idea , however i dont know where start. ill have a look around and see if i can do it.

maureeno · #15 07-06-2005, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wayne27

Maureen, Yes thats a great idea , however i dont know where start. ill have a look around and see if i can do it.

Well, how I do that is not in PS, I use Photo Impact for shadows. I have my selection active (which would be your model) then apply the shadow, adjusting it till it looks right, then merge or flatten the layers.

If you have your project still saved in an unflattened format, you can email it to me if you'd like and have a go at the shadow for you.

Maureen