X-Mas Present - Help w/ Editing

[mydogmeg]

Merry Christmas Everyone !

I need help with a photo I want to give for Christmas . . . group portrait / taken outside / black n white.

I need the area on the perimeters obscured or blacked out, highlighting only the people and the tree.

[mydogmeg]

here is an editted photo from someone else . . . I do love this "look" but I believe they changed the lighting on the faces . . . when it was processed everyone looked ghostly.

I also liked that they grayed/blacked out the sunlight spot beside the standing boy.


Thanks !!!!

[Cassidy]

New Layer, set blending mode to overlay, using black brush at 1/3 opacity start removing side issues, then on a new layer in normal mode, using a 100% opacity black brush just removed a couple of highlights that did not respond to overlay. Had to use second copy as first post could not download image for some reason

[mydogmeg]

Hi Cassidy,

I may have attached the original photo (first post) AFTER you editted the photo. I am new to this and was trying to resize the photo.

Thank you so, so much !!!!!!


I use an inexpensive editting program, did you do all that with Photoshop? I suppose I need to upgrade uh . . . you lost me at layers !!!!

[Cassidy]

Yes was done with photoshop cs2, but you could just as easily carefully paint out the areas with a black brush

[mydogmeg]

Hi Cassidy


Thanks for the software info.

I apologize, I didn't make myself clear. Did you edit the original picture (see photo on first post / no cropping) OR did you edit the second photo (black halo).

The second photo was editted by someone else, but they changed the facial lighting, and when it's printed the faces are very ghostly.



Thanks !!!!

[chillin]

You could do the white vignette...

[mydogmeg]

Chillin

Thanks so much for doing that!

I think I'm still more partial to the black. Can you do it in black and crop out the legs?

I'm giving this to the grandmothers for Christmas.

Thanks !!!!!!

[lilysharon]

Here's another idea.
I multiplied the photo and erased back in the group.
Merged it then duplicated and flipped the top photo.
Then reduced the opacity a bit and changed the blend mode to darken.
Erase back the lower area and where needed and clone in to fill any empty spots.
I used Paintshoppro and did a bit of enhancement with contrast and clarify.
You could get better results using Photoshop if you have that program.

[chillin]

It would be better with a better quality picture posted (with a link or so)

[Cassidy]

Now that I can access the original photo another try using the same methodology but using clone for the brighter areas to tone down rather than painting out

[grannysdc]

Grannys Version

[mydogmeg]

You people ROCK !!!!!!!

Lilysharon, that's EXACTLY what I had envisioned but I just didn't know it !!!!!!!


Thank you, thank you, thank you . . . I am sooo excited !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Mining Art]

Thought it would be fun to have some color kids. Nice looking happy group.

[shaybshay]

could dress em up too maybe if you like.