Complex selection and blown out sky

[timmy1729]

Salvete omnes!
Well, as a beginner to photo editing, this one presented me with a challenge that I can not fix.
Original: http://picasaweb.google.com/timothy....00212701106274

Here is the hack job I've managed with my very limited skills:
http://picasaweb.google.com/timothy....00204976675058

Here is a screenshot with it open in the GIMP so you can see my layers, if that helps any:
http://picasaweb.google.com/timothy....00211052360354

As you can see, the trees near the horizon line present a big problem. The majority of the leaves are in the white part of the blown out sky and the trees were very skinny from it being winter. Yes, that is winter in Montgomery, AL. Summer is horrible.

Anyway, I am just trying to get this picture to look really nice. But, since I couldn't do a very good selection for a mask of the leaves and branches, there is a horrible halo around them. I tried going over that area with a gray and using a blur in an attempt to blend that halo into the new sky, but it failed miserably.

Can you also tell me what I'm doing correctly? That would help to figure this stuff out. Thanks in advance!

[Swampy]

Timmy, welcome to RetouchPRO! Nice photo.

I fixed the sky in about 10 seconds. I don't know what tools you have in Gimp, but I did this in photoshop using my Blown out sky tutorial. I have a video tutorial on my web page. You can check it out by clicking on the "Tutorials" link in my signature. This may give you some ideas on how to achieve this in Gimp.

BTW... I didn't mask the sky so watch the other "Blown Out Sky" tutorial... or watch them both.. LOL

[duwayne]

Don't know about Gimp but this is how I would do it in Photoshop CS.

I made a loose selection of the top half of the image (top down to slightly below the horizon, including the trees).

Then, Layer => New Adjustment Layer => Selective Color.

In the popup window, select "Whites" and move the Cyan slider to +25%.

Reduce the Opacity of the adjustment layer to 65%.

[duwayne]

Here is how I would finish it off.

[Swampy]

LOL, Duwayne... Exactly what my tutorial says to do. I just use the marquee tool to make the selection from the top of the sky down to just below the horizon line.

[duwayne]

Originally Posted by Swampy

LOL, Duwayne... Exactly what my tutorial says to do. I just use the marquee tool to make the selection from the top of the sky down to just below the horizon line.

Swampy - I knew I got the idea some time ago from someplace but couldn't remember where. Thanks for the idea.

[Swampy]

Been a life saver for me on more occasions than I can count, duwayne. There have been times when I really needed to mask the sky and replace it altogether. Then came CS3 and while playing with that one day I found a "new" use for the new black and white adjustment layer so I did a tutorial on how to mask the treeline.

[Flora]

Hi Timmy!

Welcome to RetouchPRO!

Originally Posted by Swampy

....BTW... I didn't mask the sky so watch the other "Blown Out Sky" tutorial... or watch them both.. LOL

.... Watch them all Timmy! ...

Swampy,

thank you very much for the link to your excellent Tutorials!!!!

I've tried the "Masking the Sky" ... and it works perfectly when the 'conditions' are exactly as you described, but it is also a great help even when the conditions aren't the best!!!

[timmy1729]

Thanks for the quick replies everyone! After I get the sky fixed, how should I adjust the picture further(contrast, brightness, RGB levels, etc.)? It just seems too dark in the foreground to me. I am just beginning to get into photography and image editing as a hobby, so I don't have much of an eye for that stuff yet. What improvements would you make to make it a picture to show off in the house? :-)

[Daviskw]

Hi there

I used the blue channel...apply image....and levels to make a mask. Then grouped a layer to the masked layer and darkened the limbs and leaf tips.

Butch

[timmy1729]

Daviskw:
Can you explain further? Sorry for the questions. I'm a total graphics beginner. I just got to play with Photoshop CS3 Extended and I don't understand what you did. I come to Photoshop from using the GIMP(more intuitive interface, IMHO).

[Swampy]

Timmy, watch my video tutorial on Fixing a blown out sky. Just click on the "Tutorials" link in my signature and go to my home page. You'll find a link there. There are two videos. One deals with masking the sky (not the one we discussed here) or just "Fixing Sky".

Or search the Tutorial thread 'cause it's there too.

[ktg222]

I masked the sky in a similar manner as Daviskw. I will list my steps below, but it is an amalgum of Dr. Brown's masking techniques, Katrin Eismann's masking techniques and a dash of my own.

1. Selected the blue channel and made a copy. It has the most contrast.
2. Went to Image>Apply image and used the blue channel in multiply mode to increase the contrast.
3. Selected Curves Cmd/Control +M and pulled in the black point and the white point and pulled the curve down a little to darken the mid tones
4. Then I selected a soft white and black brush set to over lay and began painting the blue layer white in the sky at 10-40%. Same too for the trees. I painted with a soft black brush from 10-40% to darken the trees. When I was satisfied, I selected the mask. Cmd/Cntrl+Click and the mask was selected.
5 I then went to my background copy layer and applied the mask to that layer
6. I made a new layer below that and filled with a shade of blue: 51/130/237. The sky is a vivid blue. Too blue.
7. I then added another layer below the blue layer and filled with white. I added a mask and used a black to transparent gradient on the mask for the sky. The sky should be a darker blue at the top and lighten at the horizon.
8. I added another blank layer between the blue and white layers and used some cloud brushes I have and put in some clouds.

Now all this may be confusing to you. I suggest you find Russell Brown's website. He has a good tutorial on masking. Also Katrin Eismann has written an entire book on masking. Masking & Compositing.

[Daviskw]

The only thing I would add to the above explanation is if as in your first example you have leaves or limbs that are masked but light in color... then group a layer to the masked layer and set its layer mode to something like multiply. Then paint the limbs with a sampled dark color and paint the leaves with a sampled color. Because you grouped this layer only the masked areas will be colored. Then adjust opacity as needed.

Butch

[ktg222]

Thanks Butch, I did do something like that. Often the leaves have a halo around them no matter how good the mask is. What I do is I make an empty layer, clip it to the last layer with the mask, set the blending mode to Multiply, select a soft brush, use the eye dropper to sample a leaf or branch color and paint with a 10-40% brush. It darkens the leaves and removes the halo. Careful, you can over do it. I have used Darken mode, but like Multiply better. Your grouping of the layer is like my clipping mask.

k