Photo Retouching - - Is this possible?

Ant · #1 09-28-2007, 12:58 PM

Who knows how to turn a black pair of leather gloves into white gloves, believably?

jacknick · #2 09-28-2007, 01:41 PM

i would probably start by selecting the gloves and inverting it. then use channel mixer to lighten it a bit and to add little color so it doesn't look like a grayscale. easier said than done of course. especially with super high res files.

Doug Nelson · #3 09-28-2007, 01:41 PM

I know I don't, at least not with the quality you'd be looking for. The problem is that, unless the shot is overexposed, the shadow detail would be insufficient to become believable midtone detail once shifted up the curve.

Ant · #4 09-28-2007, 01:45 PM

Yeah Doug. I figure you are right. The shot has detail, even in the blackest blacks, but it is still truly black. I did some quick tries to no avail. Jack, yeah, it will be 2' tall in the end so it's got to be perfect. I tried inverting it first and had no luck. I believe we will just get some gloves and shoot them in the same pose and compose.

pixelzombie · #5 09-28-2007, 01:47 PM

yes it is possible, especially if it's in RGB.....desaturate the gloves, then use curves to make a move to your desired tone and cast....this could also be possible to do using a gradient map after seeing the advice from cricket regarding huge color moves...

KR1156 · #6 09-28-2007, 02:14 PM

only problem i keep running into is, with all the mthods mentioned, is basically getting those natural looking highlights back in. it looks very flat and fake if you don't have those. They don't look so great trying to brush them in, you really need a natural selection to get a believable mask.

but separating and somehow inverting the shadow highlight detail of the leather doesn't seem too bad.

anyone else having any luck with this?

Ant · #7 09-28-2007, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pixelzombie

yes it is possible, especially if it's in RGB.....desaturate the gloves, then use curves to make a move to your desired tone and cast....this could also be possible to do using a gradient map after seeing the advice from cricket regarding huge color moves...

talk is cheap. Show me. Remember, this will be 2' x 4' at least. (not these gloves, just an example)

http://www.johnhelmer.com/products/full/277.jpg

KR1156 · #8 09-28-2007, 02:18 PM

ant, i've been practicing on that same example, you cruising google images for that?!?

Ant · #9 09-28-2007, 02:21 PM

yup. the same.

cricket1961 · #10 09-28-2007, 02:21 PM

Ant

Is that meant for me?

Chris

Ant · #11 09-28-2007, 02:26 PM

Chris, I don't follow....

I guess no? Not sure what you are referring to.

Quote:

Originally Posted by cricket1961

Ant

Is that meant for me?

Chris

Ant · #12 09-28-2007, 02:28 PM

Obvious problems illustrated here and in the next post. Real white gloves.

cricket1961 · #13 09-28-2007, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ant

Chris, I don't follow....

I guess no? Not sure what you are referring to.

The comment that the talk is cheap. Show me.

Any way, it has been a while since I had to do this. ANd it is a total b**ch to do correctly.

Chris

Ant · #14 09-28-2007, 02:32 PM

suggested methods thus far. example.

Ant · #15 09-28-2007, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cricket1961

The comment that the talk is cheap. Show me.

Any way, it has been a while since I had to do this. ANd it is a total b**ch to do correctly.

Chris

No. Not directed at you, you just got here. I'm sure we are just going to shoot it, but I'm mostly just curious as it poses an interesting challenge - not sure it's interesting enough to invest the time though. Pretty much "anything" is possible with a large enough budget and far out enough deadline but..