Different lighting

[Sanda]

I need your opinions. I have two photos the I want to combine them, that's not a problem I can do that. But the problem is the lighting is different in both. One has shaddows on the faces of the people and the other the subject is facing the sun. I can retake the one of the person in the sun but the problem is then she would get suspicious of my reason for wanting to retake the photo and the compliation is a gift for her. My question is should I just retake and hope I don;t have to explain myself or should I try to match the lighting. If I should try to match the lighting. any suggestions on the best way of doing it?

[jeaniesa]

Hmmm. Interesting dilemma. If you have time, I would try to match the lighting. Then, if it's just impossible, retake the one photo.

To match the lighting, I think it would be easier to try to ADD shadows to the one taken facing the sun rather than remove the shadows from the other one. Here's what I would try:
Add a 50% gray layer above the image, change the blend mode to overlay. Then use burn on that layer.
Or, just create a new layer (empty) and paint with black where you want shadows. Then play with the blend mode and opacity.


I'm not sure which will give you a better effect as I've never actually tried this, but it's where I would start. Someone else may have a completely different opinion.

You should be able to determine where you need the shadow by looking at the photo that has them.

Good luck!

Jeanie

[jaz]

I had the same issue with this:

I had the same problem. I wanted to composite a couple of roses to give to my wife as a gift (along with a poem). Unfortunately, I didn't have much to choose from at the time (I was on lunch break at work) and I ended up having to compromise and use a pair of flowers with contrasting light (Especially since I had to flip one horizontally).

I could do some more work with masking and shading to make them closer but the water droplet reflections will give it away.

The image is 3/5 of the way down on this page:

http://www.jackzucker.com/Photoshop/index.htm

[Ed_L]

Sandra,

Why don't you tell her that there seems to be a problem with exposure settings when using your camera with different light directions. She could help you by being a subject for tests. Then maybe you could get her to let you take her pic using side lighting, front lighting, and back lighting for comparisons. I could get by with using that with my wife, but not sure about someone else.

Ed

[Sanda]

Just thought I would post the two photos to show you what I mean. I want to put all 3 sisters together.

[Sanda]

Ed
I told my mum that I must have messed up with the photo and she happily posed for a series of shots. Unfortunately the sun was a little high in the sky so I don't have a perfect match for the shaddows but I can work with what I have. And I don;t think she has a clue what I'm up to.

[CJ Swartz]

I don;t think she has a clue what I'm up to.

She'll have a special laugh to add to her special gift when she opens it.

[Sanda]

knowing my mum, she's probably worked out roughly what I'm up to. She may be 81 but she's not dumb and she's always been able to see right through me.

[Sanda]

What do you think? Does the lighting look right?

[Sanda]

duh.. must post image.

[d_kendal]

Very nice work, Sandra, I'm sure she'll love it. the one suggestion I've got is to maybe lighten up the middle one's face a bit?

- David

[CJ Swartz]

I agree with David about adding more light to your mom's face - maybe a duplicated layer set to Screen mode with a layer mask to add light only where you want it. You got the light on her shoulder coming from the right direction, and just looking at it -- I would have thought they were photographed together. BTW, she has beautiful hair.

[Sanda]

Thanks David and CJ I will add more light to her face, I think I went from one extreme to another. My first photo had too much light on her face and the other had too little. Oh well we learn by trying these things.

Thanks CJ I'm happy with the way mum fitted in the middle but I was lucky I had an easy photo of the other two sisters to work with.

BTW when she sees the photo she's going to say "is my hair that white?" it is but she always thinks it's darker.

[phili1]

Hi Sandra great job on the insertion. I agree with the rest about the faces.

I did this quick. I used the magnetic lasso on each face and adjusted it in curves. At the end I did a curves adjustment on all.

I also tried the dodge tool but the results looked fake.

[Ed_L]

This thread kept slipping by me. She's gonna be one happy lady when she sees the results. I'm sure you have the face lightened a bit by now, and it looks great. Nice job!

Ed