Blown out sky

[isabel95]

Obviously, I didn't use the manual settings wisely when my Vivitar 283 had its first outing with my Sony DSC F717 at my sister's wedding aboard a boat.
Problem is the flower covered "bower"(?) with the sky peeking through.
Would appreciate any input as to how to best improve the blown out sky in the pictures in this wedding album: http://www.pbase.com/isabel95/wedding.
Any other retouching suggestions heartily welcomed!

Isabel

[CJ Swartz]

Isabel -- I loved your images of Ricky, Louie, Barney etc., and then finally looked at the images that you asked about.

Don't know how much experience with Photoshop (or whichever program you use) you have -- so if none of this makes sense, just YELL, and someone can come up with a different method.

Since you did capture the sky color in some of your images, I would just open up one of those images in Photoshop and use the color picker to catch both the darker and the lighter hues of the sky for your foreground/background colors, then open up an image that needs the sky added. (You can now close the first image -- keep both the sky colors in your color well.) Add a new layer (below the wedding image) and use the gradient tool (set to Foreground to Background) to add the sky colors you captured from your first photo by running the gradient across it from top left to bottom right (trying to catch the actual color change in the sky).

Go to the layer with your wedding image, and select the washed out sky areas (using Color Range or the wand or whatever you prefer to use.) Be sure to catch the areas around the arbor - in between the leaves, etc. (I mention this because I did NOT catch them on my first try ) Then you can use Edit->Clear to remove the white sky and reveal the bluer sky below. Merge the two layers and save.

OR....

If you're familiar with Layer Masks, you can do the first steps as above to select the washed out sky, then do Select->Inverse and add a layer mask to the top layer -- which would mask out the washed out sky to reveal the blue sky colors on the layer below -- this would let you make any needed corrections to a wisp of hair, the woman's shoulder, etc.

An example of the change:

[isabel95]

Thanks, CJ!

My main concern in the editing of the blown-out sky was just how much filling in I was going to have to do among the flowers.
I've been most successful in creating a realistic sky by selecting the sky area, feathering the edges and using levels to bring out color I didn't even realize was there until I moved the slider. Here's an example: Check this link of the before picture: http://www.pbase.com/image/11312141 and then click on the next...that was just a levels adjustment in the sky. You did a great job on filling in the light color among the flowers! Thanks.
In areas where there is no color available I will have to play with an adjustment layer as you suggest.

Isabel

[CJ Swartz]

I've been most successful in creating a realistic sky by selecting the sky area, feathering the edges and using levels to bring out color I didn't even realize was there until I moved the slider.

-- Isabel

Absolutely a great way to go, and your retouching worked great! You not only brought back the sky's color, but brought out some lovely cloud details.

If the sky is completely blown-out to where there is NO detail or color left, then you can try my method.

Lovely photos, Isabel, I'm sure the wedding couple were pleased. But they should have had a ring-bearer cat!

[isabel95]

Thanks for the kind words, CJ...I realize after studying my revision that there are taletale white borders around the groom. I have to go back and lightly clone over them to hide them.
Ring bearer cat? Are you suggesting my "Louie"????
He's afraid of all people but me!

Isabel

[Stephen M]

Quick tip - perhaps try darken blend mode for this task for layer or paint tool blends.

The current sky is very light, while the subjects of interest are a lot darker...by using darken mode the darker objects will not take on any of the edits from the data in the darken blend, but the light sky will accept the edit. No masks, no selections and no fuss! OK, it may not be that easy in practice - but thats the idea. <g>

Layer option blend if sliders can also help at times when attempting seamless merging without making lots of masks.

Stephen Marsh.

[isabel95]

Steven M...I'll have to try your darken mode layer blend of fixing the sky...so many things in Photoshop I've yet to try and I've been using it for a couple of years! Thanks!
Isabel

[efivern]

Select>color range...adjustment layer>curves....you have an adjustment layer with an inbuilt mask of only the sky.
(eliminate areas of the selection that are just highlights in the shadow areas, and feather some, while you have the selection active)
Now try blending mode>multiply, or others to taste...finally try your hand on the curve itself. If there's some information in that sky, it should come out.
Now if you have a completely blown out sky, (no info) then you could try KPT6 sky effects...you can design your own sky. If the area to cover is relatively unimportant, you could get away with a quite real sky.
Just my 2c.

[isabel95]

Blown out sky

Thanks, Efivern...I'll give your method a try. Just another Photoshop method to add to the never ending list of possibilities!

Isabel

[Philip Tulin]

How to repair sky techniques

Here are some blue sky techniques for your problem:

http://www.outdooreyes.com

Click on the digital editing tab in the photography section.

PT

[isabel95]

Re: How to repair sky techniques

Thanks, Philip...Gee I posted that a loooooooong time ago!
Found the best way to fix burnt out sky, especially when there were leaves in the way was to use select/range...then I added a sky gradient. Of course I could have used a good sky on a different layer...so many ways to fix bad skies.
Isabel

Originally posted by Philip Tulin
Here are some blue sky techniques for your problem:

http://www.outdooreyes.com

Click on the digital editing tab in the photography section.

PT