Help with Removing shadows?

[Gee1990]

Hi guys!

Completely new. I have Corel Draw and Corel photo-paint X6 right. I've just learnt how to use it very basically. What my issue is, is that I am helping my father-in-law deign a pamphlet for his company. He refuses to hire a pro so i'm attempting it. Problem is. There are shadows on these pictures of the products that make them look a little funny after I've removed the background. So how the eff do I make these shadows go away so the pictures are flat colours?

I've attached a picture as an example. What I need to do is get rid of the shadow that falls on the left side of the toilet from the door. (There are many more pictures with the same issue I need to fix too >.<)

If anyone could help me I would be eternally grateful :3

[Vernon]

Re: Help with Removing shadows?

Hi, Gee1990.

I am not familiar with Corel Draw or Corel photo-paint X6 so I would not be able to provide tool/feature specific advice.

However, I would offer this suggestion:
See if you can move the product away from that spot, take a second picture of the wall/floor.
Now, with both images, extract the product from the first image, then place it on the second.
Now you have the product sitting in the same place, but now without any shadows.
You can of course, bring back any portion of shadows you wish - just match up the backgrounds, create a mask that permits those parts to show through and block those parts you with to cover up.

Going forth, a little planning of the place and product photos will help you create acceptable examples for your father-in-law...

[Cupcake]

Re: Help with Removing shadows?

I used Corel Painter
Used
Just add water 12.8 17%
Resaturation 0 %
Bleed 100%

[klev]

Re: Help with Removing shadows?

I've actually faked even lighting using more than one output from raw, but it's not fun. It is very time consuming. As the others stated you are far better off getting the background under even lighting.

[Repairman]

Re: Help with Removing shadows?

Cut out the top half of the left wall. The moulding pattern seems symmetrical from top to bottom so flip it vertically and place it over the corresponding shadow area. Reduce the opacity of the cut out so that you can align the plastic moulding detail exactly in the correct position. Use another patch of the triangular moulding and place that over the central area. With these three patches you now have a 'light' version of the wall albeit patchy in tonal gradation top to bottom. Using your colour controls you can balance the reds from top to bottom and by blending the transitions of tone through gradation masks. There is a small about of artistry required to get the hilites/shadows of the moulding pattern correct but all the visual clues are in the original image.