Polarizer

[jedimasterk]

How can you get the same effect as using a polarizer with Elements. Meaning deep blue sky, without effecting landscape color, only enhancing it. Been trying to use gradients, but that seems to effect the whole picture. Also what is the best way to get the same effect, as Cokin filters, with gradients. How can you create a cokin filter gradient with feathering from color to transparent.:)

[bnk1953]

Depending on the picture - using the magic wand to select the sky and then making adjustments from there.
I've also did the copy and then using multiply and adjust from there. When doing this way - I end up erasing the part that I didn't want multiplied.
But I'm just a rookie at this - so I'm sure others will come along with better answers.
~bruce.

[TonyW]

A polarizer is about the only filter you can't duplicate however you can use a photo filter adjustment layer to simply make the sky bluer. Try the Deep Blue filter with the Preserve Luminosity box unchecked. It will apply it to the whole image but if you then click on the layer mask and apply a white to black gradient to the mask you can often get a good quick sky fix by masking out the effect of the filter on the landscape.

As Bruce says with a bit more work you can replace the whole sky if you want. There are a few tutorials here that give different methods of doing it.

[susangreen]

I tried your method on one of my pictures and it works very well. Thank you for the idea. These questions and answers really help the novices among us.

[Codebreaker]

You can emulate a gradient filter as follows:--

1. Set Foreground colour to Black
2. Add a New Layer
3. Select the Gradient tool and choose Foreground to Transparent
4. Draw the gradient from the top to the horizon
5. Set the Blending Mode of the new layer to Overlay.

Colin

[lindajay]

Colin, thanks for the tip! I wonder if you could post an image showing this effect? I'd love to see it.

[Codebreaker]

Linda....

You can see a before and after here...

http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1pKwnOFQwoKPw86sCerHQqFwte0qH1


This one (the after) has a Hue/Saturation Layer between the background and gradient to just boost the colours slightly

Colin