Shadow Removal

[nkeevers]

I've been following Dave Cross's video about removing shadows. He's doing it in PE4 and I'm using PE5. Help me if I'm doing something wrong or it might be different in 5.

1. I've used the magic want to select all the shadow areas.
2. Control-J to put the selection on its own layer.
3. Then I did Enhance/Adjust Color/Hue-Saturation.

Here's where it doesn't work. If I up the brightness (so the image shows it blending in with the background), it doesn't do anything.

Help!

[TonyW]

Norma: That's strange. Just tried exactly what you did and it works fine. Can't think why yours wouldn't.

Here are my layers with the shadow layer selected - A Ctrl-U brings up Hue/Saturation and the sliders make changes to the shadow.

515

Tony

[nkeevers]

Would mine not be working because I have from the bottom - background layer - duplicate layer - layer with the selection onit.

[TonyW]

Shouldn't make a difference unless you're applying the hue saturation adjustment to the bottom layer in which case you wouldn't see it. Make sure the top layer is selected.

Tony

[nkeevers]

I'll try it again and get back to you. I'm on my way out to dinner.

[nkeevers]

Well, it still isn't working and I have no idea why!:confused: :confused:

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/11h8EWGnZanmjWOoIdHsMIsnnYYmv0_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=11h8EWGnZanmjWOoIdHsMIsnnYYmv0)

[nkeevers]

LOL! I'm answering my own question! I just figured out what I was doing wrong.

When I was on the copy layer trying to do the enhance/color/hue-sat, I had forgotten to change the mode back to "normal". What a waste of your time that was!!:eek:

[GaryK]

Norma

I haven't gone back to the video, but I did notice your selection layer was set to multiply (blend mode). If the video says it is supposed to be then disregard this post. :D

[nkeevers]

Well, I'm still having problems as you can see from my picture. When I up the lightness and hue to blend the shadows in, it's hard to get it a perfect match. But that's not the real problem. After trying to blend the line in (in mask mode) a little, I then went to use the clone stamp to get rid of the line and that's proving impossible for me. Also as you can see from the left side of my Dad's face, there is a weird black line along his face.

So now what did I do wrong?? Maybe I should try something else?

]http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1PI99RDri1hQgL8pwrMziQ92xoDt6_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1PI99RDri1hQgL8pwrMziQ92xoDt6)

[Juergen D]

Maybe I should try something else?
Norma,
Cloning seems to be a good option. Mostly dealing with pretty plain and easy surfaces.

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1JaBZN3jT4SEulfTewYShTHGjY3hqp1_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1JaBZN3jT4SEulfTewYShTHGjY3hqp1)

Juergen

[Daviskw]

Hi Norma

Here is another option if you must have a shadow. Select the foreground and use Ctrl+J to put on its own layer. Do not select the dark harsh shadow... you will clone that out later.

Ctrl click the new layer then add the selection to a layer mask you attach. This will allow you to blend the edge with the mask and blur if needed.

Duplicate this layer and fill with a dark gray.... set to multiply blend mode... this will be you shadow layer.

Now below your cutout layers... clone the dark shadow completely out.

The harsh shadow is gone... to replace it with a soft shadow you can control click on the shadow layer and the move tool. Offset as you like and reduce opacity if you want. If you want to softer the edge...click on the mask and apply some gaussian blur.

Butch

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1NctuB2r4O1LgRZaNTqxvjeHvcn1_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1NctuB2r4O1LgRZaNTqxvjeHvcn1)

[nkeevers]

Butch, thanks. I'll try yours though I'm not too proficient on layer masks.

I used the "removing shadows" video technique and it works but it's not blending in well so I must not be doing something too well. I keep trying because I want to get better and conquer this this technique that way but not sure what I'm doing wrong. Think maybe when I have it in "mask mode" to check out my selection, I'm ot blending the edges well with the selection brush. And I get this thin line near the body but don't know why.

[jo]

Have you tried this to eliminate a sharp edge?

After you made the selection, go to the select menu at the top and add feathering (I usually use 5 pixels). Then do whatever you want to the selected area.

[nkeevers]

No, I didn't try the feathering. Am I supposed to do it right after I use the magic wand tool? Before I copy the selection to its own layer? Because if I try to feather before, part of the selection goes away. I can't do it after because you can't use the feather feature. Also, fyi, my blend mode is on multiply because I used that to darken the photo somewhat. If I'm supposed to go back to normal, I lose the darkened effect. I must be doing something wrong.

Here's what happens after the selection is on its own layer and I adjust color and hue/sat. I lighten it and up the saturation but it doesn't match well and there is a line along the left side and you can notice a little black against the side of my Dad's head.

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1klM7XtpdaYfz53PlxQOIdTYcH8w_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1klM7XtpdaYfz53PlxQOIdTYcH8w)

[nkeevers]

Here's another picture. I don't think I'm having a lot of luck with Dave's technique; maybe my background just doesn't lend itself completely to it. So I've tried my way which is using the clone stamp. As you can see from the photo (part of the whole photo), the left side of my Dad's face doesn't look half bad. It's a little more time-consuming but it seems to be working better.

I even fixed his eyeglasses on the bottom using the clone stamp since the flash blew it out.

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1RQnfYtPgGHq3rHO0uxEMpEooMlWOk0_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1RQnfYtPgGHq3rHO0uxEMpEooMlWOk0)

Any other comments are welcome of course.

[Daviskw]

Hi Norma

Maybe it's just me But.......
I really think Dave Cross's technique will work better with softer shadows and softer transitions. There is no color left in the black shadows and even if you lighten the selection area the texture may not match.

I do believe cloning, one way or another, will give the best results in this picture.

If you want to fight your way thru this procedure then try clicking on the hue/saturation mask.... set your foreground color to white... then lower the opacity of your brush... say to 10 percent… paint on the edges and watch the changes.
Then you can slowly change your transitions. You can press the "X" key to switch back and forth from add to the hue/saturation and subtract from it.

Butch

[Daviskw]

Norma it looks good I think to clone is right.

Just wondering if anyone else has noticed the order of posts changing?

I posted a comment when Juergen's post was the last. After I posted it i checked it for spelling and such and it was still located below Juergen's

Now all of a sudden six posts including one of my own were inserted between.

Norma has two posts that were not there and I checked and she was not online at that time?

No big thing but seems weird...:D ..maybe just Halloween or too many beers after the cards won the world series.

Butch

[nkeevers]

Norma it looks good I think to clone is right.

Just wondering if anyone else has noticed the order of posts changing?

I posted a comment when Juergen's post was the last. After I posted it i checked it for spelling and such and it was still located below Juergen's

Now all of a sudden six posts including one of my own were inserted between.

Norma has two posts that were not there and I checked and she was not online at that time?

No big thing but seems weird...:D ..maybe just Halloween or too many beers after the cards won the world series.

Butch

Butch, I agree. I think cloning might be the best solution. I'll try Dave's technique on something easier.

I did notice the weirdness of the thread locations. I wasn't on at the time. Something's going on.....

[nkeevers]

Well, decided to go with the cloning out the shadows so here is my final result.

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1AC4Gewrf4Kr2VmITRKq19MCmZlb2_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1AC4Gewrf4Kr2VmITRKq19MCmZlb2)

I'm going to either try cloning out that clock next or I might try putting them on a plain background.

[Wendy]

Hi Norma ...

Oh you have done really well with that ... it looks good :)

Wendy

[Juergen D]

Well, decided to go with the cloning out the shadows..
Good decision.

Juergen

[jo]

Lookin' good, Norma! And don't you just feel great when you accomplish something you thought was difficult! :D

[nkeevers]

Thanks for the praise everyone! I just wish I was able to do Dave's technique but I couldn't get it even enough. I'll have to try on another photo. I have a bunch of these pics my brother sent me and they all need fixing. So I'll be busy for a while.

Thanks for all your help and suggestions!

[msbrad]

Norma,
the picture is looking good, and I am glad you had asked this queston, as I learned a lot reading thru it,
Thank you everyone!
m