Creative Homework (week #4)

[kimi_boo]

Oops! I forgot. :eek:
This has been posted here before. I thought we would try something easy seeing how it is already Friday and most or working on Grant's Challenge.

This is a must try technique! Did you understand MUST TRY!! :D :D

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Two designers walk into a bar and sit down with their Powerbooks. One designer says to the other, "How much you want to bet I can correct the highlight and shadow of this image without using any adjustment tools or filters directly on the image?

The other designer takes him up on the bet and a minute later begrudgingly hands his associate $10.

How did the first designer win the bet?

The designer used a contrast mask to adjust his highlights and shadows. You can too by following these simple steps.


1. Open and image that has plugged shadows and/or blown out highlights
2. Duplicate that layer (Command + J)
3. Desaturate the duplicated layer (Shift + Command + U)
4. Invert the duplicated layer (Command + I)
5. Change the duplicated layer's blend mode to Overlay
6. Filter, Blur, Gaussian Blur (around 30)

The contrast mask will reduce the blown out highlights and open up the plugged shadows. You can then of course make further adjustments by changing the duplicated layer's opacity, changing the blend if settings in the Layer Style dialog box or by adding a layer mask to isolate areas.
http://creativebits.org/photoshop/two_designers_walk_into_a_bar_a_k_a_contrast_maski ng
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Do post your Before and After images here!

[AngelicKim]

I have been following these Homework threads but haven't participated but thought I'd give this one a try. Probably should have done a little more adjusting but just followed Kimi's instructions exactly.

Before
http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/13SlwfdrnwF0KmmS1qTkJLnmUc98j2_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=13SlwfdrnwF0KmmS1qTkJLnmUc98j2)

After
http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1fZeGvsr2a01GIq9RRaTIEGP3gYo0_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1fZeGvsr2a01GIq9RRaTIEGP3gYo0)

[kimi_boo]

Tried this one... This technique works great on images with lots of color.:)
I did lower my opacity down to around 70%.

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1VY6gYZXccGNcHoerHCZ9jQJ5LglMb1_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1VY6gYZXccGNcHoerHCZ9jQJ5LglMb1)

[peaches]

Tried this on some pictures of Max when he was a pup.

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1X3vbzyCLvOYOY8ZvHGBjFxNNg6v50_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1X3vbzyCLvOYOY8ZvHGBjFxNNg6v50)

suzi

[kimi_boo]

Tried a few more, this one still makes the biggest difference. :)

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1KCftTTKcw47X6re6g2nTL2iwkto0_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1KCftTTKcw47X6re6g2nTL2iwkto0)

[chas3stix]

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1T5BXMWpiiFiJdT6gebqQRj6O5RDvw1_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1T5BXMWpiiFiJdT6gebqQRj6O5

RDvw1)
Chas
This one didn't quite come out as I thought it would.....:(

[chas3stix]

This photo works much better.
Chas
http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1daF48iyuOHlM2VlkVqApbIN1qVXUz_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1daF48iyuOHlM2VlkVqApbIN1qVXUz)

[NMarti]

Here's my entry

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1yc8ESRumO2PtlwiGz2Arfy2O5HEkb_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1yc8ESRumO2PtlwiGz2Arfy2O5HEkb)

[karen donnybrook]

I have done several

The first one is my Broome Pearler redone this way - much quicker and easier.

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1NuzGqzjb7vyrIjfSjquhpfDHB2b9_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1NuzGqzjb7vyrIjfSjquhpfDHB2b9)

The second one is a plaque (also at Broome)

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1cGqtBkDVJPfXRm0MOiRpbx0pYPo7J1_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1cGqtBkDVJPfXRm0MOiRpbx0pYPo7J1)

The third one (also at Broome) is a statue of the founding fathers of the Boome Pearl industry

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1JbRFrMEL6KNADvf5Ef2EUwuYvQky1_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1JbRFrMEL6KNADvf5Ef2EUwuYvQky1)

Karen :)

[billz]

Nice technique Kimi. This is the Excelsior Caffe in the Shinjuku district of Tokyo.

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1QSD1ZyjtBEvoNejOCvahF727LT3OZ_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1QSD1ZyjtBEvoNejOCvahF727LT3OZ)

Bill

[TonyW]

I've been looking back at some of my first digital pictures taken with a 2Mp Olympus back in 2000 when Photoshop Elements didn't exist and when I knew absolutely nothing about editing images or have any software to do it. So thought I'd give this technique a try on one. Did also crop, add a levels adjustment and get rid of a couple of shiny spots on the nose and lips. Made me realise that I have a lot of old pictures that I really should have another go at now I have a bit more knowledge and the software to do it.

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1IIPPVgwZ0R1KCWUqqI2go5KALESO1_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1IIPPVgwZ0R1KCWUqqI2go5KALESO1)

Tony

[TonyW]

John: Copy and paste the text from the box called Forum at the bottom of the Pixentral image - just copy/paste and you get this:

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1xBvlxgGGRaiMEGDGi22d4ArM7saB_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1xBvlxgGGRaiMEGDGi22d4ArM7saB)

Tony

[Red Sky]

One from Cajun Country.

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1tcWiC9xZTw4bwJ0BCJ20Aaki180_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1tcWiC9xZTw4bwJ0BCJ20Aaki180)

[dsfisher421]

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1rkfD9A4R3HScCXVO910qkXXJpVr_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1rkfD9A4R3HScCXVO910qkXXJpVr)

[Rusty]

here's one...

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1KaV45R51KMXx19AqggSpGBO56NW_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1KaV45R51KMXx19AqggSpGBO56NW)

Because this is a scanned Ektachrome slide, I did do a levels adjustment using the 3 color channels -- it was still pretty bland with a lot of detail missing.

Rusty

[Ritage]

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/19Ymc9MRjPmTW6ircEJ0qtGuUNYZ_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=19Ymc9MRjPmTW6ircEJ0qtGuUNYZ)

Color Enhancement added

Rita

[irishnh]

I tried the link in my earlier post and it wasn't correct... it showed the thumbnail but the link from the thumbnail wasn't working.., so I'm starting from scratch.

I guess my real homework assignment this week is to figure out how to post a pixentral thumbnail ... here it goes again. Cross your fingers!

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1xBvlxgGGRaiMEGDGi22d4ArM7saB_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1xBvlxgGGRaiMEGDGi22d4ArM7saB)

I found the problem ... the URL at pixentral was scrambled ... wish I knew how that could have happened? I cut and pasted the URL so it made sense and VOILA .... it worked..


Thanks for your time and patience.

Ciao!

[dpw9272]

view of toronto from the CN Tower

before

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/14zmQxffdjnKVZg4gjVExpiKnTAdX_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=14zmQxffdjnKVZg4gjVExpiKnTAdX)

after

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1V3SQIBU6WkdFaACgiSiGwU36LESns1_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1V3SQIBU6WkdFaACgiSiGwU36LESns1)

[Tom K]

Hi Kimi;

A very nice tip.. Had to give it a try.

right out of the camera.. No fixes other than the contrast mask.


http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1Bg2hwl9Rl9cUTl9OSHrQdf2vhhxrO_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1Bg2hwl9Rl9cUTl9OSHrQdf2vhhxrO)

Tom :)

[spotodog]

hi,
here are two that i did.

Eleanor
http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1tMLlmNdptKf2iakbkIpvvXKjChn0_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1tMLlmNdptKf2iakbkIpvvXKjChn0)

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/13g7kDaS8H2jWiSkEjGh0a93nTpOV_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=13g7kDaS8H2jWiSkEjGh0a93nTpOV)

[apasskey]

Here is mine:

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1PfR2XGWiI9dYWtVF4xw4O5jEnuiW1_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1PfR2XGWiI9dYWtVF4xw4O5jEnuiW1)

Before

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1Gbkble5EWQiX7yZUVGylsbV7c9F1_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1Gbkble5EWQiX7yZUVGylsbV7c9F1)

After

Thanks again Kimi!!! Andie

[msbrad]

Better late than never,

Here is the before:

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1uA37wY2eZS3yFXutuouwxbdoHDnn_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1uA37wY2eZS3yFXutuouwxbdoHDnn)

and after using this technique:

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1ez5IBtunj02OT8H6PLBJaQ4pr_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1ez5IBtunj02OT8H6PLBJaQ4pr)

m

[ChristineV]

Kimi!

I have been meaning to Thank You so very much for posting this way back when!! I cannot tell you how much it has helped in my business!!!!

Thank You Thank You Thank You!!!

Again .. Kimi ....

Thank You! :cool:

[ChristineV]

Michelle!

NO WAY!!!!!!!!

That sure is an incredible difference!

[msbrad]

Christine- This is for real!!! I wanted to .....umm... can't print the words to how I felt when I saw it first DL. hubby took the original photo. And he didn't check it in review. It was the only one taken of the 4 of us.

It was at my Daddy's 81 birthday (Feb 05). AND it was a once in a who's knows when chance, my brother, sister and I + Daddy would be together.
Daddy just celebrated #83. He's doing great!

I tried all sorts of things to fix (now at that time, I'll admit I didn't know even how to make a layer:o ). Even sent it to techy friends for help.

But I owe Kimi BIG TIME for this, as it is a very special photo moment to me.
I did tweak a few other things afterwards.
And I've not had this success on everything I've attempted, but I am oh, so thrilled with this!!!
m
m

[JNBarros]

Here is a before and after that I just did. Here are my 2 pictures. They are in my gallery! I'm new to the forum and have not had a chance to check out pixcentral yet., so not sure how to get the picture in the post.

Joann

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1dBsn84ZCCcYxXA2ey1NqHlDFHHbEv0_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1dBsn84ZCCcYxXA2ey1NqHlDFHHbEv0)

[Bayla]

Wow, this was so easy. Tried it out on several different images....on this one I did drop the opacity a wee bit as well:

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1Wuw9QEZv0ueEgSh9AYk2D8RFts8P_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1Wuw9QEZv0ueEgSh9AYk2D8RFts8P)

Thanks Kimi. After seeing Michelle's I won't be so quick to trash underexposed pictures!

Bayla

[Bayla]

After seeing what Michelle did using this method I thought I'd see if it would work for a photo of one of my sons & my oldest granddaughter which I was about to throw away. Here is the original:

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1F4QrRDKOC6TWxhVfpv1pfyr9vAZzH_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1F4QrRDKOC6TWxhVfpv1pfyr9vAZzH)

And here is the after picture:

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1buQ6CIQOQtnKNrLFodlTu57fv4cEa1_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1buQ6CIQOQtnKNrLFodlTu57fv4cEa1)

After using Kimi's method I got rid of the colour cast and toned down the reds & pinks of the curtains, her pyjamas & their faces. Pretty impressive!

Bayla

[kimi_boo]

Bayla... it nice to see people go back and visit the past homework.
Everything looks great! :D :D