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Making Targeted Adjustments with Masks

Varina Patel — January 10, 2013

I use masks in Photoshop all the time. Take a look at the layers and masks I used to process this photograph from Valley of Fire State Park in Nevada. You can see that I used a mask on all but my background layer.

I targeted my adjustments with masks on several layers.

Here are the images I started with. These are actually a single exposure processed twice – once for the foreground, and once for the sky.

I processed this image for the foreground.

I processed this image for the sky.

In this case, the line between the sky and the foreground was well defined. I used the color selection tool to select the brighter areas in the sky in the lighter image, and then created a mask from that selection on the darker layer. The mask allows us to see the sky from the top layer, and the foreground from the lower layer. After creating that simple mask, I zoomed in and checked it for accuracy. I needed to subtract some areas of the foreground from the mask, and add some areas in the sky for a cleaner mask. I blurred the mask very slightly to smooth the transition between sky and foreground, and used the precision mode on my Intuos 5 tablet from Wacom to take care of a few small areas that didn’t blend perfectly.

I used this mask to blend the foreground and sky images.

I used a much simpler mask to bring down the brightness of the sky with a curves adjustment layer. Does this mask remind you of a graduated neutral density filter? The effect is the same.

For this mask, I used the rectangular marquee tool and a large feather.

I also felt that the white areas in the foreground were getting a bit lost. I brightened them up a bit with a curves adjustment layer and a mask created from the color selection tool. I feathered my selection very slightly – by about 1 pixel.

I used a very slight feather kept it precise.

When I make adjustments to an image, I often want to target those a adjustments to a specific area or color range. Masks let me be very precise with my adjustments.

There are infinite ways to use masks in Photoshop. You are limited only by your own imagination. These are just a very few tips for making your workflow easier. Please feel free to add your own tips and suggestions in the comments.

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In Quick Tips graphics tablet, Layers, patel, Photo Tips, photography, Photos, PhotoShop, tips, wacom

A Complicated Blend: The Coming Storm

Varina Patel — January 3, 2013

Sometimes, I can finish post-production work in just a few minutes… and sometimes, it takes a lot longer. This shot from Snowmass Wilderness in Colorado was a real challenge. Let me see if I can give you an idea of what made it difficult, and how I handled the processing. First, taking this shot was an amazing experience. We watched this storm coming toward us for a short time, and then grabbed our cameras and headed out to get a few shots. The first thing that caught my eye were the colors. The brilliant golden leaves were a perfect compliment to the deep blue tones in the approaching storm. I wanted to capture that juxtaposition – and also capture the chaos in the sky. I chose a simple composition – ignoring the lake behind the trees and choosing a single peak to minimize distractions. I took several shots, waiting for a moment when the skies were full of textures.

Because the leaves were moving in the high winds, I knew I would need to capture the entire dynamic range with a single exposure. If I couldn’t do that, I would end up with a “ghosting” effect as I worked on a blend. If I could process a single image twice – once for the leaves in the foreground and once for the background – I would get a much cleaner blend. Because the skies were heavily overcast, I was able to get the shot I needed.

As the storm blew closer, I could hear the rain falling on the water of the lake – getting closer and closer. As the first drops fell on my camera, I packed up and headed back to the car – just in time. We both love storms, so we watched the rain for a while, and then continued on our way.

The first step in post, was to process the image for the leaves in the foreground and then again for the background. You can see those two images below.

I processed the image once for the leaves…

…and once again for the background.

Then, I created a mask using the color selection tool to isolate the yellow leaves on the lighter layer. The blend sounds simple enough… but moving leaves can be difficult to deal with – even when you are processing a single image twice for a blend. The problem is that some leaves are moving more than others. So, some are slightly blurred, some are completely blurred, and others are sharp. When I make a color selection, I feather it slightly for a smoother blend. The problem is that the selection needs more feathering in areas that are more blurred, and less feathering in sharper areas. That’s a tough problem when you are dealing with thousands of leaves.

I blended the images in Photoshop using our manual iHDR techniques.

Of course, there are lots of different ways I could have solved the problem in Photoshop – some easier than others. But there was no quick fix this time. I tried several different methods for refining my mask – from isolating and subtracting the blue channel to creating a soft light layer and using a targeted luminosity mask to capture those edges. I even converted the image to the ProPhoto color space so I could create a smoother luminosity mask for a cleaner transition in high contrast areas. The problem was worst where the branches reached above the horizon into the sky, so I used a mask to target that area on another layer.

Here are the layers I used for blending. Notice that I also used curves layers to bring out some contrast in the background layer, and to bring back the blue tones I remembered from being on location.

Still, I wasn’t satisfied. In the end, I decided to work on a pixel-by-pixel basis. I zoomed in close, and used the Precision Mode option on my Wacom Intuos 5 tablet to work on those tiny details. I made very slight adjustments to the mask for the foreground trees layer – painting on the mask itself. I went back and forth between my black and white brushes, changing the size of the brushes with the touch ring as I went.

Leaves at 100% – before mask refinement. Can you see the dark lines around some of the leaves?

Finished leaves at 100% – shadows on the leaves, and similar tones in the background made masking difficult. I used Precision Mode on my Wacom tablet to clean up my mask for a clean finish.

Of course, I didn’t make adjustments to every single leaf. I targeted those that seemed distracting and took a few extra minutes in those areas. Post-production for this shot took more than an hour – though some of that time was spent experimenting with techniques that didn’t work. You can see the finished image at the top of this post. What do you think?

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In Tutorials color, Colorado, colors, composition, Contrast, detail, foreground, HDR, iHDR, Layers, leaf, Leaves, patel, Photo How To, Photo Tips, photography, Photos, PhotoShop, processing, tips, wacom

Photoshop Blending Modes: Lighten

Varina Patel — December 13, 2012

This is a composite shot I took several years ago in Death Valley National Park. I took the first shot with a wide angle lens. Then, I switched to a long lens and photographed the full moon as it rose over the horizon. With a film camera, it could have been done as a double exposure – but with digital, I had to combine the two images in Photoshop.

Here’s how I did it.

Have you ever photographed a landscape with a beautiful full moon? The result is usually pretty disappointing. You might get something like this…

If you choose your exposure for the foreground, the moon will be an over exposed spot in the sky. If you expose properly for the moon, the foreground will be way to dark. Why not combine the two? I took the shot above with a wide angle lens set at 24mm (30 seconds at f/13). Then, I changed lenses and took a second shot with a 75-300mm lens at 300mm (1/160 of a second at f/8).

When I returned home, I opened both files in Adobe Camera RAW and adjusted the white balance and contrast. Then, I used the spot removal tool to remove the bright spot of the moon in the original wide-angle image. You could use the clone tool, the healing brush, or content aware to accomplish the same thing. Whatever makes you happy.

Next, I opened both photographs in Photoshop. I selected the moon from the long lens photo using the Rectangular Marquee Tool. Then, I copied and pasted it…

…onto the wide-angle lens file. Here, you can see that the moon appears in the layers palette on top of the original “background” layer.

Next, I used the Transform tool to adjust the size of the moon and to place it where I wanted it in the sky.

I chose to reduce the size of the moon by about a third. It’s really big – but this is art, and I get to do whatever I want! :) Besides, on that particular night, the moon appeared to be much larger and more golden than usual. It’s an optical illusion that you just can’t capture on film… here in the Midwest, we call it a “Harvest Moon.” I chose to move the moon slightly to the right for a more pleasing composition as well. I should mention that I’m using a Wacom Intuos graphics tablet to make all these changes and adjustments. The stylus is much easier to use than a standard mouse, and it means I can work more quickly and much more efficiently.

Then, all I had to do was to get rid of that black square around the moon. I could have used the color selection tool to select the black area and then mask it out – but that’s too much trouble. Instead, I just chose Lighten from the Blending Mode options in the Layers palette.

And voila! The black square was gone and the moon was happily settled in the sky, right where I wanted it. The Lighten blending mode option is pretty cool. It compares each pixel on the selected layer to the corresponding pixel on the layer below. The brighter of the two pixels will be visible, and the darker one will be hidden. In this case, the pixels in the moon are brighter than the blue layer below, so they are visible in the finished image… but the black pixels on the top layer were darker than those on the blue layer, so the blue sky shows through. Pretty cool!

And that’s it! Now, I just flatten and save my finished photo!

To learn more about photography and and processing check out our eBooks and Webinars:

In Tutorials Camera Raw, Death Valley National Park, Digital, graphics tablet, Layers, Photo Tips, photography, Photos, PhotoShop, Photoshop Tips, wacom

What Sells: Vertical or Horizontal

Varina Patel — November 1, 2012

Take a look at these shots from The Wave in Arizona. When we are in the field, we sometimes find that a composition works best in either horizontal or vertical orientation. But in most cases, after capturing the most visually appealing image, we will work to find another shot that works with the camera turned 90 degrees. Why? Because sometimes the buyer needs an image that works in a particular orientation. Is he looking for a collection of calendar images? He’s probably going to need horizontal images. Is she looking for photos for a magazine? She’ll need a vertical shot to grace the cover.

Since you never know who might want to purchase your images in the future, you can’t know which orientation will work best for their needs. Shoot in both orientations, and you’ll be ready no matter what they ask for.

To learn more about photography check out our eBooks below:

In What Sells arizona, composition, patel, photography, Photos, The Wave

Shooting Wildlife. With a camera. Jeez.

Varina Patel — September 20, 2012

When it comes down to it – wildlife photography is about being willing to wait. You aren’t likely to just walk up a get that fantastic shot you were hoping for. Start by doing your research – find our where the animals hang out, what time of year they are most likely to be there, and what time of day they are most active.

Fly Over - Varina Patel

And once you’re there – be prepared to hang out for a while. Find a place to watch and wait – and take lots of photographs. If I’m photographing birds or other fast-moving creatures, I like to use a fast shutter speed and set my camera to take the maximum six shots per second in case one of these beauties decides to take off for me. But don’t just point the camera and fire off five-hundred photos. You’ll have to wade through all those shots later. Be ready to shoot – but don’t overdo it.

Pay attention to the light while you are shooting. Bright light means you can use a faster shutter speed – but if the light is harsh, you’ll end up with blown highlights are very dark shadows. I love shooting wildlife in the shade or on slightly overcast days. Clouds make great diffusers - and the the soft, even lighting is easy to work with. Soft, directional lighting – think early morning or late evening – is also really beautiful. My goal is to show the textures in the fur, the catch-light in the eyes, and an interesting pose.

I also like to use predictive auto focusing (that’s “AI Servo” for Canon users). In AI Servo mode, the camera automatically adjusts the focus to follow any object that is moving in a predictable pattern. It’s a great help for birds in flight, animals on the move… or children playing soccer. As far as I’m concerned, photographing my kids is no different from shooting wildlife. ;)

For animal portraits, I like to use a narrow depth of field to help blur out the background – but make sure you keep that eye nice a sharp, no matter what! Watch for interesting poses, pleasing angles, and action shots. And just have fun with it! Animals are so much fun to shoot… you never know what they’re going to do!