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DPChallenge Forums >> Hardware and Software >> How Would I Do This?
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 01/19/2008 08:07:23 PM · #1
I haven't done much post-processing that involves masks, selections and such, so I'm appealing to you for help.

I have an image, I've done some post processing with layers (HSL and curves), but there are some areas of sky that are noisy, grainy. I don't want to apply a fix to the entire image, and I don't want to use a brush-type tool to touch the areas up. (Not sure what I would use anyway.) In other words, I want to apply soften or blur or noise reduction (or whatever) uniformly and to just a few key areas of the image.

So what are some ways to do this? A mask? A selection layer? I'm using Paint Shop Pro X2, but feature-wise it's similar to Photoshop, so Photoshop instructions are fine. I'll figure out the euqivalent.

Thanks!

PS: I'd post the image, but I'm considering it for a challenge.
01/19/2008 08:42:55 PM · #2
Yes, what you said. A mask or selection layer will work.

Personally (I use PSP X2) with a blown or grainy sky or any areas that I wanted to smooth or retouch by itself. I find it quicker to just duplicate the background and use the Background Eraser (Hardness 18 Opacity 60-100) and Eraser (bulk erasing) to remove areas I don't want touched. Usually in the case of the sky I will erase the sky from the top layer and work a copy of the sky below that.
 01/19/2008 09:05:46 PM · #3
In photoshop, in the menu, click on Select/Color Range. Use the eye dropper tool to select the sky. Make sure you have all the sky selected, then click on the layer and click on the mask button.

That should do it. You might have to inverse the selection if the mask doesn't work.
 01/19/2008 09:43:32 PM · #4
You could run noise reduction just on the blue channel. Noiseware (the noise reduction plugin I use) allows you to set the strength for different colour ranges.
 01/20/2008 01:16:55 AM · #5
Hey, these were great responses. Thanks! I didn't realize you could select by color value -- or, for that matter, that there was so much control over creating selections.
01/20/2008 01:39:29 AM · #6
I would run guasian blurr on a background copy then mask the whole thing then with low opacity paint the areas I wanted in.
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