photoshop question - DPChallenge Forums

04/11/2005 08:43:28 PM · #1

If someone has the time and desire to help, please tell me step by step how to do the following:

I have two photos, one of a house and one of me in front of a blue gradient type studio background. I want to cut me out of one photo and place the cutout onto the house photo to make it appear I am standing in front of the house.

I have Elements 2. I'd appreciate the help, but I know it's a lot to ask!

Olympus 12-100mm f/4.0 M.Zuiko ED IS PRO

04/11/2005 08:56:34 PM · #2

One more run through the front page...

LevT

OM System OM-1

04/11/2005 09:00:28 PM · #3

I don't have Elements, but if you have "magic wand" you can select the blue area (assuming you don't have blue on you, otherwise you'll have to do marquee selection additionally), invert selection, copy it (Ctrl-C) and paste (Ctrl-V) in the hous photo. It will appear as a new layer, and you can move it to a desired location with your mouse.

wewillexplore

Canon EOS-1D Mark II

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

04/11/2005 09:06:51 PM · #4

You need to create a selection around yourself - doesn't much matter if you choose lasso, magnetic lasso, pen tool, quick mask, etc.

After you create a selection around yourself, right click and select inverse. Press backspace. Now use the (M) tool and select the whole thing. (Ctrl A). Now copy (Ctrl C) and paste that in the house picture. Edit/Transform and you can change your size, etc - then just flatten it when it's right... I guess that's vague, but hopefully helps.

GeneralE

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

04/11/2005 09:16:03 PM · #5

Right, make and save a selection.

-With both files open, load the selection.
-Click on the window of the house photo to activate it. SelectAll, Copy to the clipboard.
-Click on the window of the file with you in it. Use Edit > Paste Into and your house picture should be on a new layer inside the mask; you can use the pointer tool to move it around inside the mask into the best position.

The better the quality of your mask/selection, the more natural the transitions will look. With the selection saved, you can go back and touch up places, adjust Levels, etc.

Once you have it like you want, flatten the image layers and save in TIFF format. You can then sharpen as needed and save a final JPEG.

04/12/2005 12:42:54 AM · #6

Thanks very much. I will try it tomorrow and hopefully I can figure those all out. I'm just not very good with Elements.

Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 APO Macro Super II for Canon

04/12/2005 05:55:49 AM · #7

As someone who is used to moving major elements (not for challenges, of course, just on my own and for fun), I will caution you about paying attention to these elements:

Lighting: Does the inserted element appear to be illuminated by the same source as the background it's being pasted into?

Brightness/Colors: An extreme example is if your element is being placed into a shadow, say, of a tree. The light intensity (ie brightness) of the element should be adjusted accordingly. This also goes for subtle changes to the intensity though, too.

//photos.whitties.com/gallery/album01/Shalom_Group_Picture

It's pretty obvious which element was pasted into this one if you look for lighting inconsistancies.

Scale: Is the inserted element too big in relation to the background/objects around it.

Angle: If the element looks straight up and down and the BG does not (or vice versa) then the insert will look incredibly fake.

That's all I could think of right at this moment, but I am more than willing to talk about this more. Just send me a message.

Message edited by author 2005-04-12 12:37:14.

willem

Sony Alpha a6700

Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS

04/12/2005 12:29:29 PM · #8

and don't forget to slightly "feather" your selection before copy and paste, otherwise it will really look cut out.
(menu option select, feather, then specify number of pixels depending on resolution and size of selection)

GeneralE

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

04/12/2005 12:31:59 PM · #9

Originally posted by willem:

This is where touching up the selection using the painting tools on the alpha channel can be very effective.

Using a soft-edged brush is the same as feathering the selection.

04/12/2005 02:43:39 PM · #10

How does this look in general? I'm not sure if I'll be using this whole pic...I might crop some to concentrate on me a bit more. This is a studio shot of me against a property photo for one of my listings.

I added a little harsher shadow from the sign against my suit, and also worked all around the edges of myself. Looks like maybe the right bottom edge of the sign might need some work. I think I may have overlooked that area. Am I on the right track?

slim

Canon EOS-300D Rebel

04/12/2005 02:57:07 PM · #11

as noted by novatiger below, there seems to be a scale issue...you look "larger than life" in relation to your surroundings.

Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 APO Macro Super II for Canon

04/12/2005 03:11:43 PM · #12

Pretty good. The shadows (from the head, for example) are not as intense as say those of the eaves above the garage door, but that's a really easy fix. A simple black slug with the opacity turned down works great. Yeah, the relative scaling is a little off, too. Is this for a publication?

Juniper366

Canon EOS-10D

Tamron AF 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di LD Aspherical IF for Canon

04/12/2005 03:14:33 PM · #13

Novetiger,

Im a dumbass... and embarrassed to say, but I cant tell which element you pasted into that picture. Now curiosity is killing me... what is it?

I think you look proportionate in the pic, you are closer to the camera so you are bigger.. but then again, Im the dumbass that could tell which element was pasted into Novatiger's pic too...LOL

Jen

Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 APO Macro Super II for Canon

04/12/2005 03:25:49 PM · #14

Originally posted by Juniper366:

I am flattered.

//www.dpchallenge.com/image.php?IMAGE_ID=165806

Check the bottom right corner and you'll see that the shadow on my foot is not consistant with the shadow on the decking. The same goes for the leg, too, actually. It was a rush job and I thought that it might pass if know one knew that I had manipulated it.

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

04/12/2005 04:11:56 PM · #15

Originally posted by NovaTiger:

Here's probably closer to what I would actually use. It will be for a billboard (just a portion of it.) I'd like to get a few more opinions on the scale. I thought it looked pretty good, since I would be "standing" at the street near the front of the property, I would naturally look larger?

Beetle

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

04/12/2005 04:17:03 PM · #16

I like the portrait one - the proportions feel right.

What doesn't feel right to me is the light.

What little shadow there is ON or about you, is very diffused, but the shadow from the eaves, for example, is very definite and much darker.

You need stronger shadows from the sign, on your forehead from your hair and on your neck.
Easier said than done, I know, but I feel you would look more natural then.

SteveJ

Canon EOS-7D

Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM

04/12/2005 04:23:27 PM · #17

Portrait one is much better, but as Beetle suggested, the shadows on you need matching with house shadows.

Steve

Sony 24-70mm F4 Vario-Tessar T* FE OSS

04/12/2005 04:44:38 PM · #18

Better?

Bear_Music

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

04/12/2005 04:47:36 PM · #19

For your purposes this should do fine. We can pick nits with it but to the average joe it just looks like fill-in flash was used, not abnormal at all.

Robt.

Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 APO Macro Super II for Canon

04/12/2005 06:11:29 PM · #20

Originally posted by jpochard:

I'd like to get a few more opinions on the scale.

Lol! So you don't like mine!? ;) To be truthful, you are the ultimate authority on whatever it is you produce.

cheekymunky

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Canon

04/13/2005 01:08:28 PM · #21

Not sure if it'll help, but have a look HERE
I find these tutorials really helpful ;)
Good luck
MARK

moodville

Nikon D100

04/13/2005 01:17:49 PM · #22

I think for an image like this you dont really need for it to be completely realistic. I like the larger shot with the full house, personally. Bright, larger than life, and the scale issue makes it stand out like a design rather than just a photograph. Gives it more personality, which when you're trying to sell something can be quite important.

Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM

04/13/2005 01:47:23 PM · #23

Thanks everyone for your help. I'm still waiting on a few high res graphics and logos to finish the design. Here's a link to the very rough draft of the billboard if anyone's interested. Under the text will be the company logo centered, with a small equal housing logo (required by law) and a small Realtor logo on either side of it.

Below that will be contact info.

Billboard draft

Imagineer

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

04/13/2005 01:59:40 PM · #24

Some useful stuff here too:
The PhotoshopÂ® Thread