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DPChallenge Forums >> Tips, Tricks, and Q&A >> Fix My Cats - Photoshop Excercise
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Showing posts 1 - 18 of 18, (reverse)
AuthorThread
 12/20/2003 07:13:56 AM · #1
Help me fix my cats:

Cat 1
Cat 2
Cat 3
Cat 4
Cat 5

All photos were taken in a museum so all the cats were stuffed and put behind glass. A cheesy hand-painted background was put behind them. These were my rejects but can they be rescued.

You basically learn by doing, so let's see if you can make these natural looking. We did this a while back and I thought I would bring it back.

Please explain your steps so we can all learn. You don't have to use Photoshop, any photo editor programs can be used.

Message edited by author 2003-12-20 07:14:54.
 12/20/2003 10:09:19 AM · #2


Maybe not natural, but better?

Message edited by author 2003-12-20 10:18:04.
 12/20/2003 10:20:25 AM · #3
Do you have larger samples? I find that it's harder to make a small picture look good.
 12/20/2003 10:22:14 AM · #4
Originally posted by pcody:
Do you have larger samples? I find that it's harder to make a small picture look good.


That's the FIRST thing I thought....
 12/20/2003 10:56:14 AM · #5
Here's a take on Cat_3...


1.) Removed the reflections in the window (clonign for the two smaller ones, quick mask & curves adjustment fo the large ones)

2.) Selectively blurred the background & foreground (3 separate blurs using quick masks)

3.) Adjusted curves & levels; maintained reddish balance to make the tones match a "sunset" exposure

4.) Moderate sharpening (Fred Miranda Intellisharpen level 4)

All told about 15 minutes, would be more to do it right on a high-res version. Lighting direction still makes it look somewhat unnatural, IMO.
 12/20/2003 11:07:39 AM · #6
Originally posted by kirbic:
3.) Adjusted curves & levels; maintained reddish balance to make the tones match a "sunset" exposure


I like the colors on yours better. Is the Fred Miranda thing an plug-in or stand alone program
 12/20/2003 11:24:37 AM · #7
Originally posted by TooCool:
Originally posted by kirbic:
3.) Adjusted curves & levels; maintained reddish balance to make the tones match a "sunset" exposure


I like the colors on yours better. Is the Fred Miranda thing an plug-in or stand alone program


Fred Miranda Intellisharpen is a plug-in, available at Fred Miranda for $15 US. The version I have is older, does not support 16-bit; I may have to upgrade, it's cheap enough.
 12/20/2003 11:48:44 AM · #8
a couple quick adjustments
masks are cool ;}

tried to give the feel of sunlight



Message edited by author 2003-12-20 11:49:32.
 12/20/2003 11:53:17 AM · #9
Very nice work soup! I much like the color version; I would maybe warm it just slightly, it looks slightly cool to me for sunlight.
 12/20/2003 12:00:37 PM · #10
Here's another one, this one was a bugger with all the relfections, especially the red tint on the cat from the tungsten lamp reflections in the window...

12/20/2003 12:01:40 PM · #11
thanks, i didnt really mess with the color one too much
masked out the leopard - gaussian blurred the BG
4px - then 4px again
but duotoned the BW with a pantone orange, lowered the slope of the curve by about 50%
sharpened 150%/0.6/0
selective color - yellows - upped a tad
same with the blacks
boosted contrast with curves


EDIT - my 1st masking attempt ;}

Message edited by author 2003-12-20 12:03:08.
 12/20/2003 12:09:58 PM · #12
OK... I took a quick stab at Cat1 for background replacement practice:

Cat 1



Steps (Used Photoshop for photo editing):
1-Open Cat1.

2-Google search to find jungle background. Download it and open in PS.

2-Resize and apply USM to Jungle BG to more closely match Cat1 and save.

3-Go to Cat1. Use Lasso to select cat. Wanted to use Magic Wand, but that did not work well.

4-Reverse the selection to get background. Expand background by 1 pixel and apply feathering to .5 pixels.

5-Go to jungle background and copy entire image.

6-Go back to Cat1 and "Paste Into" selected background and save.

12/20/2003 02:05:26 PM · #13


I was just playing around with your picture trying something that I learned this afternoon and all of a sudden a mistake was made and this appeared.
Certainly doesn't improve it but it was fun.

Message edited by GeneralE - Fix link.
 12/20/2003 02:06:10 PM · #14
well once again I forgot how to put a photo in here. Back to the drawing board.
 12/20/2003 02:48:28 PM · #15
Originally posted by sonnyh:
well once again I forgot how to put a photo in here. Back to the drawing board.

You did it correctly except you have to use the [thumb][/thumb] tags (or the top-rightmost button) instead if the [img][/img] tags.
 12/20/2003 03:04:12 PM · #16


step by step in the details.

wold have been much easier witha larger file to start with. Procedure would have been the same though.
 12/20/2003 04:10:47 PM · #17


Steps on image..... give or take a couple....

12/20/2003 06:14:12 PM · #18
I changed the color balance using a colorized layer and adjusted the contrast


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