Here's a previous from Julian that I've added to my Photoshop 'tips and
tricks' binder. It's the same technique, just explained in a little more
detail. It's a great and easy technique:
Maybe I am getting the wrong end of the stick on this, but I do more or
less this process most of the time to improve my many too-contrasty
shots. I don't often do more than one scan because mostly I can get the
required info out of a single 12-bit scan, but sometimes I scan the same
neg twice with different analogue gain, or sometimes I take two photos with
different exposures as you do.
My process is so simple that maybe this is not what you are wanting but
I'll describe it anyway and you can tell me what is missing for you. the
descriptions are in detail in case anyone is new to photoshop...
1. In Photoshop, start with your two images, call them "dark" and "light"
2. Copy one on top of the other so that you have them as two layers. I
copy the one that has the most useful info on top and the "minority"
version to the bottom. In the case of your Eiffel tower, I'd copy the
"light" one above the "dark" one because the dark one only contains a small
area (the sign area) that you want.
[To do this...Click on the image to go on top / Ctrl-a to select all then
Ctrl-c to copy. Click on other (bottom) image to select it. Ctrl-v to
paste.]
2a If the two layers are from different negs/slides or different scans you
probably need to align them. Set layer transparency to 50% and move the
top layer till they perfectly overlap, using the cursor keys for fine
adjustments. If you have to rotate then you have more of a problem but it
can be done easily enough.
[Use move tool and cursor keys]
3. Create a layer mask for the top layer.
[Layer / add layer mask / reveal all OR click on button at bottom of
layers palette]
4. Select the mask and select suitable paint brushes and black as the
colour. Paint the areas that you want to see of the underneath layer - in
your example, paint the sign area and surrounding glow so that you see only
the underneath (correctly exposed) version of the sign and surrounds.
[Click on the mask icon in layers palette (should be selected by
default). Select paintbrush tool, suitable soft-edged brush and black as
the colour. Start painting on the sign area]
5. You can correct and change this mask by changing between black (reveal
what's underneath) and white (hide) as much as you like and using different
brushes till you get it just right. Or you can use shades of grey to mix
part of each image.
6. Flatten layers
[Layer / flatten image]
This is much easier than trying to do things with selections - it is very
easy - the whole process apart from 2a) if needed would have taken 30
seconds with something like the Eiffel image.
Is this what you wanted?
Julian
Norman Unsworth
Management Specialist
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-----Original Message-----
From: filmscanners_owner@halftone.co.uk
[mailto:filmscanners_owner@halftone.co.uk]On Behalf Of Julian Robinson
Sent: Monday, January 07, 2002 7:24 PM
To: unsworth_norman@aclink.org
Subject: [filmscanners] Re: Tips needed on difficult scan >Stan
Ah I just saw Maris's reply which makes mine a trifle redundant. To answer
this query though...
- select the top layer
- Layer/Add layer mask/Reveal all (or use icon at bottom of layers palette)
- paint with black on the white mask with soft-edged brushes to see parts
of the bottom image you want
- you can paint with white to "undo" or fine tune what you did with the
last step, and use white or black or grays for further correction or fine
tuning.
- when finished, flatten the image.
There are other variations on layer masking. Layer masks are the most
useful thing I have discovered in PS (I am sure there is plenty more yet
though. As Woody Allen points out, "the autodidactic always has huge holes
in his knowledge" )
Julian
At 09:45 08/01/02, you wrote:
>Maris,
>
>Having layered two such images, I am not clear how to blend them. I have a
>similar situation in which shadow detail is lost in many small regions of
>the image.
>
>I tried layering the dark on the light and erasing parts of the dark layer
>where I wanted the shadow detail to show through. Is that what you meant?
>
>Stan
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: filmscanners_owner@halftone.co.uk
>[mailto:filmscanners_owner@halftone.co.uk]On Behalf Of
>mlidaka@ameritech.net
>Sent: Monday, January 07, 2002 9:58 AM
>To: snsok@swbell.net
>Subject: [filmscanners] Re: Tips needed on difficult scan
>
>
>Try making 2 scans - one optimized for the highlights and one for the
>dark area, and then layer them.
>
>Maris
>
>On Sat, 05 Jan 2002 00:01:17 -0800 "Ken Durling" wrote:
> >
> >
> >
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