Creative Effects Challenge No. 210 - Brighten and Add Color to a Dull Photo
Sept 16, 2023 15:47:15 GMT
mart44 likes this
Post by Tpgettys on Sept 16, 2023 15:47:15 GMT
Happy Saturday morning! I hope your weekend is starting well.
All too often I have found myself with a picture that is washed out and dull, too meaningful to discard but also not worth a ton of work to make it a "masterpiece". This tutorial offers six simple steps to turn these images into ones worthy of sharing.
The executive summary of this tutorial is that the subject will be separated from the background so that each can be punched up independently. Please note that since the goal is to only enhance the background (not replace it), the selection of the subject is greatly simplified!
My source is this video tutorial from HTG George: Photoshop Elements Brighten and Add Color to a Dull Photo with Photo Editing
It is rather short (9:08 minutes), but the actual tutorial doesn't really start until 3:20, so you may want to skip ahead 3 minutes (George got distracted with correcting an artifact in his starter image that is unrelated to this tutorial). Here are the video time-stamps for each of the six steps:
1. 03:20 Separate Subject from Background
2. 04:03 Use Refine Edge
3. 05:14 Clean up Layer Mask
4. 06:08 Change Color of Background
5. 06:59 Blend Color into Background
6. 07:40 Adjust Values of Subject
2. 04:03 Use Refine Edge
3. 05:14 Clean up Layer Mask
4. 06:08 Change Color of Background
5. 06:59 Blend Color into Background
6. 07:40 Adjust Values of Subject
I have written out the steps below for those who appreciate written instructions:
1. Separate Subject from Background
Select the Lasso Tool (L), set Feather to 1 px
Draw around the subject (no need to be precise; it will be easily cleaned up in step 2!)
2. Click the Refine Edge... button
Set the View Mode to Overlay (V)
Check the Smart Radius box and set the radius to 1 px
"paint" over the boundary between the subject and background to clean up the selection
N.B. you can enlarge the size of the brush using ']'
In the Output To: drop-down menu select New Layer with Layer Mask, then click OK
3. Hide the background layer(s) so you can see the selected subject (eyeball icon)
To clean up the layer mask, click the layer mask to select it (the mask will have a blue border around it)
Click the Brush tool (B) and select a soft edge brush
Paint away any "foggy" areas around the subject (you can change the size of the brush using '[' and ']')
Unhide the background layer (eyeball icon)
Click the Brush tool (B) and select a soft edge brush
Paint away any "foggy" areas around the subject (you can change the size of the brush using '[' and ']')
Unhide the background layer (eyeball icon)
4. Select Layer | New Fill Layer | Gradient, then click OK
Select the Violet, Orange gradient and set the angle to something near 135 degrees, then click OK
Select the Violet, Orange gradient and set the angle to something near 135 degrees, then click OK
5. Set the gradient layer Blend Mode to Soft Light
6. Select the subject layer
Select Layer | New Adjustment Layer | Levels...
NB: be sure to check the box titled Use Previous Layer to Create Clipping Mask
Raise the left-hand slider and lower the right-hand slider just a bit, and nudge the middle slider so you like the result
Select Layer | New Adjustment Layer | Levels...
NB: be sure to check the box titled Use Previous Layer to Create Clipping Mask
Raise the left-hand slider and lower the right-hand slider just a bit, and nudge the middle slider so you like the result
DONE!
Here is one result of applying this tutorial. I am looking forward to seeing what you can do with it!
| Original | Processed |
 |  |
