InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "Don't drop the soap"

bree (sobreewhatsup) wrote in rp_tutorials,
@ 2010-12-28 21:51:00

I have a question and was wondering if anyone could help?

Does anyone know how to manipulate two photos together? I've tried, and I can do them when it's just a white backdrop on both photos, but anything else I fail at. Is there a tutorial somewhere?

(Read comments) - (Post a new comment)

barrel_of_pbs
2010-12-29 05:44 pm UTC (link)

I'm actually working on a tutorial right now for Clipping Paths (the greatest use for the Pen tool), which is what I'd use for photo manipulation. Manips are very difficult, and I recommend using only promotional stills/production images because they have a higher resolution. Regular screencaps often don't have the quality to pull off a great blend. I'd be willing to take a look at the images you wanted to put together, and if it's possible, I could put together a tutorial for you using those specific images?

I'd like to recommend that you use a clipping path, simply because it's the best tool available- and it's in each version of Photoshop. While CS + have some amazing tools, not everyone has access to those versions. I had CS3 for school, but would use 7.0 at home, and a lot of the techniques I learned weren't compatible with earlier editions of the software. Do not use magic wand. It's also available in every edition, and most photo editors, but it compromises the line quality between the subject and the background.

I would like to stress the importance of picking proper images. Below are two promotional images for Supernatural and Point Pleasant. While it's cool that they're both taken in churches, it's more important that they were both taken indoors, and the image quality is similar. Elisabeth is back-lighted, the boy's are being lighted from their rights, but with careful selection, the harsh white around Elisabeth's arms can be removed, and her shadow can be rotated.

Photobucket

My first step is to always drag both images into the same document, and change the opacity of the top layer to something low... 30-40%. This way, both images are visible, and you can align them to your liking, and then scale them in proportion to one another. Scale is the second most important thing in photo manipulation, and where most people make their mistakes.

Photobucket

Then, I return the top layer to 100% opacity, and begin creating my clipping path, which essentially creates a flawless silhouette and selection source. No jagged lines, beautiful curves, no damage to surrounding pixels.

Photobucket

The image isn't complete at this stage. You can create another clipping path to clean up the edges of her hair, or use the eraser tool (and a steady hand) to pick up the smaller details that you missed. Also, You still need to play with the lighting and shadows, Elisabeth's image is richer in color than Jensen's. This can be toyed with by duplicating the Supernatural layer, and changing the blending (the little menu where you change layers from "Normal" to "Soft Light", etc). Also, you can back off the color of Elisabeth's image with the Hue/Saturation sliders. Keyboard shortcut: Ctrl + U

Photobucket

Play with the sliders, until the images have the same tone, and familiarize yourself with them. I use them all the time for color correction, and couldn't imagine making icons without them.

Anyway, those are just my tips for getting started. I wish my generic Clipping Paths tutorial was finished for you, but if you wanted, I'd gladly take a look at the images you wanted to put together. Like I said, I don't mind putting together a smaller tutorial for your use. <3

Hope this helped! If you need clarification on anything, don't hesitate to ask.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

sobreewhatsup
2010-12-29 11:20 pm UTC (link)

Thank you so much! I got photoshop for Christmas when I got my bamboo (which was broken :/). Anyway! I've been trying to figure it out on my own, in another program, but it just wasn't working. So I was going to attempt photoshop and wasn't too sure what to do. The photos are another problem of mine. How do you line them up, when they aren't the full photos? Also, does it matter if they have similar background, or can they be different as long as they are both indoors/outdoors? And another question. What about size? If they aren't the same size?

I've been using these as testers.

Again thank you sooo much, and if it's alright, I'll add your journal? In case I have more questions. :)

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	sobreewhatsup 2010-12-29 11:40 pm UTC (link)
	I forgot to ask, what does the clipping path tool look like? (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

barrel_of_pbs
2010-12-30 01:22 am UTC (link)

I captured several videos from my desktop this afternoon, going through the process of clipping paths and photo manipulation from start to finish. I felt awful that I couldn't speed up the production of the written tutorial, but I figured that a video would be just as helpful, if not more. I'm converting them from AVI now, and I should have a video for you within the hour (Computer willing).

While you wait:

The Clipping tool is just the "Pen Tool" (Keyboard shortcut "P"). Go to "Window" > "Path". It will bring up the path window. In the lower right corner, click the "Create New Path" button, and it should create a new layer in that window that says "Path 1". Then zoom into the image and trace the outline of your subject. Once you have a full silhouette and have closed the open path, right-click on your path layer, and select "Make Selection", accept the settings, and you have your subject in a clean/clear image to move as you like. Below are some images from my unfinished tutorial, but should help you get the gist of things while the video/complete tutorial is in progress.

Photobucket

You can absolutely friend this journal! PM it anytime, or send me an email to barrel.of.pbs@gmail.com -- If you have gtalk, you can IM me at the same address.

"The photos are another problem of mine. How do you line them up, when they aren't the full photos?"

When I don't have a full photo, I do a similar thing: Instead of lining them up at the feet, I resize the top layer using the subject's head for reference.

Photobucket

Then I just move Elisabeth down to where she looks "right". It's all very subjective, but if you play around, you'll get the general idea of what works. Our eyes are trained by magazines, tv, movies... you can always tell when something just looks out of place.

"Also, does it matter if they have similar background, or can they be different as long as they are both indoors/outdoors?"

The indoors/outdoors thing is my personal preference. Sunlight and artificial lighting are so different, and often don't mesh well. The backgrounds can be as different as you like, as long as you can clearly see where the subject ends, and where the background begins.

"What about size? If they aren't the same size?"

If they aren't the same size, I just put the larger image on top of the smaller one, and just resize using either the head or the feet for scale reference. Your Victoria Secret models for example, I dragged the blonde into the brunette's image.

Photobucket

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	sobreewhatsup 2010-12-30 02:14 am UTC (link)
	I don't have that. Could it possibly be named something else? I have photoshop 8. Other then that I understand what you are saying now! Before I was a bit lost. I do have g-mail! (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	barrel_of_pbs 2010-12-30 02:22 am UTC (link)
	Also, I'm logged into Gtalk with my journal email- so if you want, PM me there <3 (Reply to this) (Parent)

	sobreewhatsup 2010-12-30 02:33 am UTC (link)
	I'm totally spamming you, lol. I have it, it was named something else, the Lasso Tool? I looks the same. (Reply to this) (Parent)

(Read comments) -