Ruth and Edgar

These are some shots from a recent shoot. If some of the images look a tad blotchy, it is because of the upsizing I used (I keep the photocart images at 440pixels and these were incerased to about 660).

James

Hi James, love the last two! Very special!

Hi James. Pull one into PS, add a levels layer and pull the black way to the right. That will show you if there's anything by white left on the BG.

Thanks, Jim. I will try that. I have been using a lens filter blur to smooth out the drops and like the effect. The problem is when you go around the outline of the dog to get the fur in properly. I find that is where you start having a tad difficulty.

James

...btw...the parts of the drop that have been left (for example around the paw on the first shot and in between the dogs on some of the others) was done intentionally. I thought the image looked odd without the texture - particularly on the first shot.

Should I nix it?

James

Lovely.

I don't know about nixing it, but it looks "cut out" in places.

Here's what I do to clean up a BG a bit when there are shadows or wrinkles. Select the BG using either Select -> Color range or the magic wand. Switch to quick mask and clean up as needed. Then feather the selection by 5 px. Load the selection as mask, reselect the image and reselect the selection - copy to new layer. Gaussian blur at something pretty high like 45. Then move the mask up to the blurred layer.

Sounds long and complex but it's really only a minute or so including making the selection.

Thanks, Jim. Will try this. I have been using a very strong 'lens blur' filter, and I must admit that I really like the look. Having said that, in places where the subject is pushing up the backdrop I realize it looks just a bit off.

I am off planet right now (visiting the burbs) but will try this when I get back to civilization.

James

Have fun.


I would imagine that you could do the same steps and substitute lens blur for gaussian.