Burial mound

dazzajl · 22-08-2005, 13:19

Thought I'd throw this one up as the result of playing around to see what kind of things blending images in potatochop can do.

All comments appriciated.

CT · 22-08-2005, 13:37

Nice job!

SammyC · 22-08-2005, 14:40

Looks really cool, I think the mound could do with a slight brighten though.

dazzajl · 22-08-2005, 14:55

Quote:

I think the mound could do with a slight brighten though

When I was taking the shots for this I had visualised a brighter mound but I couldn't get it looking right. Given that the exposure for the sky to look like that had all the land as pure black it just looked wrong when I had it any lighter. The full size version has more of a feel of texture there but there isn't any significant detail.

I'll have to try some more work on it and see if there is a better balance.

***Steve*** · 22-08-2005, 15:33

What method of blending the images did you use?

dazzajl · 22-08-2005, 15:44

Quote:

What method of blending the images did you use?

Ummmm, something like.....

Darker frame copied onto the lighter one.
created layer mask

Copy light frame onto the layer mask, add gausian blur
remove sky area

faff with levels to adjust balance.

Also, shapening was done on flattened image with a dup layer/high pass filter and hard light.

Almost certainly not going to be the best way of approching the task but it really felt like about time I got a little more familar with some of the tools in PS.

***Steve*** · 22-08-2005, 15:50

I agree actually, the best way to learn is to play and see what can be achieved. Just running actions like so many others will not teach you anything and can almost be comparred to getting someone else to take the photograph fot you.

Its fine to start with to get the results you crave but learning what process the action does for you is the correct way and will give you much better skill base.

Matt · 22-08-2005, 19:34

I like the sky in this shot.

Gandhi · 22-08-2005, 21:04

personaly, I like the silhouette. good work, I've tried merging photos but mine just seem to end up looking unnatural. grrrr.

ppuga · 23-08-2005, 06:42

I like a lot the shot. Overall good blending. My only comment will be the greenish halo around threes and mountain, it botters me a little.

cheers

Gandhi · 23-08-2005, 09:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by ppuga

I like a lot the shot. Overall good blending. My only comment will be the greenish halo around threes and mountain, it botters me a little.

cheers

sharp eyes there! I hadn't even noticed the slight halo!

SammyC · 23-08-2005, 10:13

What causes that halo?

dazzajl · 23-08-2005, 10:23

Quote:

What causes that halo?

Me messing about.

I think it's from the way I did the sharpening. Rather than just the USM I thought I'd have a play with using a high pass filter on a dup layer with the hard light setting.

I just wanted to see what it did. Seems to work quite well for the grass and the tree on the left but it does give a halo around a dark edge. Quite easy to remove and I did take it out but after I uploaded the jpeg. It's certainly not the best way to add crispness to this shot but quite an interesting alternative if you are getting too much noise across sections of constant or slightly graded colour with USM.

CT · 23-08-2005, 10:40

A pretty quick job Daz.

CT · 23-08-2005, 10:48

I did this by drawing a freehand mask around the mound but keeping inside away from the edge, but following the contours. I then feathered the mask by a few pixels so it grew to the edges of the mound - slightly further actually. This was to avoid a hard edge, and also to avoid adding to the slight halo you already have.

I then just adjusted the brightness for the mound - removed the mask and saved the image. You could just as easily have used the mask to darken the mound if you wanted more of a silhouette effect. I keep pushing this feathered mask technique, but it's a really handy way of dealing with problem areas like your mound, and you can apply virtually any filter you like within the mask, sharpening etc. Obviously you could use the same technique for any other areas in the pic to get them how you want.

SammyC · 23-08-2005, 11:06

That's a much better effect on my monitor. The mound now looks like a mound rather than a black hole.

dazzajl · 23-08-2005, 11:14

Cheers CT :icon_cool

I'm going to have to get familar with using these featherd masks.

CT · 23-08-2005, 11:24

It's a bit awkward to start with depending on how used to using a mouse you are for anything other than just pointing and clicking, but you soon get used to it. The above is literally a 2 minute job. Experiment with the mask drawing tools and see which one suits you best. I use PSP mostly and I prefer the lasso tool in 'Point To Point' mode. I just click around the area drawing the mask incrementally - short clicks for curves obviously and longer clicks for straight edges. It's a bit like dragging an elastic band around to create the mask. When you feather the mask, small images only require a few pixels feathering to hide any hard edges, while larger images often need to be feathered by quite a lot. I should add that a decent mouse makes a BIG difference! I use the Microsoft ball - less ones. Trying to use one with a ball will drive you nuts - the slightest bit of crap on the ball will make things well nigh impossible, and you'll be forever cleaning the ball.

KenCo1964 · 23-08-2005, 12:44

It's a great picture and you've got the sky perfect, excellent shot.

22-08-2005, 13:19	#1 (permalink)
dazzajl Been here a while Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 317	Burial mound Thought I'd throw this one up as the result of playing around to see what kind of things blending images in potatochop can do. All comments appriciated.

22-08-2005, 13:37	#2 (permalink)
CT Feet under the table Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: West Mids UK Posts: 3,500	Nice job!

22-08-2005, 14:40	#3 (permalink)
SammyC Forum Regular Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Bristol Posts: 1,466	Looks really cool, I think the mound could do with a slight brighten though.

22-08-2005, 15:33	#5 (permalink)
*Steve* Pixalo Crew Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: An Englishman living in Germany Posts: 16,153	What method of blending the images did you use?

22-08-2005, 15:50	#7 (permalink)
*Steve* Pixalo Crew Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: An Englishman living in Germany Posts: 16,153	I agree actually, the best way to learn is to play and see what can be achieved. Just running actions like so many others will not teach you anything and can almost be comparred to getting someone else to take the photograph fot you. Its fine to start with to get the results you crave but learning what process the action does for you is the correct way and will give you much better skill base.

22-08-2005, 19:34	#8 (permalink)
Matt Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Cheshire Posts: 1,326	I like the sky in this shot.

22-08-2005, 21:04	#9 (permalink)
Gandhi Forum Regular Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: bath, somerserset Posts: 966	personaly, I like the silhouette. good work, I've tried merging photos but mine just seem to end up looking unnatural. grrrr.

23-08-2005, 06:42	#10 (permalink)
ppuga Been here a while Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: México City, México. Posts: 290	I like a lot the shot. Overall good blending. My only comment will be the greenish halo around threes and mountain, it botters me a little. cheers

23-08-2005, 10:13	#12 (permalink)
SammyC Forum Regular Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Bristol Posts: 1,466	What causes that halo?

23-08-2005, 10:40	#14 (permalink)
CT Feet under the table Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: West Mids UK Posts: 3,500	A pretty quick job Daz.

23-08-2005, 10:48	#15 (permalink)
CT Feet under the table Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: West Mids UK Posts: 3,500	I did this by drawing a freehand mask around the mound but keeping inside away from the edge, but following the contours. I then feathered the mask by a few pixels so it grew to the edges of the mound - slightly further actually. This was to avoid a hard edge, and also to avoid adding to the slight halo you already have. I then just adjusted the brightness for the mound - removed the mask and saved the image. You could just as easily have used the mask to darken the mound if you wanted more of a silhouette effect. I keep pushing this feathered mask technique, but it's a really handy way of dealing with problem areas like your mound, and you can apply virtually any filter you like within the mask, sharpening etc. Obviously you could use the same technique for any other areas in the pic to get them how you want.

23-08-2005, 11:06	#16 (permalink)
SammyC Forum Regular Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Bristol Posts: 1,466	That's a much better effect on my monitor. The mound now looks like a mound rather than a black hole.

23-08-2005, 11:14	#17 (permalink)
dazzajl Been here a while Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 317	Cheers CT :icon_cool I'm going to have to get familar with using these featherd masks.

23-08-2005, 11:24	#18 (permalink)
CT Feet under the table Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: West Mids UK Posts: 3,500	It's a bit awkward to start with depending on how used to using a mouse you are for anything other than just pointing and clicking, but you soon get used to it. The above is literally a 2 minute job. Experiment with the mask drawing tools and see which one suits you best. I use PSP mostly and I prefer the lasso tool in 'Point To Point' mode. I just click around the area drawing the mask incrementally - short clicks for curves obviously and longer clicks for straight edges. It's a bit like dragging an elastic band around to create the mask. When you feather the mask, small images only require a few pixels feathering to hide any hard edges, while larger images often need to be feathered by quite a lot. I should add that a decent mouse makes a BIG difference! I use the Microsoft ball - less ones. Trying to use one with a ball will drive you nuts - the slightest bit of crap on the ball will make things well nigh impossible, and you'll be forever cleaning the ball.

23-08-2005, 12:44	#19 (permalink)
KenCo1964 Forum Regular Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Co. Durham England Posts: 1,069	It's a great picture and you've got the sky perfect, excellent shot.