Page 1 of 1

panorama help (ChrisH, I need your help)

Posted: June 8th, 2010, 2:30 pm
by AndyO'Connor
OK, I posted this before the crash, and the feedback I got was helpful even though I haven't made any changes yet. I agree the foreground needs to be a bit lighter exposure, and there is an abrupt transition about a 1/3 of the way from the left side where I just can't get the transition to be easier. Chris H, you suggested a gradient filter, I don't know how to do that and can't find any helpful hints when I searched on Google. I am using PSE 7 for my editing. Any other tips would be helpful. Just so everyone remembers, this image is actually 5 images stictched from left to right, and I think other than the line between the 2nd and 3rd image, the rest looks pretty good, I just really want to fix that abrupt color change.

Image

Re: panorama help (ChrisH, I need your help)

Posted: June 9th, 2010, 1:39 pm
by AndyO'Connor
*bump* Anybody? Chris I saw you posting in this forum, I really could use some help, I think with some work this could be a really nice print.

Re: panorama help (ChrisH, I need your help)

Posted: June 9th, 2010, 6:11 pm
by chrish
Actually, when I started playing with this photo, I realized there is a better approach. When I tried applying a levels gradient mask:

- Create a new Levels Adjustment Layer
- Lighten the adjustment layer to bring up the foreground to an accepatble level
- Click the gradient tool on the toolbar (on the left)
- Apply a black-to-white (the default) from the bottom up on the photo (adjustment layer)
- If you like the effect, keep it. If not, Ctrl-Z and do it again starting higher/lower in the photo

But when I did this, I saw that the foreground is frankly uninteresting.

I think a better approach is to go back to your original panorama and crop off the bottom 1/3 of the photo. That produces a more pleasing image, IMHO.

Chris

Re: panorama help (ChrisH, I need your help)

Posted: June 10th, 2010, 3:34 am
by milmoejoe
Hi Andy,

The simple fix is to run the shadow/highlight function in photoshop.

Image -> adjustments -> shadow / highlight

Re: panorama help (ChrisH, I need your help)

Posted: June 10th, 2010, 6:16 am
by AndyO'Connor
When I ran the shadow/highlight tool, getting the foreground where I wanted had too much of an unwanted effect on the darker clouds in the sky, I'd have to use the magic wand or something else to isolate the foreground before I did that which would work I suppose, but takes time. I am probably going to crop a bit of it off because Chris is right, it's just sand with tire tracks in it and some sagebrush in the bottom 1/3 so I can crop a lot of it out without losing much. I will try a bit of both of your suggestions tonight. any other suggestions on lessening the light to dark abrupt line in the foreground if I decide to keep some of it in?

Re: panorama help (ChrisH, I need your help)

Posted: June 10th, 2010, 1:02 pm
by milmoejoe
You can use the advanced features of the shadow / highlight tool to selectively adjust certain areas. There are a number of other ways to make selective adjustments with masks and layers, also. for example: copy the background layer, run the shadow highlight tool to meet your foreground needs, make a mask, and then keep whatever you want.

Re: panorama help

Posted: June 10th, 2010, 8:10 pm
by AndyO'Connor
Alright, the rest is just opinion, unless you think I could try the gradient tool a little more, but I think it looks ok as far as that line goes. Two different sky exposures, cropped and uncropped. I know the difference between the first 2 and the second 2 is ridiculously minor, but it looked a lot more drastic when I had it open in photoshop... :roll: I am partial to the crop that Chris suggested, and I personally like the lighter version (so the second of these 4 is my favorite) Anything else that could be better, and easily done, say it please.

Image

Image

Image

Image

Re: panorama help (ChrisH, I need your help)

Posted: June 10th, 2010, 9:05 pm
by Carl Brune
I agree with your assessment.