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Light effects blended on white


madquake

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Hello everyone,
I have a very big issue that I don't know how to sort out.
I'm creating some mockups of some fashion products and I'm planning to use some "light strokes" effects.
Usually you achieve this blending some light strokes on a black background on using "Multiply" etc. on an image that has a dark background [in this way the black background of the light strokes disappears]. I tried to do this on backgrounds more "clear" but the light strokes cannot be seen [same for flames or whatever is "light"].
Does someone know how to blend light on white?
Thank you very much in advance!
Best
 

IamSam

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Can you upload some examples?
 

MrToM

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@IamSam

You are unreal.

Regards.
MrTwoSecondsBehindYou
 
Last edited:

madquake

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This is the example...
But I'd need the background to be white... just, when I use the blending options, the lights doesn't appear at all as the white overrides everything...
What do you mean with "You are unreal" MrTom?

Thank you guys

Amazing-Dancing-Effect-in-Photoshop.jpg
 

MrToM

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...What do you mean with "You are unreal" MrTom?...

Sorry, I should have aimed that directly at my learned friend, Sam....he has an uncanny knack of posting a split second before I do....usually with more or less exactly the same post as I had. he swears blind he can't see me but I'm not convinced. Sorry for any confusion.

Anyway, back to your question...

I don't think you'll do this by blending modes alone.
If this is a single layered image then what's to say what the 'background' actually is....which pixels are background and which are not? [Talking in a PS logic kind of way]

Any blending mode that 'Lightens' will not work as the white background will always be the predominant colour.

You may be able to 'Filter' out the bits you want by using blend modes against something other than white and then place it on a white background [and use a blend mode if needed] but this could take several 'steps'....I doubt there is a 'one click' solution.


Regards.
MrTom.
 

Priya Vikas Kamble

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Hi,

Take duplicate layer of Dark background image, Invert the layer.....and then change it's blending mode to luminosity. I hope it helps you.
 

IamSam

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I agree with MrT, the Light effect is inverted and not what the OP desires.
 

madquake

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The problem is that the lights become blacks... the effect is really nice but not what I'm trying to achieve. I'd like to show a fire burning on a white background...
 

madquake

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Each fusion method doesn't work... because the lighten is the best for the fire... but in that case the parts of the images on the white background disappear...
 

Tom Mann

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Do you essentially want flames (or flame-like brush strokes) on a black background to be turned into the same flames, or as close as possible, except a white background???

Something like this?

Tom M

PS - Pls ignore the fact that the saturation is higher on the "after" / white background version. I was playing around with a vibrance/sat adjustment layer and forgot to take it out.

flames_black_white_bkgnds-ps02b_698px_square-for_gif.gif
 

madquake

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Yes... basically I'd like to have the possibility to influence the subject [for example if I want to create an "elemental of fire" so a person surrounded by flames] on a white background.
 

Tom Mann

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If this is more or less what u are looking for, I should point out that the overly dark edges of the flames can be substantially improved without too much trouble.

Tom M
 

Tom Mann

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Yes... basically I'd like to have the possibility to influence the subject [for example if I want to create an "elemental of fire" so a person surrounded by flames] on a white background.
it sounds like u also want to simulate the light from the flames casting a glow on the model, right?

T
 

madquake

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Yes... but not just flames... I'm looking for a technique that allow me to create using glows etc what I can do on a black background...
 

Tom Mann

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OK - I think I understand. I've got to go to work now, but I'll try to get back to u tonight.

-- Tom
 

madquake

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Thank you Tom!
Please don't rush for this... It is something that can be useful for other users as well I hope...
 

Tom Mann

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My understanding of what you want to do is start with some effects on a black background (eg, light strokes, fire, whatever ...I'll use fire for my example), and a picture of a model against a white background, and have the fire (or light strokes or whatever) show up against the white background.

If you think about it a bit, it's easy to see that a very direct way to do this to put the flames (or whatever) on a layer above the model, and have the opacity of the flame layer be zero where that layer is dark, and fully turned on (ie, 100% opacity) where the flames are the brightest. The standard way to vary the opacity in this way is to construct something called a luminosity mask (Google it). Basically, you take the image of the flames, convert it to gray-scale, adjust the tonality so that it goes from completely off (ie, black) to completely on (ie, 255 white), and then copy this image to a new channel (name it something like, "flame luminosity").

So, here's how it goes:

1) Here's the image I started with -- an intentionally darkened image of some firefighter trainees in a stairwell as part of a training exercise.

-01_background_image.jpg

2) Next, I generated some fake flames on a transparent background (using the new "flames" filter built into the CC 2014 version of PS).

-02_flames_on_original_transparent_bkgnd.jpg

3) Next, to simulate the starting point you specified, ie, the flames or light strokes on a black background, I put the flames I just generated on a black background.

-03_black_background_added.jpg

4) Next, I demonstrate how well a quick and dirty luminosity mask technique works to remove the black background, particularly in the transition areas between flame and black background. So, here's the luminosity mask that I generated (as described above).

-04_luminosity_mask_for_black_bngnd_version.jpg


5) And here's the result of using this luminosity mask as a layer mask on the layer with the flames with the black background (ie, #3, above). Note that it removes the black background quite well, but left a bit of whispy, gray, smoke-like tendrils at the very tips of the flames. With a bit more care in adjustment of the contrast, I'm sure this could be improved substantially, if such accuracy is actually needed.

-05_flames_on_blk_bkgnd_PLUS_lum_mask.jpg

6) And, the final step is to generate the desired composite of flames in front of the firefighters. First is using the original flames with the transparent background, and second is using the result of removing the flames from the black background.

-06_flames_with_original_transparent_bkgnd_over_bkgnd_image.jpg

and,

-07_flames_with_reconstructed_transparent_bkgnd_over_bkgnd_image.jpg

I hope this demonstrates you one technique that you can modify for your own application.

Cheers,

Tom M
 

madquake

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Thank you! This is really interesting.
How can I use real flames though? I noticed that the finale effect is not hyperrealistic. real flames blended on a black background create that kind of transparency that make the flames [or the light] seem wrapped around the object.
Forgive my choosiness. Thank you!!!!
 

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