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Removing "wrinkles" in background from studio portrait shots


darknezx

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Hi guys, I recently went for a wedding photoshoot in the studio. I managed to get the soft copies from the shoot, and am editing them myself (those that I didn't pay to have made into an album). A sample is:
index.jpg

The problem is that I see that the background sheet (black and green) looked creased, and had wrinkles. In addition, the studio lighting also cast a bright "bar" towards the bottom of the picture. Am wondering if there's a good way to get rid of this? For several photos I used a layer mask and slowly used the paintbrush to select the background, and thereafter used a blur to smooth them out. But this doesn't work well for other shots with multiple shadows and is very time consuming. There're also problems if I don't paint exactly on the edges, as the edges then look weird.

Appreciate any advice I can get! :)
 
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Eggy

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The only way to do it properly is to isolate (cut out) the person from the background. (To do it accurately use the pen tool)
You can place this person on any background you wish.
I did something very quickly. Is this what you had in mind?


111.jpg to 111 B.jpg
 
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darknezx

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I see, yes that's what I had in mind! How do you use the pen tool for the hair though? Also, did you use a radial blur?
 
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Eggy

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You first do the 'body' and make a larger selection around the 'head'.

If you don't have CC 2015.5 then use refine edge. With CC 2015.5 use 'select and mask'.


It's not called radial blur but radial gradient.
 
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darknezx

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I see. But what happens if there're shadows on the floor, do I use the pen tool as well? (Pls don't do it though! I am so sorry that you had to take time to do it!)
 

Eggy

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Of course, you just do not select the shadow with the pen tool. A shadow can be added at al time.
 
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darknezx

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Unfortunately, in doing so I've run into another problem. I have limited success isolating the background, but am having extreme difficulties trying to cast a shadow. The light source is from the left, but in using the transform tool (after doing a drop shadow on the layer) I can never get it right. I'm trying to do a shadow that's near horizontal (->), and I can't do that and match the shadow with the legs of the chair. Do you have any tips on how I can do so? Online resources didn't help with this problem :(
index2.jpg

Mod edit: Please upload images if possible. Thanks.
 
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IamSam

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Quick question, why do you want to add a shadow? It's possible to do it, but I don't see a shadow in the first image.

If the photos were properly shot, there would not be a very visible shadow.

Here's my reconstruction of the backdrop for the first image.
ChangedBackdrop_01.jpg
 
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IamSam

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PS- I do see a shadow on the chair, but without the original image and backdrop, I can't tell if there was a shadow being cast all the way to the BG.
 

Eggy

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I agree with IamSam; why do you need a shadow?

What I would avoid is to make an even colored background, so it appears the bride, groom and chair are 'floating'.
Using a gradient background creates the illusion of depth.
 

darknezx

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Sorry guys I should've attached the original. The problem is there is a shadow cast on the chain seat, and there were shadows on the ground which I felt needed to be replicated. Unless I shouldn't be concerned and just remove the shadows on the ground, and go with a radial gradient background?

6M7A39342.jpg
 

Eggy

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I'll let IamSam handle this because I have to go out.
He will explain how to add the shadow.
In a hurry I did something to show that without shadow the picture looks unnatural. (Excuse the sloppy work)

No shadow

6M7A39342 A.jpg

With shadow

6M7A39342 B.jpg

With shadow and background at choice

6M7A39342 C.jpg
 

darknezx

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Thanks for the examples, but I had tried several times a couple of days back, and couldn't create the shadow accurately. Attached an image. Problem is most of the tutorials only illustrate a 45 degrees shadow with light source in front, but haven't got it done successfully with the shadow cast sidewards. Even when I drag it sidewards, the legs of the chairs don't match, and the shadows seem very distorted. Would it be easier if i just tried to paint it and use a gaussian blur?

Untitled.png
 

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    Untitled.png
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Eggy

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I assume you know that by pressing and holding CTRL you can freely distort you selection (in this case the shadow).
What I see in your last picture is a selection in triangle. You'll have to pull (CTRL+holding a selectionpoint) until the shadows is right or about right.
You can always correct the shadow by painting (before blurring)
 

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