Enhancing blue skies?

[sanctifyer]

Hi all,

Does anyone know how to enhance a blue sky using PSP (or photoshop)?

I'm trying to get a nice blue colour in this shot, with distinct clouds, but not sure what the best way to do it is..

Thanks in advance!

sanc

 

[Big Mike]

It may be a little tricky, because the clouds and the sky are already very similar...with little distinction between them.

I would try playing with levels or curves, adjusting the individual color channels separately.

In the future, use a polarizing filter.

 

[D-50]

I agree with using a polarized filter, another way though would be to adjust your exposure levels. This can only be done using a RAW file. adjusting you EV level will bring out the clouds drastically. If you use this in combination with "curves" you should be able to enhacne to sky. Imnot sure about photoshop as I do not use it. I use Nikon Capture and it works great.

 

[Digital Matt]

In the future, use a polarizing filter.

:thumbup:

Levels/Curves, combine two exposures, add saturation, use a selective color adjustment to boost the blue color. All things you can do, but a polarizer will help, as well as a graduated neutral density filter, allowing you to have a darker exposure in the sky.

 

[usndoc]

I did this before playing around and it seemed to work. I create a layer mask and blocked out the land area. I created a duplicate of the layer mask with the sky blocked out. I created a graduated layer of blue. I then changed the order of the layers so that the forground land area mask was on top with 100% opacity. I set the sky masked layer underneath with say 50% opacity. I set the graduated blue layer under it.

It worked pretty well and because of the way i ordered the layers the clouds stood out well.

You can then go back and change the luminosity settings on the sky layer to make the clouds stand out without changeing their overall tint.

 

[Jeff Canes]

Cold air enhancing blue skies:lmao: sorry could not pass it up

 

[sanctifyer]

Thanks for the advice !

sanc

 

[ShutteredEye]

Cleaning your windshield might help too....

 

[usndoc]

Also, I watched a pretty cool tutorial that might work for this yesterday. It was a podcast of the "Russell Brown Show" I have not had a chance to try it on my photos as I was out all night fighting fire. But, from what he demonstrated it should work.

 

[macawlvr]

I hope you don't mine me posting this if so let me know and I'll take it off!
This is my try to get the blue in you sky.

Dave/Macawlvr

P.S. I Cleaned your windshield

​

 

[mannella]

Like Dave if you don't want this here then let me know and I will remove it.

 

[halwyman]

Another way is to duplicate the photo on another layer, delete or mask all but the sky, and set the layer mode to multiply.

 

[D-50]

Is the sky in the altered photo a totally different sky? it seems some of the clouds in the enhanced picture do not match those from the original.

 

[mannella]

I have found in a lot of situations its easier to paint in a new sky rather than try to enhance to original. When the sky line is not too busy its easy to replace.--Lenny

 

[Onyx]

i can enhance the original sky if you say its OTE.