Finally used photoshop

timberdoodle528

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I admit I am intimidated by my photoshop elements 9. But I had a perfect example of a cluttered up photo that I wanted to work with.

Here is my first attempt at using the clone feature... if I'm doing anything that isn't right, let me know. Working on the face was the hardest part. The little red spot on her forehead wasn't bad (mosquito bite) but trying to get the hair removed that had blown across her cheek and mouth was extremely hard.

$022 (Copy).JPG$022edited (Copy).jpg
 
This looks pretty good to me. Especially for a first attempt. Cloning is not an easy task.
 
You did an awesome job, for a first timer. Is there a video tutorial you followed or did you just wing it?
 
Pretty good job of cleaning up the image! You will only get better at it too!
 
Thanks everyone!
I have watched a couple tutorials awhile ago. I used only the clone stamp tool on this - I will have to look into that spot healing brush, sounds like it could be pretty useful!
 
For a first attempt, it looks good. As stated before, you'll only get better.

The left shoulder needs work, and it's obvious you cloned entire trees. Next time, try a bit of resizing and maybe tilting the clone a bit.
 
Looks pretty good to me, at that size at least.

I assume you’re doing it non-destructively (i.e., making a copy of the background and doing the cloning on that)? If not, give it a try next time.

The layer method can also come in handy when you use the cloning tool (or healing brush) on a subject’s face and the result ends up looking too phony. In that case, you can just dial down the opacity of the clone layer until the result starts to look natural. This way, you eliminate (reduce?) the risk of people getting insulted when you remove blemishes from their faces, because you’re not eliminating them so much as de-emphasizing them, and they might not even notice.

As for the hair, don’t feel inadequate—working with hair can be one of the most challenging things to do convincingly on human subjects in Photoshop, especially when it’s bundled into thin tufts, with varying backlighting, varying focus, etc. Personally, if I have a photo that requires pixel surgery on hair to be salvaged, I just scrap it because I find it’s not worth the headache.
 
I would have never thought twice if the photo was editied, aka it looks properly done.

There can be multiple ways of achieving the same result, the right one is the one that works for you.
 
that is so awesome for a first attempt.

Now, remember, it's much easier to find a clean background on location than to spend an hour in processing to clean it up :). Background control is extremely important for portraits, so be mindful of it when you're out in the field :).
 
The original photo is cartoonishly badly cluttered. It looks like an example somebody would use of a cluttered background in a high school photography composition lesson. Repositioning in the field would be vastly more efficient than photoshopping, despite you having done a very good looking job of it. I'm all for clone tool's wonderfulness when it comes to blemishes and yes, perhaps even hair blown across the cheek (that's pushing it...), but half the photo is a bit much.

Also, by the way, equally important as the decluttering is the fact that this portrait very much needs fill flash or a reflector off of camera right. If you have neither, then it would also have worked to find one of those fir trees that seem to be in the area, and taking the portrait in the shadow of the tree. Or a gazebo or the side of a building or whatever is around to block the harsh sunlight.
 
That's a great job on your first use.
 
I assume you’re doing it non-destructively (i.e., making a copy of the background and doing the cloning on that)? If not, give it a try next time.

The layer method can also come in handy when you use the cloning tool (or healing brush) on a subject’s face and the result ends up looking too phony. In that case, you can just dial down the opacity of the clone layer until the result starts to look natural. This way, you eliminate (reduce?) the risk of people getting insulted when you remove blemishes from their faces, because you’re not eliminating them so much as de-emphasizing them, and they might not even notice.


No, I don't know how to make a copy of the background, and I haven't figured out how to use layers yet. I will look into that :)

Thanks everyone for the suggestions - I am excited to learn more about photoshop.

Rotanimod - it's funny you mentioned that. Since this picture has been taken, I have been paying way more attention to backgrounds!

About the flash - I'm still very much learning about all aspects of photography, and now that you brought it up, I see exactly what you mean. I will have to start thinking about the lighting more as well.
 

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