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  #1  
Old 02-10-2009, 08:53 PM
Barbara Turner Barbara Turner is offline
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Help needed from the Photoshop experts

I want to replace the color in a backround of a photo. Is there an easy way to do it without cutting out the object? Thanks in advance.


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Last edited by Barbara Turner; 02-10-2009 at 09:14 PM.
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Old 02-10-2009, 10:56 PM
Joe Mason Joe Mason is offline
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Hi Barbara, It is the color replacement tool. Go to Photoshop help and do a search for Replace Color.

Joe


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  #3  
Old 02-11-2009, 06:15 PM
Barbara Turner Barbara Turner is offline
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Thanks Joe. I found that and tried it but didn't get the results I had hoped for. Upon your suggestion I tried it again and played around with the settings and it will work for a quick color change. I really need a Wacom tablet, it is very hard to draw anything with a mouse.


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Old 02-11-2009, 07:23 PM
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SharpByCoop SharpByCoop is offline
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Barbara, show us a websized image and what you'd like to change. I might be able to suggest an alternative--or agree with you.

BTW, I have a Wacom now. Not quite as useful as I thought it would become. But, that's me.

Coop


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Old 02-11-2009, 09:47 PM
Barbara Turner Barbara Turner is offline
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Coop, here are the images. The first image is as shot, the second image is my corrected version using color replacer. I have also added a touch of omni lighting. The backround I was using was black. I had at least 2 feet behind (probably not enough distance) and was trying not to light the backround but it still picked up a blue hue. Shot with the Canon 5D mark ll and 100mm macro lens at ISO 100 F 2.8 1/60. Thanks in advance for any help.





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Old 02-11-2009, 10:05 PM
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Hi Barbara,

Yeah, you got real close and it looks realistic. Another method is to use the 'paint bucket' tool. I chose a color of black and set the 'tolerance' to 14 on a scale of 0-255. I clicked around the image as it filled in sections close to, but not encompassing the jar.



I would try this and maybe even set the tolerance lower and work it a bit. You may find it helpful. (Look, I can see a small section I missed at the bottom LH side.... )

Thanks for the beautiful example. Buddy, BTW, is really good at this type of dark background photography. Not me.

Coop


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Old 02-11-2009, 10:28 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Barbara Turner
Is there an easy way to do...?
I'm with Coop - it would be best to see what you're wanting to do. However, if all you want to do is change the color of an existing background (and not remove or replace its texture, shapes, contrast etc) then there is a chance you could sidestep the laborious selection process, which in my experience requires a lot of practice and some additional advanced techniques beyond basic selection/extraction.

To only change the color you might be able to use a tool or process built into your editing software that adjusts 'hue.' It's hit or miss because you may not want to change the hues of the handle and blade, so the tool you use has to be able to zero in on a certain color range. As Joe suggested, the 'replace color' tool or its equivalent (what software are you using, by the way?) can sometimes do the job but it too can be hit or miss. In short, no matter what avenue you choose it's not likely to be satisfactory right off the bat. You may have to fiddle around with it until you're satisfied.

The key ultimately will be to learn how to adjust the different controls that make up the tool you're using - things like how many neighboring pixels get averaged, how soft or hard you want the boundaries between colors and shades of colors to be, how to deal with shadows etc. If it sounds complicated, that's because it is (at least that's been my experience.) All of this proves the old adage that it's best to 'get it right in the camera' because making it right after the fact is fraught with risk. A high level of familiarity and expertise with the software is necessary to get a believable and natural looking result.

Anyway... here's what I mean about changing the hue as illustrated by a before and after example. Say you didn't like the purplish/bluish background and wanted to try green instead (doesn't have to be green, could be another color though you will find the hue tool renders some possible colors better than others, depending on the internal variables you set and the makeup of the original color you're trying to change).





All I did (using Adobe Photoshop) was access the hue/saturation tool, specify blue then move the hue slider around until I got the shade of green I wanted.

I realize my comments and example may not accurately address your concerns so you should post the image you're working with, as Coop suggested, and let him take a shot at it. Also, there may be others following your thread here who could contribute as well.


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Old 02-11-2009, 10:48 PM
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Coop & Barbara - I hadn't seen your posts prior to composing my reply but upon seeing the image in question, I wouldn't alter my comments.

Coop - I like your approaches and they're ones I hadn't thought of - a tribute to the depth of photoshop in that there are always many possible ways to accomplish the same task.

Barbara - If you're going to shoot glass you will really appreciate the book LIGHT - Science and Magic by Hunter, Biver and Fuqua, 3rd edition. Glass may be the only thing tougher to photograph well than knives (except for kids and pets that is).

Also, looking at your picture Barbara, it would not be difficult to use a selection tool. Enlarge the image to 200 or even 400% and start to learn how to use the 'pen' tool (now my preferred selection tool) or the polygonal lasso tool (again, these are photoshop tools but similar ones exist in most photo editing software). Select the jug, invert your selection so now the background is selected - then have at it anyway you want. More fun than watching a three legged dog cross a frozen pond!


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  #9  
Old 02-11-2009, 11:29 PM
Barbara Turner Barbara Turner is offline
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Buddy & Coop,

I am using Photoshop CS3 and have just begun to explore the many options available in the program. My main program though is Aperture as it is very easy to navigate with the bonus that you can organize the photos as well. I appreciate everyone's guidance with photoshop and I will try your suggestion Coop re: the paint bucket tool. I hadn't even thought of that.

Buddy, I do have the book Light, Science & Magic and it is quite informative. Lighting is a very tough subject to conquer, along with composition.

Here is another photo of the same glass jar with a white folded paper behind to help bring out some more highlights. I have some hot spots to edit and will use this photo for backround darkening / color changing. I keep trying, one day I will succeed.



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