Sunday, March 23, 2008

I Love Photoshop

Nothing gives me more pleasure than to while away the hours playing on Photoshop, particularly when I've found a handy webpage or an informative library book on nifty effects. So, most of my Easter break has been spent hunched over my computer, playing.

This is called Multiplicity, isn't it cool! You set your camera up on a tripod and a timer so it doesn't move, then take multiple shots of yourself in different positions. Then you choose the furthest back position as your main image, and create layers with the other shots. Then you use the lasso tool to go around the outline of yourself in each layer at a time, click Select-Inverse, then backspace and on each layer that will remove everything except the person. Then you use the eraser tool with feathering just to tidy up the edges to blend everything together nicely.


The other thing I was playing with was how to replace boring sky with something more interesting. This is a photo I took of an interesting lichen covered fence post when we were on holiday in Pemberton. Very overcast day and the sky is a bit samey.

I took this photo when we were on the road to Exmouth in the north of WA. The photos are similar in size and pixels . I used the first photo as the main image, and using the magic eraser tool, selected all the boring sky. Then I put this image behind as a layer and hey presto...


Spiffy sky! It's a bit crude along the treeline as I haven't yet spent the time feathering along the edge but it's an interesting effect don't you think? A little surreal looking with the light and all, but fun to play with.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow, that's so cool!! I really need to get myself more familiar with photoshop!

verobirdie said...

I too should invest in all the possibilities. At home, I have Photoshop Elements, but in the office, I have PhotoImpact, which I think is very similar to Photoshop...
Anyway, your pictures are really cool.

inkberryblue said...

Wow, how inspiring!
I wonder if you can do this on Photoshop Elements?