[Wispy Hair and Backdrops]

Anyone know how to handle wispy hair when cutting out people to change backdrops?

Thank you.

[How to download photo Backdrops for portraits]

Good luck! Please report back if you have problems.

It worked. No problems with this first attempt. Took a lifetime to erase around the family on 200%zoom but got her done.

I do have a question...

What if I want to try many backdrops per photo to give the family options so they can choose the one they want? I don't want to have to do the tedious erasing on each cut out. Can I do it once and save that? Will that save?

Is there a certain technique for doing that?

Thank you,

[Wispy Hair and Backdrops]

When changing backdrops, how do you handle wispy hair?

Thank you,

Tammy

[How to download photo Backdrops for portraits]

First you need to cut out the family. Here's a useful how-to: Cutting out images the easy way.

Now when you have your family on their own layer and separate from the background. You can import another image to use as the backdrop using the Layers >> Import from file :ImportFromFile: .

Note that this may cause a size conflict if the imported file is larger or smaller than the canvas you're working on (you may wish to resize the background image before actually importing it).

You could also cut and paste the new background into a new layer. Use :AddNewLayer: to create a new layer, open your background image and copy it with CTRL+A and CTRL+C, swap back to your original image (make sure that the new layer is selected) and press CTRL+V.

Once you have the background image in place, check that the 'family' layer is higher than the background layer. Click on one layer and use the :MoveLayerUp: or :MoveLayerDown: icons to adjust the positioning.

Thank you. I will try this as soon as I get a backdrop downloaded.

[How to download photo Backdrops for portraits]

Hello. I need to remove some folks from one photo and put them on a nice backdrop of another photo. (They want a studio family portrait look.) How do you download backdrops to Paint.net and what is the best way to move people, or any subject, from one picture to another.

Any tips?

Thanks,

[What is this process called?]

From what I have seen, this kind of result can be acheived by using Topaz Vivacity, a Photoshop plugin that meticulously and intelligently sharpens and increases the contrast/saturation of your photos. There is no simple equivalent when using Paint.NET, but I would suggest using a combination of Local Contrast Enhancement, Sharpen+, the Hue/Saturation adjustment and Curves to achieve something similar.

Thank you, Crimson.

I will have a go at it. Wish Paint.net had a tool for that as well. Perhaps soon. (hint, hint)

Appreciate your advice!

Tam

[What is this process called?]

All I can see is faint lomography, as Sarkut pointed out.

There may be color enhancements that involve fine tuning the levels, which PDN is capable of.

Otherwise, someone more familiar with Photoshop may be able to identify some effects without seeing the originals. Based on the level of professionalism on that site, I'm confident that Photoshop is being used to edit those images.

Thank you Zyst. Appreciate your thoughts.

[What is this process called?]

What technique are you referring to specifically?

That's what I'm asking.

[What is this process called?]

Link?

Oops, sorry!

http://www.briannagraham.com/portraits/index2.php

[What is this process called?]

I was just looking at and admiring this site,

Brianna Graham - Grand Rapids, Michigan Portrait Photographer, photography, children's photography

and wonder what technique you would call this and how is it accomplished?

Thank you.

[Dog's Hair Issue]

Oh, how wonderful that turned out!!

I will definitely use this Smudge. Great advice and it looks perfect!How cute!

Thanks Sarkut and himself22!!

I appreciate all your help and even trying it out!

[Dog's Hair Issue]

[/img]

Can you post one of the problem pictures?

This is it after turning to B&W. Of course it'd probably be wiser to fix while colored.??

What do you think? Any hope?

There's also a few stray hairs crossing over the eyes I want to remove.

[Dog's Hair Issue]

I took some pictures of a clients dog. They look great, all but for the runny eye that's wetted the hair below.

Using the same clone,blur, etc. techniques for people are proving more difficult for all that hair on the face.

Any tips for cleaning it up?

Thank you.

[Need tutorial on leaving some color on Black & White background]

Thank you. I found the eraser was the quickest and very effective. Looks great!

Thanks!

[Need tutorial on leaving some color on Black & White background]

Client wants her flag colored with the rest black and white.

Is there a tutorial on this?

Thank you.

(I tried looking but don't know what you'd call this action. Sorry)

[Always with the checkerboard]

Okay, when you use the transparent radial gradient,

click in the middle of the canvas

and drag out to the edge of the canvas.

When you first click, everything goes transparent, that's normal.

It's the dragging that will bring back the opacity.

Gotcha. Thanks!

[Vignetting help]

There's this for gradients:

http://www.getpaint.net/doc/latest/en/GradientTool.html

I found that one too. Thank you for looking. Appreciate you.

[Always with the checkerboard]

The checkerboard isn't actually part of the image, it indicates transparency.

So, you are doing something to create transparency.

I am following the directions step by step. Because of the checkerboard I am unable to accurately see the noise, etc.

[Vignetting help]

I have used the vignetting plugin but get a definite ring at the junction of the main subject and the beginnings of the shadowing.

So, I tried the gradient and am not seeing the color. Googling this I see instructions for photoshop, etc. but not paint.net.

Is there a specific how-to for us here?

Are there any actual step by step tutorials for gradient and vignetting?

[Always with the checkerboard]

Why do I always have the checkerboard in the way.

I am trying to follow the directions of http://www.softwarehowtos.com/article-how-to-make-a-picture-into-antiquing-classic-1239346652.html

and get the checkerboards when using the tools. Then, when I flatten, it's still there. What am I doing wrong?

Thank you.

[Vignetting help]

I have used the vignetting plugin but get a definite ring at the junction of the main subject and the beginnings of the shadowing.

So, I tried the gradient and am not seeing the color. Googling this I see instructions for photoshop, etc. but not paint.net.

Is there a specific how-to for us here?

[Help with Layers]

Flattening combines all layers into one.

Merging is done one layer at a time.

Thank you everyone. I appreciate it.

[Help with Layers]

It all depends on what specifically you want to accomplish.

If you have the image looking the way you want it, and want to

save it as a standard image file - PNG, JPEG, etc. then flatten it.

Using the flatten function should make no change to what appears on the canvas.

I try to soften the portrait in the top layer then change the opacity. That's when I get the checkerboard and it stays no matter how I flatten or merge.

I try to soften the portrait in the top layer then change the opacity. That's when I get the checkerboard and it stays no matter how I flatten or merge.

What is the difference between merge (self explanatory) and flatten?

[Help with Layers]

I see many how to's of how to do things in Layers but not how to merge them. When I flatten I end up with the checkerboard look.

I need specifics...

Do you click on all layers and merge down

or

Do you click on all layers and flatten?

Just how do you put them all together?

Thank you.

[No Wires]

Well, nothing quite so awesome, but if the wires are in the sky, you can get rid of them automatically by selecting them and running Effects > Noise > Median.

If they are in trees, etc. simply use the clone stamp brush.

Thanks. That'll work. Maybe someone could make a similar plug in as the NO WIRES...hint,hint.

Until then, I'll take your advice.