Removing background distractions...

[crystalb]

Hi all

I should have gone with a different angle for this pic, but I didn't. Now I have to remove the garage. How would you go about doing this?

Thanks!

[Iguanasan]

I'm not sure that you have to remove the garage since the bokeh effect blurs it beyond recognition. I, personally, don't find it too distracting from the image and really just gives you a sense that the flower is grounded.

If you insist on removing it, I'll let someone else explain it. My PP skills are rather lacking. Off the cuff though I would think you have painstakingly outline the area to be replaced and then find something to put in it's place. Probably, a copy of the stuff above the flower would be good but you'd want to adjust it a bit so it doesn't look like a copy and paste.

[Marko]

100% agree with the Igster. I would leave it alone as it is NOT distracting to me. Now that you've brought my attention to it, I might choose to burn it in a bit...but I would not remove it in this case.

In terms of removing it if you wanted to..I might try selecting it (I'd try the quick select tool first) deleting the selection, then matching the empty space with the blue sky...anyone else got something better?

[AntZ]

You could also try the fill tool. Use the eye dropper tool to pick the blue from the sky, then fill each area adjusting the threshold so that the fill stops at the flower. You may need to be careful near the stem on the bottom left as the dark patch of the garage is similar in colour to the stem.

[Mad Aussie]

Yep ... I'd leave it. That's a really nice shot!

[crystalb]

Thanks guys, I try to tweek it a bit. Maybe it just bugs me because I could have shot it better....:rolleyes:

[crystalb]

I filled in garage with sky and threw a cloud in there for good measure.....

[AntZ]

Looks good to me. Because I have seen the original, and know what to look for I can kind of tell some photoshopping has occured. There is a little bit if artifacting, but that might be caused by compression. I think to the casual observer it would pass muster. Good job.

[AcadieLibre]

I prefer the original looks more natural, the second one looks photoshopped. Just my :twocents:

[edbayani11]

i agree with everybody that the original looks good without any post processing. my comment on your photoshopped photo looks alright except for the black line at the bottom of the flower.

[Fortytwo]

I agree. If you know what to look for, you can see it's been photoshopped. But considering all, really nice job photoshopping...

[crystalb]

Thanks for all the input!

[Michaelaw]

I agree with the others in that it's not desparately in need of fixing. Having said that, I'll give my 2 cents on how Id fix it if you are determined. I would tend to want to replace the whole background so you'd need a separate shot of a puffy cloud filled sky on hand for this method. This image should be much the same size as your flower image and should be opened firs, selected and coppied to the clipboard. This next part takes some time and concentration! Take your original image and zoom in tight (real close) and this is assuming your using PS. You want to be zoomed in so tight that the edge of your flower look pixelated. Next, select your Lasso tool. While holding down the alt key you go around the perimeter of the flower clicking points along the border of flower and sky, you want to stay right on the line of separation between the two. Once you've gone all the way around the flower you will have a selection of the complete flower. I generally save the selection at this point<alt-s-save selection> Once saved you want to feather your selection <alt-ctrl-D> On the full size, straight from camera image I would choose to feather around 3 pixels, on a web sized version, 800x600 or so I would go with one pixel feather. This is why I save the selection initially as If my feather is wrong, I cam reload the selection and apply different values. Next you want to invert the selection <alt-s-I> Next you want to fill the selected area outside the flower with the image of sky and clouds which should be copy and pasted to you clipboard. Once the area outside the flower is selected using the select inverse method you paste the image on the clipboard into that area in the edit menu item "paste into" or <shift-ctrl-V> now you should have a fully replace background around your flower with a feathered edge that blends the two images together fairly seamlessly. Hope you can get what I'm saying:) I do it second nature but telling others how is not my forte...Hope this helps!

PS...Feathering the selection is the key otherwise you will end up with a harsh edge to your fill that looks Photoshopped!

[crystalb]

Thanks for the 'how-to' Michaelaw.... :)

[harvey3]

nice tips!
thanks a lot :)