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Photoshop

Photoshop Tutorial: How to Transform Photos Taken During the Day into Night Scenes

Photoshop Tutorial: How to Transform Photos Taken During the Day into Night Scenes

Photoshop Tutorial: How to Transform Photos Taken During the Day into Night Scenes

Creating a transformation in Photoshop that takes a brilliant daytime photograph and transforms it into a dark nighttime landscape is one of the most rewarding techniques available. A combination of technical expertise and creative vision is required for the procedure, which involves adjusting the brightness, tone, and ambiance of the photograph until it seems as if it was taken under the moonlight.

Learning how to handle the daylight-to-night conversion teaches you how to influence mood via color, contrast, and lighting balance. This is true whether you are building a cinematic composite, improving a landscape, or adding mystique to a portrait. In order to get this effect, let’s go through the process step by step.

Recognizing the Characteristics That Define a Night Scene

It is helpful to have an understanding of what causes a picture to seem to be nighttime before digging into the tools. Authentic nighttime photography is characterized by three characteristics:

  • As the temperature drops, the yellows that are present in daylight transform into blue or indigo.
  • The contrast is reduced, and the highlights are softened; the brilliant spots lose their brilliance.
  • Moonlight, street lighting, and reflections are examples of localized light sources that may generate pockets of brightness that are sandwiched between areas of darkness.
  • You want to be able to duplicate these features in a natural way when you are altering a photograph taken during the daytime without over-darkening it or losing its texture.

First Step: Make sure your base layer is ready and duplicate it.

Immediately after opening your picture of the daytime in Photoshop, duplicate the Background layer by using the Ctrl and J or the Cmd and J keys.
It is possible to make adjustments to your alterations at a later time if you work in a non-destructive manner. To ensure that there is no confusion, give the duplicate layer a name such as Night Base.

The next step is to make sure the lighting of your workstation is comfortable. The ability to effectively detect contrast is enhanced by using a screen that is somewhat muted. This is because subtle color changes might be difficult to assess on displays that are too bright.

The second step is to adjust the white balance to a cooler intensity.

Cooling down the picture is the first phase, and it is also the most noticeable one.

You may adjust the density to about 30–40% by going to Image > Adjustments > Photo Filter, selecting the Cooling Filter (82), and then increasing the density.

Another option is to make use of a Color Balance Adjustment Layer, which provides further control:

  • Adding +20 blue and +10 cyan to the midtones
  • Adding +15 Blue and +10 Cyan to the shadows
  • Notes: add ten points to the blue

The warmth of sunshine is immediately removed, and the blue color of dusk is substituted for it. This modification takes effect immediately.

The next step is to gradually intensify the darkness.

In order to create a genuine night impression, it is not enough to just reduce the brightness; rather, it is necessary to recirculate the light.

It is recommended to make use of a Curves Adjustment Layer in order to softly bring down the midtones while maintaining a bit of brightness in the highlights. Because of this, depth is created rather than a flat blackness.

Make sure that the sky is included in your scene by selecting it using the Quick Selection Tool or the Select Sky command for example. Next, add another layer of Curves to make it darker in a more aggressive manner. Having a sky that is little deeper than usual immediately improves the appearance of evening.

Add some subtle desaturation as the fourth step.

At night, when there is less light in the environment, colors look more subdued. Adding a Hue/Saturation Adjustment Layer and lowering the saturation by around 20–30% will allow you to get this effect.

It is important to keep an eye on skin tones or places with warm light since they should preserve a hint of color in order to have a natural feeling. Use the layer mask to selectively restore saturation where it is required, such as in close proximity to streetlights, windows, or things that are illuminated by the moon.

Moonlight or street lighting should be simulated in the fifth step.

Light lends a sense of reality and drama to your nighttime setting.

Create a new layer, set it to Overlay or Soft Light, and use a soft white brush to paint places that may be illuminated by the moon or artificial light. These areas include the borders of roofs, faces, and road surfaces.

Make use of the Gradient Tool (white to transparent) and drag from the light source outward in order to improve the directionality of the animation. Set the opacity to regulate the level of subtlety.

If you want the light layer to have a cooler appearance, you can also use the Color Overlay blending option to give it a very little blue tinge.

Paint Shadows to Create Depth is the Sixth Step

Shadows that are convincing are quite important for night situations. In locations where the amount of daylight was the greatest, use a soft black brush to paint shadows on a new layer that has been set to the Multiply mode.

Adjust the opacity of the layer to somewhere between 30 and 40 percent, and then use the Gaussian Blur effect to gently blur it.

Consider in a rational manner the locations where shadows are cast, such as under vehicles, trees, or people. In order to get a more theatrical effect, your lighting should have a more directed texture.

Step Seven: Modify the Sky and Add Stars (This Step Is Optional)

The sky in your photograph may be replaced or edited to create a more convincing illusion if it is included in the photograph.

By selecting Sky from the menu, you may erase the one that is now selected and then add a deeper gradient or a different night sky picture by mixing it with the Soft Light setting.

Create a new black layer, fill it up entirely, and then go to the Filter menu, then choose Noise, and finally select Add Noise. Change the blending mode to Screen and decrease the opacity of the image. By using Levels, you may make the stars seem more natural and finer.

This seemingly little aspect has the potential to shift the metamorphosis from “edited” to “believable.”

To complete the eighth step, add a dash of atmospheric haze.

A distinct way of scattering light is shown by night air, particularly near lighting or moonlight. In order to get this environment, you will first need to create a new layer, then apply Gaussian Blur, and last, lightly brush white around the light sources.

You should lower the opacity of the layer to around 20–30% and set it to Screen or Soft Light.

In addition to adding realism, this faint haze gives the impression that there is mist, moisture, or light diffusion in the air.

Utilize Gradient Maps to Achieve Tonal Harmony as the Ninth Step

Make use of a Gradient Map Adjustment Layer in order to bring the overall tone together. After selecting a gradient that ranges from a dark blue to a light gray, change the blending mode to Color and reduce the opacity to around thirty percent.

Your picture will have the seamless impression of a genuine nighttime setting as a result of this, which pulls together all of your lighting differences and color variations. There is no trace of daylight hue left behind thanks to this finishing touch, which is of professional quality.

The tenth step is to selectively sharpen and add the finishing touches.

Perform a final pass in which you carefully sharpen areas that you want the viewer to concentrate on, such as the face of a person, the headlights of a vehicle, or a significant structure.

Apply the High Pass Filter to a duplicated layer that is set to the Overlay blending mode, and then mask off regions that should not be sharp, such as the sky or shadows inside the layer.

By doing so, you are able to improve the depth and clarity of your night composition without simultaneously adding noise or unnatural edges.

Avoiding the Most Frequent Errors

Excessively darkening the whole picture: Night does not imply complete darkness; the goal is to strike a balance.

  • Forgetting the direction of the light: Shadows have to be aligned with the light source that was selected.
  • Without taking into account the difference between warm and cold light, streetlights are often warm, while moonlight is chilly. The mixture has a natural tone.
  • Night scapes still feature neutrals and minor color variation, despite the fact that blue tones are often used.
  • The addition of stars in an unnatural manner: the scale and brightness should be compatible with the viewpoint.

A Few Closing Thoughts: The Art of Storytelling Is What Transforms Day into Night

The art of storytelling is where the actual beauty of this transition may be found. You are not only adjusting the exposure; rather, you are altering the emotional tone of the photograph when you do so.

Daylight has a cozy, secure, and reassuring atmosphere. Night brings with it a sense of mystery, tranquility, and perhaps a touch of danger. When you use Photoshop, you are not just duplicating nature; rather, you are rethinking it.

You have the ability to transform any brilliant landscape into the peaceful poetry of the night if you have time and the correct combination of tonal changes, painting, and gradient mapping.

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Photoshop

Innovative Retouching of the Skin That Does Not Decrease Texture

Innovative Retouching of the Skin That Does Not Decrease Texture

Innovative Retouching of the Skin That Does Not Decrease Texture

The ability to achieve flawless skin has long been a distinguishing characteristic of professional photo retouching; yet, the key to success is not in removing flaws but rather in maintaining the authenticity of the subject. The key to achieving true beauty in editing is striking a balance between accentuating what is natural and preserving every little element that gives the face life.

Skin that has been too smoothed seems unnatural and nearly plastic. A texture that is very sharp seems to be rough and abrasive. The ideal outcome is one that is somewhere in the middle, where the skin does not seem smooth but rather realistic and polished yet still human. In this lesson, we will discuss how to create that delicate equilibrium by using sophisticated Photoshop methods that take into account both the tone and the details.

1. Acquiring an Understanding of the True Desire Behind Skin Retouching

The objective of skin retouching is not to alter the look of a person; rather, it is to improve upon the image that was taken by the camera. The objective of professional editors is to eliminate distractions while maintaining the integrity of every pore, shadow, and subtlety that contributes to the contours of the skin.

Think of “believable” rather than “perfect” when you convey your thoughts. In every edit, you should strive to achieve natural light, a tone that is balanced, and genuine texture. When it is done well, no one should ever realize that you have retouched the image; instead, they should see a picture that is brilliantly lit and exudes confidence.

2. Begin with the appropriate image and workflow.

Launch Photoshop and instantly duplicate your background layer by pressing the Ctrl key and the J key (on Windows) or the Command key and the J key (on a Mac). A safety net is created as a result of this, which enables non-destructive editing to take place throughout the process.

The core of your endeavor is a high-resolution photograph that is well-lit. The use of natural light or gentle studio lighting will immediately provide you with a more favorable canvas on which to work. Retouching is not capable of correcting poor lighting; rather, it can only improve what is already there.

If you want to examine the texture, zoom in. Before you begin editing, you will need to have a clear understanding of which parts of the document have helpful information and which parts feature distracting errors.

3. Eliminate any imperfections on the surface

First, you should fix any little distractions that may be present, such as stray hairs, dust stains, or tiny imperfections. When working on a fresh blank layer, apply the Healing Brush Tool or the Spot Healing Brush with the Sample: Current & Below setting selected.

Employ a leisurely pace and often zoom out. Acne spots and flakes are examples of transitory flaws that may be removed and left behind. The client should not be asked to remove permanent traits such as freckles, moles, or birthmarks unless they specifically request that they be removed. They are responsible for the face’s distinctive characteristics and add to the face’s genuine texture.

Rather than painting over the skin that was already there, you should think of this step as the preparation of a flawless foundation.

4. Frequency Separation, the Fundamental Method of Technique

The most effective technique for doing intricate skin treatment is frequency separation, which is used by professionals. It creates two separate layers for your picture, one for tone and color (low frequency), and another for small features like pores (high frequency). Both layers are independent of one another. By doing so, you are able to level out the skin tone without obscuring the texture.

You should make two copies of your cleaned layer and give them the names Low and High. The High layer should be turned off, and the Gaussian Blur filter should be used to the Low layer until the holes disappear but the outlines are apparent. After that, reactivate the High layer and apply Image > Apply Image with the Low layer serving as the source.
Use the Subtract operation with Scale 2 and Offset 128 for pictures with 16 bits, and the Add operation with Scale 2 and Offset 0 for images with 8 bits. Make sure that the blend mode of the High layer is set to Linear Light.

At this point, the photograph should seem to be the same; but, you are now able to work on tone and texture independently, which provides you with more accuracy and control.

5. Bringing the Skin Tone into Balance Through Subtle Blurring

Choose the Low layer, then take the Lasso Tool and carefully choose portions of the face that have an uneven tone, such as the cheekbones or the forehead. When you want to maintain a natural transition, use a feather radius of around 30 pixels.

Apply a Gaussian Blur of two to four pixels after that. Take note of how the blotchiness starts to disappear, although the pores that are caused by your high layer continue to be apparent. Maintaining this precise balance allows the color fluctuation to be smoothed out without diminishing the depth of the skin.

Instead of making a single heavy blur, it is preferable to make multiple little passes that are gradual. At all times, the retouching process should seem slow and unnoticeable.

6. Managing Texture with Accuracy and Refinement

Change to the High layer; here is where your pores and the tiny features of your skin are located. You should use the Clone Stamp Tool with the Current Layer set to 15–25% opacity if you see discrepancies such as rough patches or texture cracks.

Take a copy from surrounding regions that have a similar texture. Make sure to move gently and in the same direction as the natural flow of skin, particularly in the areas around the cheekbones, temples, and forehead. Rather of trying to replace the texture, your objective is to disperse it in an equitable manner.

If done properly, the end product will have the appearance of skin that is exquisitely natural, polished while yet being authentic.

7. As a measure of dimension, dodge and burn

In the absence of light fluctuation, skin does not seem to be living. Following the leveling of tones, the Dodge and Burn technique helps restore three-dimensionality. One of the Curves adjustment layers should be brightened (for Dodge), while the other should be darkened (for Burn). Both of these layers should be masked in black.

If you want to achieve a balance of light, use a soft white brush with a low opacity (about 5–10%) and paint over regions that are bright and sections that are dark.

Enhance the appearance of the shadows beneath the eyes, make the cheekbones more equal, and bring back the natural highlights on the nose or forehead. Through the use of this method, structure and realism are improved without the use of artificial light or texture filters.

8. Adjusting the Contrast and Color of the Image

After you have achieved a balance between the tones and the texture, you may modify the color and temperature by using the Selective Color or Color Balance changes. Keeping natural skin tones neutral helps to prevent the “gray skin” effect that often occurs as a result of extensive editing. Natural skin tones typically fall somewhere between warm reds and mild yellows.

When your picture seems flat, you may restore contrast by applying a slight Curves adjustment; however, you should be careful. It is important that the skin seems soft and dimensional, rather than excessively punchy.

Finally, zoom out and examine the portrait at its regular size to complete the process. Even when seen from a distance, the greatest retouching always seems to be the most convincing.

9. Avoiding the Most Frequent Errors Making Retouching

Impatience and excessive use of tools are the two major factors that lead to the majority of skin retouching mistakes. Refrain from giving in to the temptation of relying on blur filters or plugin effects that promise immediate results. These tend to remove the skin’s natural texture and generate skin that is artificial and “plastic.”

Keep in mind that you should always pay attention to the minute details, check your progress at various zoom settings, and periodically compare your work to the original. Your retouching has to be refined if it seems to be perfect just when zoomed in to 200% but weird when seen in its whole.

This is the ultimate test: your audience should not be able to tell where the edits start or where they finish.

10. Putting the Finishing Touches on Realistic

After you have reached a point of contentment, you should flatten a duplicate of your picture and then apply a light High Pass Sharpen (ranging from one to two pixels) to highlight important characteristics such as the eyes, lips, and hairlines. It is best to refrain from sharpening the skin itself since the texture work you performed before has already done the job organically.

For future revisions, save a PSD version that has all of your layers intact, then export a final JPEG when you are ready to submit the file.

Your finished portrait should have a lively, natural, and easily polished feel to it when it is done correctly. It should seem as if it was recorded in excellent lighting rather than highly altered.

The Art of Succeeding Without Being Noticed

In advanced skin retouching, perfection is not the goal; rather, it is to exercise self-control. The tale of the face should be served by every modification, with the goal of keeping the brightness, individuality, and emotion of the face. Knowing when to quit is the key to success, and it rests in subtlety.

You are not just editing the skin; rather, you are celebrating it when the texture stays true to its original state and the tone seems natural. It is at this point when Photoshop transforms from being a tool into an extension of creative vision.

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Photoshop

How to Remove Backgrounds Without Using Artificial Intelligence Tools

How to Remove Backgrounds Without Using Artificial Intelligence Tools

How to Remove Backgrounds Without Using Artificial Intelligence Tools

where we live in a time where background removers driven by artificial intelligence can finish a work in a matter of seconds, it is easy to forget that hand editing is where actual control rests. Although automated technologies have the potential to reduce time, they often struggle when it comes to small details such as strands of hair, surfaces that are translucent, or delicate edges.

Not only can removing backgrounds manually in Photoshop provide cleaner pictures, but it also helps you get a deeper grasp of light, form, and subject definition. Expertise in non-artificial intelligence approaches offers accuracy that cannot be replicated by any algorithm, regardless of whether you are altering pictures, goods, or composites.

1. One of the Benefits of Using Manual Control

Although AI technologies are quick, they are not without their flaws. It is frequently necessary to pay great attention to complex edges, shadows, and color leakage, which is something that automation cannot equal. The use of manual approaches gives you complete control over each and every pixel, which enables you to fine-tune your choices, retain realism, and not compromise your creative goal.

In addition, manual background removal teaches you how pictures behave, such as how contrast defines borders and how texture interacts with light. These courses will not only improve the quality of your present work but will also boost any future efforts including compositing and retouching.

2. Making the Requirements for a Clean Cutout

Before you get started, your picture should be opened in Photoshop, and the Background layer should be duplicated. When you work in a non-destructive manner, you have the ability to return to the initial picture at any point.

Make sure that your subject is well-lit and separated from the backdrop in a clear and distinct manner. The selecting process is simplified and improved when there is a high contrast between the foreground and the backdrop. In the event that your picture is lacking in contrast, you may temporarily improve your ability to perceive the edges of the image by using a Levels or Curves Adjustment Layer.

3. The Writing Instrument: Accuracy for Working Professionals

When it comes to precise and clear borders, the Pen Tool continues to be the unrivaled choice, particularly in product photography. It gives you the ability to build precise routes that may be transformed into selections or masks afterwards.

Choose the Pen Tool (P) and zoom in to get a better look. Start by clicking around the edge of the topic, adding points at regular intervals to sketch its contour. Make use of short curves to provide seamless transitions, and alter anchor handles to accommodate surfaces that are rounded.

After the path has been finished, right-click within the path, and choose the Make Selection option. In order to avoid having sharp edges, you need first apply a Layer Mask, and then feather the selection by 0.5 to 1 pixel. It will look as if the backdrop has vanished, leaving behind a cutout that is crisp and professional, making it ideal for use in advertising or product catalogs.

4. Utilizing the Workspace for Selecting and Masking

The fact that this feature is semi-automated does not change the fact that it is significantly dependent on human tweaking, which makes it one of the most successful hybrid techniques that are now.

After making a rough selection using the Quick Selection Tool, go to the pick menu and then pick the Select and Mask option. You will discover brushes and sliders inside the workspace, both of which are designed to assist you in precisely refining edges.

To get a natural appearance for the outline, use the Radius, Smooth, Feather, and Contrast settings. In order to refine the edges of complicated regions such as hair or fur, use the Refine Edge Brush Tool. Always make sure to verify the preview on a variety of backgrounds, including white, black, and transparent, to guarantee consistency within the design.

5. When contrast works in your favor, color range.

If the color of your topic is able to distinguish it from its backdrop in a clear and distinct manner, the Color Range tool may help you save time without compromising accuracy.

Take the eyedropper and click on the background area once you have navigated to the Select > Color Range menu option. You may adjust the fuzzyness so that it includes all of the surrounding tones but leaves out your topic.

After the preview has shown that the selection is clean, click the OK button, and then proceed to build a Layer Mask. A seamless finish may be achieved by using a delicate brush to fine-tune the borders of the mask, painting black to conceal or white to show where the mask is hidden.

When used for photographs taken against solid backgrounds or chroma screens, this technique works very well.

6. Channel-Based Selections for Edges That Construct Complexity

The channel-based masking technique offers an exceptional level of control in situations when the subject includes delicate features, such as hair strands, lace, smoke, or fur.

To change between the red, green, and blue channels, open the Channels panel and cycle through them. Keep an eye out for the one that has the most striking contrast between the subject and the landscape. That channel should be duplicated, and then it should be enhanced using Levels (Ctrl + L) such that the subject is completely black and the backdrop is completely white.

The next step is to load the bright regions as a selection by holding down the Ctrl (Cmd) key and clicking the thumbnail of the channel. Use the Shift key, the Ctrl key, and the I key to invert it, and then apply a mask.

Despite the fact that it takes effort, this approach creates very precise edges in situations where automated tools often fail.

7. Blending and refining masks using brushes.

There is a possibility that edges may seem too sharp or unnatural even after careful selection. This issue may be resolved by using the Brush Tool on the layer mask with a gentle touch. Utilize a round, soft brush with a low opacity to refine transition regions in a gentle manner, paying particular attention to areas near hair, cloth, or shadows.

For regions that are semi-transparent, such as glass or veils, lower the opacity of the brush and paint progressively in order to maintain the illusion of reality.

Any light leakage from the background that is still visible may be neutralized by applying a Hue/Saturation adjustment to the edge of the mask. This will eliminate any unwanted color reflections.

8. Combining a Number of Different Methods

When editing, professional editors almost never depend only on a single method. For instance, you might begin by selecting a Color Range, then proceed to refine it with the Pen Tool, and finally, you could complete by utilizing the Select and Mask tool.

In many cases, various sections of a picture need distinct techniques. For example, channel masks may be necessary for hair, but path-based choices are more effective for garment edges. When compared to an amateur who relies primarily on AI tools, a skilled retoucher is distinguished by their mastery of the ability to smoothly blend approaches.

9. Verifying the Edges on a Number of Different Backgrounds

Once you have successfully separated your topic, you should examine it against a variety of backdrop colors to verify that it does not retain any undesired halos or rough edges. Your cutout should be layered behind a solid color fill layer, and you should be able to change between white, black, and gray backgrounds.

It will be possible to see any edge artifacts that are still there. Take a gentle brush and use it on the mask, or use the Clone Stamp Tool with a low opacity, to clean them. The completion of this phase guarantees that your finished picture will completely blend in with any design or composite setting.

10. Increasing Flexibility Through Saving and Exporting

Save your file as a PSD if you are pleased with the effects you have achieved. This will ensure that the editable mask is preserved. Create a PNG file with transparency and export it for use on the web or in graphics.

When you keep your layers intact, you have the ability to return to the selection and make adjustments to it in the future. This is a benefit that you lose when you use automatic background removers.

How Manual Methods Continue to Be Important

Even in this day and age, when automation is the norm, hand background removal is still considered an essential component of workmanship. It enables decisions to be made based on visual intelligence rather than on the assumptions made by algorithms. Instead of being sculpted by prediction, every edge is shaped because of creative judgment.

You will improve your grasp of form, contrast, and accuracy by using these methods, which are skills that enhance any kind of picture editing, from retouching to compositing. These techniques include more than just the technical element.

 

When it comes to control, quality, and expertise, the time that is spent pays dividends. Because even while AI technologies could provide shortcuts, the human hand is still the only thing that can really achieve perfection.