> PHOTOSHOP USER>^ OCTOBER 2019[ 64 ]
- USING THRESHOLD TO IDENTIFY
THE LIGHT SOURCE
When working on a composite, one of the most important things is
matching the light on all the elements that have been added to the
image. To do that, you have to identify from whence the light source
is coming. In some images, it’s easy to identify; in others, it’s more
complicated. One of my go-to tricks to make sure I get that right is
using a Threshold helper layer.
Go to Layer>New Adjustment Layer>Threshold, and click OK. The
Threshold layer is going to turn the image into extreme black and white.
When you drag the Threshold Level slider to the right in the Properties
panel (Window>Properties), the blacks amplify. The parts of the image
that remain white are the brighter pixels in the image. By examining
those brighter pixels, you can easily locate the light source and the
direction the light is traveling. It also allows you to see the difference
in the light values on different layers on a composite.
Back in the Auto Color Correction Options dialog, click on the
Highlights color swatch, and with the Color Picker’s Eyedropper, click
on the brighter areas of the background image, and fine-tune if neces-
sary. Click OK to close the Auto Color Correction Options dialog. A
dialog will pop up asking if you want to save the new target colors
as defaults. Make sure to click No.- BETTER HAIR SELECTIONS
Hair is one of the most complicated and tedious things to work on in
Photoshop when you’re trying to isolate a subject. One thing I do when
I’m working on composite images is to mask out part of the subject’s
hair on the layer mask. Then, I paint it back in the mask with the Brush
tool (B) using a brush tip that replicates the texture of the hair. That way,
I’m working with existing pixels available in the image. - USING CURVES TO MATCH COLORS
IN COMPOSITE IMAGES
A great way to easily match the color between a subject and a back-
ground in a composite image is by using a clipped Curves adjustment
layer and a few magical clicks.
First, go to Layer>New Adjustment Layer>Curves, and click OK
to add a Curves adjustment layer above the subject layer. Press Com-
mand-Option-G (PC: Ctrl-Alt-G) to clip the Curves layer to the sub-
ject layer below. In the Properties panel (Window>Properties), click
on the flyout menu at the top right, and select Auto Options.
In the resulting dialog, select Find Dark & Light Colors. Click on
the Shadows color swatch to open the Color Picker. With the Color
Picker’s Eyedropper tool, click around on the darkest areas of the back-
ground image until you find a pleasing result on your subject. You can
also fine-tune the tone directly in the Color Picker dialog, if necessary.
When done, click OK to close the Color Picker. - USING THE SMUDGE AND BLUR TOOLS
ON LAYER MASKS
One of my favorite tricks is using the Smudge and Blur tools on layer
masks. This works great to soften hard edges and when working with
hair and fur. Simply choose the Smudge or the Blur tool in the Tool-
bar, use a low Strength in the Options Bar, and brush on the edges of
the layer mask you wish to soften.
Note: This is a destructive technique on the layer mask, so make
sure you first duplicate the layer to practice this technique in case you
need to start over with the original layer mask. - ADD CONTRAST WITH ADJUSTMENT LAYER
SET TO SOFT LIGHT
One of the fastest ways to add contrast to an image is simply to add
a Levels or Curves adjustment layer (Layer>New Adjustment Layer),
and set its blending mode (near the top left of the Layers panel) to
Soft Light. You don’t need to make any adjustments to the Curves or
Levels, just set its blend mode to Soft Light and adjust the Opacity
to taste.
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