Can you fake snow?

Jimmy_Lemon

Jimmy_Lemon

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Wasn't sure how to play this. I have been having a play around with a photo I took last year during a frost. I wanted to try and see if I could add the effect of falling snow (long story). After finding out about a snowflake plug-in I had a little mess around.

Now I want some honest comments on whether you think this works. I wasn't sure whether to post this as "wohoo, it snowed!" and see if anyone picked up on the fact the snow looked fake, or whether to just ask you lot outright. I went for this way :p

Anywho....the photo:


So does that look plausible as falling snow?
 
Honestly? No :shake: mainly because its all 'at the front' of the shot if you see what I mean, there is no depth to the snow, though it might work if the flakes were a little smaller, or certainly be more convincing. :shrug: Sorry.
 
Cheers Yv, my thoughts too :( There are 2 layers, one smaller flakes and one larger, to try and get some depth, I don't think it helped by the fact there is no frost on the church itself :(
 
the odd thing is, its looks like the layer of smaller flakes is more visible in the sky area....so I am thinking the smaller layer is being lost against the detail parts whilst the larger flakes layer is being made more obvious....if you can play with the levels of each you might be able to get it more realistic. However, it doesnt need it unless you want it for a specific purpose, its a beautiful image without snow :thumbs:
 
hehe thanks, there is no real specific reason I want it to look like it is snowing, it is just something I have been asked a few times now, and just wanted to see if it was possible to make realistic looking white stuff :)

Had another play, added a further layer on even smaller flakes and also make the large flakes fainter and added tiny bits of white to the church itself.

 
Now thats getting closer to what I would find convincing. Maybe a few less large flakes, but otherwise its suddenly got a believable depth. I think the pluggin could be used to create snowfall but requires a very subtle approach. Well done matey, definately much better imo :thumbs:
 
BRUSHES might be the way to go on a new blank layer varying the size, hardness and opacity as you go
 
Your second post (edit) looks much better (convincing!). May less large flakes at the front as the 'Hamster lover!' said.
 
Bring on the cheerleaders riding fireworks ;) I agree with Yv. First is like it was snowing right in front of the lens. 2nd is better but still... Maybe its because we know its fake it doesn't work.
 
still not perfect but pretty bloody good
 
Thats really good, i would just take some more of the larger ones away. :clap::clap:
 
Trex500 said:
Thats really good, i would just take some more of the larger ones away. :clap::clap:
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yer, and mabe do a middle size, looks like there are big close ones and tiny distant ones, no middle ground.
 
Hi

Would you mine posting this pic without the snow i wouldn’t mind having a little go for a bit of fun. would be interesting to know if i can get the snow to look real

If i can i will post back with some steps for you

Thanks
 
For what it's worth you can buy a snow machine for around £30 in tandy (or is it called radio shack now??) one of our girls bought one and "snowed" her garden last summer, it looked great in pics! Wayne
 
Yv said:
Now thats getting closer to what I would find convincing. Maybe a few less large flakes, but otherwise its suddenly got a believable depth. I think the pluggin could be used to create snowfall but requires a very subtle approach. Well done matey, definately much better imo :thumbs:
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I am never too good at the subtle thing :p

petemc said:
Maybe its because we know its fake it doesn't work.
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Aye, hence why I wasn't sure which way to play it.

Tim Sainsbury said:
Yea, I'm sure you could fool people. Why do you want to fake snow anyways...
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No real reason for wanting the snow, but it is something I tried once when I first got photoshop and it looked awful, so thought it might be worth another go.

Trex500 said:
Thats really good, i would just take some more of the larger ones away. :clap::clap:
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Yeah that seems to be general consensus of opinion, will have a bit more of a play around later I think :)

Fshoot7 said:
Hi

Would you mine posting this pic without the snow i wouldn’t mind having a little go for a bit of fun. would be interesting to know if i can get the snow to look real

If i can i will post back with some steps for you

Thanks
Click to expand...

No probs - http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3234/3064026116_bcac8c1394_o.jpg - un-snowed and slightly larger.

swanseamale47 said:
For what it's worth you can buy a snow machine for around £30 in tandy (or is it called radio shack now??) one of our girls bought one and "snowed" her garden last summer, it looked great in pics! Wayne
Click to expand...

hehe that is tempting for some shots I really want around here that just need snow to make them perfect ;)
 
The second one is definitely better, but what i reckon the problem is, is that when it is snowing you get a rapid fall-off in visibility.

Not sure how you'd manage that though.
 
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