Editing wedding shots for white dresses and sky?

kitschenalia

kitschenalia

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OK, problem is, if I want to get these shots looking their best, I'm going to have to use layers in PS on every image, darkening the bottom layer then erasing from the top (for dress and sky). I don't suppose there is an easier/quicker way?

Basically I have faces beautifully exposed but blown out sky and dress. I was using the wrong kind of metering I think which prob didn't help. Thanks.
 
Not really this where you need flash, you expose for the sky but use flash to fill in the couple.
 
During the editing I would use an exposure mask and paint on the areas that needing darkening. not really with layers as such. Masks are better as they are none destructive, and are smaller file sizes than keep adding layers and erasing details.

A lot to learn and something that cannot be done overnight.
 
Can you post an example and also one that you edited too.
 
Before:
2le01hk.jpg


After:
2yvkmt0.jpg
 
Last edited:
That's a lovely shot (even better after editing). My screen is showing detail in her dress, where do you think you have lost some?
 
the edit works OK but think how long it will take to do a full wedding like that, also you will slightly be degrading the images.
 
She is gorgeous!

On my screen I can't see any difference (just a bit brighter) between the bust on the first or second.
 
kitschenalia said:
tiler, it takes seconds. Rather than the photoshop method which was looking at taking more than 30 minutes per image (it's so hard to erase the top layer onto a darker underlayer without accidentally catching what you don't want). As part of the editing process anyway within LR, it's only moments.
Click to expand...

That is why you are doing it wrong, it takes seconds in PS too, with more powerful editing equipment.
 
LR and ACR (raw image editor in PS) are basically the same thing
 
The edited photo is good. Seriously, I wouldn't worry about getting it technically perfect, they won't notice. Have you ever had someone come back to you and ask why the sky is blown or why the rule of thirds hasn't been used etc?

If it's a good photo then it's a good photo - that's the most important thing.
 
The top of the bust has lost a little detail (on my monitor) but nothing important a tweek with the local ajustment brush should bring it back anyway.
 
tiler65 said:
During the editing I would use an exposure mask and paint on the areas that needing darkening. not really with layers as such. Masks are better as they are none destructive, and are smaller file sizes than keep adding layers and erasing details.

A lot to learn and something that cannot be done overnight.
Click to expand...

Tom, do you mind briefly just explaning this procedure? I am curious as occasionally I run into the same kind of problems that the OP had.
I do use LR as part of my workflow also but transfer the tiff file to CS4 for any further editing in needed, before bringing it back to LR. I am still picking up lots of tips on pp and occasionally do certain things the wrong way and probably losing quality in the process.

Very nice image by the way, love the poses and the way the bride is looking at the groom with that affectionate look :)
 
The edit is fine, just be careful with the lower portion of the sky that you miss with the gradient because of his head.

This is something best done in LR as you have done (or your raw processor of choice) as you're working with the raw file rather than a PSD or TIFF, so you've obviously got more data to play with.

@Amin; Open up your TIFF (I'd use a PSD, much better file sizes) go to the adjustment layers tab and select exposure or curves. That will open up its own little options palette, make your adjustments, so pull the exposure down, or pull the middle of the curve down to darken the image.

Then click on the white rectangle on the adjustment layer in the layers palette (this would be easier to show with screen grabs, but I'm being lazy, sorry) this is the mask for that layer. Take a black brush and paint over anywhere you don't want darkened, it will cancel / mask out the effects of the adjustment layer, revealing the original underneath.

Use a soft brush and different shades of grey to get nice transitions and to have fine control over the adjustments. If you want to go back, just paint white back in, much better than erasing stuff that you can't get back.

That's the very basics of it, you could also generate two different PSDs from your raw file and use the same techniques to blend them, but if you can do it well enough in your raw editor it's probably not worth the time.
 
zulupentax said:
Tom, do you mind briefly just explaning this procedure? I am curious as occasionally I run into the same kind of problems that the OP had.
I do use LR as part of my workflow also but transfer the tiff file to CS4 for any further editing in needed, before bringing it back to LR. I am still picking up lots of tips on pp and occasionally do certain things the wrong way and probably losing quality in the process.

Very nice image by the way, love the poses and the way the bride is looking at the groom with that affectionate look :)
Click to expand...


What Jay says
 
On my monitor the first one looks very good - full detail in the dress, suit and even the sky isn't too light - it has details in the clouds etc.

Are you sure your monitor isn't set too bright?

DSCL publish an image on their site which can be used to set your monitor for free.

I would also try Oloneo HDR tool which may be able to do exactly what you want with just a few adjustments to the sliders - And there's a FREE trial at the moment:

http://www.oloneo.com/

But frankly the pic as it is would be totally acceptable to almost anyone - sometimes I think that our ability to see minor shortcomings in a pic can develop into a major obsession.

That pic is quite good - and I bet your friends would be delighted with it - unless you start pointing out the "faults" to them!

.
 
Thanks Jay, got the idea now.
I do play with masks sometimes, so just wanted to make sure we were on the same page.

Thanks again for the great detailed description.

Amin

Jayst84 said:
The edit is fine, just be careful with the lower portion of the sky that you miss with the gradient because of his head.

This is something best done in LR as you have done (or your raw processor of choice) as you're working with the raw file rather than a PSD or TIFF, so you've obviously got more data to play with.

@Amin; Open up your TIFF (I'd use a PSD, much better file sizes) go to the adjustment layers tab and select exposure or curves. That will open up its own little options palette, make your adjustments, so pull the exposure down, or pull the middle of the curve down to darken the image.

Then click on the white rectangle on the adjustment layer in the layers palette (this would be easier to show with screen grabs, but I'm being lazy, sorry) this is the mask for that layer. Take a black brush and paint over anywhere you don't want darkened, it will cancel / mask out the effects of the adjustment layer, revealing the original underneath.

Use a soft brush and different shades of grey to get nice transitions and to have fine control over the adjustments. If you want to go back, just paint white back in, much better than erasing stuff that you can't get back.

That's the very basics of it, you could also generate two different PSDs from your raw file and use the same techniques to blend them, but if you can do it well enough in your raw editor it's probably not worth the time.
Click to expand...
 
Kits I'm not 100% sure on this and not sure if anyone else suggested it already because I havn't read the posts.

But anyway You could try a HDR merge from one single image:
From your original make a copy with 1 stop or 2 stops more exposure, make another copy with 1 or 2 stops less exposure.
Bang them into HDR merge and maybe that will work for you?

If it works drop me a PM. I'd like to know if it does or not, I don't shoot much outdoors stuff.
 
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