How to fix uneven background light in PS4

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Took this image without flash heads, using only natural light from a window on the left. Wanted to get an uneven light on the background as it's a potential problem with the portable studio if I fail to get an evenly lit background.

So my question is: how would you go about fixing this in PS4 to give a consistent lighting on the background? Don't care about getting a pure white at this stage (will worry about that when I set up the lights), just want to practice achieving an even spread. Thanks in advance for any help :thumbs:


qqual4.jpg


EDIT: changed photo as less intruding light on left to worry about in this one
 
There are prolly lots of ways of doing it... none as good as getting it right in camera of course!

If you have to do it in Photoshop, you could prolly make a careful and lightly feathered mask around the foreground subject then paint a nice even background behind her. Or maybe use the dodge tool set to 'Highlight' with a lowish exposure and a well feathered brush.

I guess you could start at the RAW level and apply an exposure gradient in Lightroom/ACR etc... although that would affect the foreground too, you could use an adjustment brush to bring back the foreground if necessary.

With something like this though, I would reach straight for VIVEZA, qute simply the most useful plug-in I've ever bought and perfect for a fix like this (although unfortunately it does involve spending yet more money!). This took me literally 30 seconds with Viveza... could do better with a bit more care:


tp151109.jpg
 
Many thanks for all that info - very helpful. Since this will hopefully be much less of a problem when the lights are set up and more care taken with settings, I'm not sure the extra investment if worthwhile. But I'll certainly have a look, and maybe consider it later. You have been able to achieve instantly better results with it - anyway, I'll download the trial and have a play with it :) Thanks again :thumbs:
 
Flashman said:
tp151109.jpg
[/U]
Click to expand...

Just to compare your quick edit with Viveza, I've used the sliders in PS4 and come up with this:

dfezw9.jpg


Both images still a bit uneven though - more grey on bottom right on mine especially. Yours is certainly more evenly spread I think.

But since there is little chance the uneven spread will be as bad as in the image I produced, I'll probably make do without the plugin.
 
Chaz Photos said:
Hi this is easy take 2 seconds
Dodge tool set to Highlight 18% brush over all the background job done

4106590464_d367a08f53_o.jpg
Click to expand...

Brilliant! That's the result I wanted. I'm now off to try and replicate that - thanks you, thank you, thank you! :thumbs:
 
and here's my result with the dodge tool at the settings suggested. Simple but effective Chaz - just what I needed!

http://i38.tinypic.com/5nosw4.jpg

Staff Edit : Images changed to clickable links. Pictures must not exceed current forum limits as per the rules.
Please feel free to replace this with a fresh/resized image and remove this text :)over
 
the dodge tool is by far the best method i found, though getting it rig tin camera is even better. Howeve,r do be careful if doing full length shots, you need to leave some kind of shadow on the floor round the feet, to 'ground' the subject, otherwise they look like they are floating in mid air.
 
Chaz Photos said:
think you better make it smaller before it get removed
think you might have gone over her left hand a bit too much try cutting back on teh % and do it with smaller brush
Click to expand...

Yes, just did that with another photo. The first one was careless (and joyful :lol:)

Yv said:
the dodge tool is by far the best method i found, though getting it rig tin camera is even better. Howeve,r do be careful if doing full length shots, you need to leave some kind of shadow on the floor round the feet, to 'ground' the subject, otherwise they look like they are floating in mid air.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the pointer about the shadow. I intend to keep the shadow I should be getting on the sheet of PVC flooring (ordering tomorrow from IPSL). And yep, I fully intend to get it right in camera. As I said, today's was a test without lights and allowing natural light to flood in from the left, so don't think I could have got it right in camera if I'd tried. Was also limited by the space in my daughter's bedroom - not the ideal studio! Cheers :thumbs:

EDIT: and apols for the image size mods. Done in haste and not intended.
 
good little technique
 
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