I need some help w/ this...

[The Mack]

I need to add more to the top of this photo. It's the ONE picture that I took in landscape mode and they want it for their xmas card. They'd like more on the top though.

Any of you guys good enough to add greenery to the top and make it look awesome?
full size, fyi
http://mackeric.smugmug.com/gallery/6514025_ojZhq#421092903_xgRKo-O-LB

[jfriend]

The gallery is password protected so we can't see the image to offer an opinion or some help.

And, what aspect ratio are you trying to get it to?

[jfriend]

Since you gave us the direct link including the image number and key, I was able to get to the image without the password.

We still would need to know what aspect ratio you need, but here's one approach that involved stretching the background up and cloning/masking in places you don't want stretched (like the horse's head). Ideally, you'd add some on the bottom too in order to keep the image more balanced, but it's not clear what you would add at the bottom. The original size of this one is here (http://jfriend.smugmug.com/photos/421244461_UVWBQ-O.jpg).

http://jfriend.smugmug.com/photos/421244461_UVWBQ-XL.jpg

and the starting version here:
http://mackeric.smugmug.com/photos/421092903_xgRKo-L.jpg

[The Mack]

She needs it big enough to make into a 5x7 xmas card.
It has to be perfect though, her husband is particular.

[jfriend]

She needs it big enough to make into a 5x7 xmas card.
It has to be perfect though, her husband is particular. The one I did is about 5% short of a 5x7. Is this the general idea for what you want? Do you want to go just a little more to get to the 5x7 ratio? What do you think about the balance with a lot of foliage on the top and the people only taking up the lower part of the picture?

Perfect is in the eye of the beholder so you will have to offer some guidance on what is good enough.

The only two options I know of for adding height on this one without having other images to borrow from is to stretch the background or clone in new background. The challenge with cloning is that you will be able to see repeating patterns due to the cloning if you study it or know what you are looking for or if it just catches your eye. The challenge with stretching is that it sometimes might look stretched. In this particular case you are helped immensely because the background is somewhat blurred which makes all the options easier and less noticable.

What do you think of the stretching attempt?

[pathfinder]

Why add all that greenery at the top?

Why not just crop your original to the area of interest - faces and horse?

Here is a 5x7 crop of the original image I believe.

[Anthony]

Why add all that greenery at the top?

Why not just crop your original to the area of interest - faces and horse?

Here is a 5x7 crop of the original image I believe.

Nice one. It makes a much better balanced picture.

Anthony.

[digismile]

Personally, I like PF's crop. But this gave me the opportunity to try Content Aware Scaling in CS4 :D .

I originally tried it as is, but found that the horse's head contracted a bit. So I created an Alpha Channel to protect both people and the horse, then simply narrowed it to a 5x7 proportion. Here's how it looks:

http://digismile.smugmug.com/photos/422164645_RromM-XL.jpg

Notice the narrowing of the folliage under the woman's arm. This is really cool technology!

Regards,

[The Mack]

Thanks guys, she's got her xmas card all ready to go.
:clap:clap:clap:clap


$200 profit for 30 mins of time and 10 photos.