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View Full Version : Fixing blown highlights... an experiment.


gmonkeh
Apr-26-2007, 12:21 PM
Sometimes you get that shot you like but there's the problem with some highlights being blown. I've been in an experimental mood lately since getting CS3 so I played around with one of my images.

http://www.pbase.com/gmonkeh/image/77788221.jpg

1. Always duplicate your original.
2. Go to Select > Color Range. Use the Eyedrop tool to sample the lightest part of the blown highlight you want to save. Adjust the fuzziness level as needed. Click OK.
3. Create a new blank layer. Using the eyedrop tool once again sample a part of the skin (midtones usually work the best for this.) Then go to Edit > Fill > Use Foreground Color.
4. Deselect. (CTRL + D) and Change the layer blend mode to multiply.
5. Go to Filter > Blur > Gaussian blur and apply a radius that's just enough to remove hard edges.
6. Go to Image > Adjustments > Color Balance.... Select Highlights and adjust the color sliders so the "new skin" matches the surrounding skin tones.

You can adjust the opacity to your preference.

As a final step you can add some noise to give your new skin a little more texture.

http://www.pbase.com/gmonkeh/image/77789203.jpg

This was a quick and dirty 5 minute edit so it's not perfect but it's an improvement. But you can run the process a couple of times until you get a good balance in the skin tone.

Lex

SitterS
Apr-26-2007, 01:53 PM
Looks like a good fix. Thank you for sharing.

Shane

Swartzy
Apr-26-2007, 04:11 PM
Thanx Lex....copied that one down. Always fun learning how to roll over :rofl

DavidTO
Apr-26-2007, 04:21 PM
Try this one on for size:

The Impossible Retouch (http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=21648).

gmonkeh
Apr-26-2007, 04:56 PM
Hmm that looks really interesting as well. I haven't played around in LAB mode much except when I do my sharpening step.

Thanks for the link David!