Quote:
Originally Posted by Ugh
This is where I'm out of my depth: do you mean increase the contrast for the whole image, or maybe some tool/filter to alter only the beak and eye? Won't post the result, but playing with the contrast does help some, thanks  |
Hugo, for something like this, using layer masks is probably the best way to isolate and add contrast to specific parts of the image. It also allows you to go back and make changes later on. Unfortunately, I have no idea how to do layer masks
, but you there's lots of info about them on the internet, or maybe somebody here can help you.
With my primitive Photoshop skills, I would probably use one of two methods (my software is in Japanese, so I hope you understand my translation of the tool names):
1) Set the Burn tool (use one with fuzzy edges) to 10% and Shadows, and gradually bring up the contrast in the bill. For the eye, use the Dodge tool at 10% and on Highlights, and go around just the colored part of the eye, to bring that out.
Tony made a good point about lighting up the eye. If you look carefully, there actually is a highlight in there, toward the top. You could always try to gradually bring that out with a white paint brush set to 10%.
Then go over the pupil of the eye with the Burn tool set as above. This will not affect the catchlight that you have created, so you can brush right over it.
You can also enlarge the Burn tool and go over the feathers to see if you can get more detail out of them.
2) Copy a layer onto your original. Lighten the top layer in Highlight/Shadows, then adjust further in Layers or Brightness/Contrast. Don't worry if the nape feathers go too light. Right now you're just trying to lighten the shadows.
Then just go over the nape feathers with the Erase tool set to around 10% and gradually bring out some of the detail from the layer below. If you go too far, the white will look grey and dirty, so less is more here. Then do the beak and eye as in #1 above.
This is my five-minute attempt at #2, if you don't mind. I lost some of the detail in the nape feathers, because I went too far in lightening the top layer, and the contrast was too great between that and the bottom layer, so I couldn't erase too much without getting the dirty effect I mentioned. Your more subtle lightening would probably work better. I also think I went too far on the bill. I do like how the lightening brought out the green in the background, though.
Oh, and I finished the image off with Unsharp Mask set to Amount 8 and Radius 20, to add more contrast, then did a little regular sharpening at 30 and .3.
Sorry I couldn't give you expert advice, but I hope this helps.
Julie
Spoonbill
(I know I shoulda used ISO 200)
own
Hybrid Mode
