Photos of swimming pools

With summer children take to water. I've been trying to get photos of children in our pool, but the harsh light is more than the camera can cope with. Naturally I expose for the faces, but the water gets burned out, just plain white. Can anyone suggest a way of getting at least some colour back? I've tried Level without success, and the Paintbucket tool, but that just produces an un-textured blue expanse.

Thanks

David

Thanks for that. Another thought has just struck me... If I take a second shot to exposure the water correctly could I use that image as a layer then make the layer transparent where the kids are. I'm not sure exactly how to do this, but is it worth persuing?

David

you could try curves mixed with the dodge and burn tools not very technical but might help.

Rob

"David" wrote in message

With summer children take to water. I've been trying to get photos of children in our pool, but the harsh light is more than the camera can cope with. Naturally I expose for the faces, but the water gets burned out, just plain white. Can anyone suggest a way of getting at least some colour back? I've tried Level without success, and the Paintbucket tool, but that just produces an un-textured blue expanse.
Thanks

David

"David" wrote in message

With summer children take to water. I've been trying to get photos of children in our pool, but the harsh light is more than the camera can cope with. Naturally I expose for the faces, but the water gets burned out, just plain white. Can anyone suggest a way of getting at least some colour back? I've tried Level without success, and the Paintbucket tool, but that just produces an un-textured blue expanse.

There's a pretty nice new feature in Photoshop CS which is called Shadow/Highlight (Image>Adjustments>Shadow/Highlight) that may be helpful to you in this case. But you need PS CS for that. Otherwise, try playing with Curves, and maybe try to colorize the water.

HTH

David wrote:

With summer children take to water. I've been trying to get photos of children in our pool, but the harsh light is more than the camera can cope with. Naturally I expose for the faces, but the water gets burned out, just plain white. Can anyone suggest a way of getting at least some colour back? I've tried Level without success, and the Paintbucket tool, but that just produces an un-textured blue expanse.

You can get a hint of blue by adding a layer of color, and using layer blend modes to add just a touch of blue to the water.

Masking in a well-exposed water shot, as you suggest in a later post, may be worth a try. My guess is it will have a distracting unnatural look to it.

When making the exposure, you can improve things by:

1) use a powerful flash with as high a shutter speed as possible
2) wait until later in the day and try to get the sun more behind you. This
will lighten the faces, and darken the pool water.
--

Mike Russell
www.curvemeister.com
www.geigy.2y.net

you could try curves mixed with the dodge and burn tools not very technical but might help.

Rob

"David" wrote in message

With summer children take to water. I've been trying to get photos of children in our pool, but the harsh light is more than the camera can cope with. Naturally I expose for the faces, but the water gets burned out, just plain white. Can anyone suggest a way of getting at least some colour back? I've tried Level without success, and the Paintbucket tool, but that just produces an un-textured blue expanse.
Thanks

David

Hmm - an interesting possibility, try this

1 - open the primary image (one with people and highlights)

2 - open a secondary image (can be any pool shot provided the water looks good)

3 - use the clone tool at different levels of opacity to clone bits from the secondary image into the primary image

If you do this carefully the final image may blow your socks off!

The idea with clone tool in this mode is to try and avoid cloning obvious patterns into the destination image.

When opacity is set at 100% it will clone over. The trick is to use opacity selectively say at 80%, 60% 40%, ... to fill in highlights

Have phun - I am sure that this will work :-)

Arts

ps - let us know what technique worked best for you and how you got on

A

"David" wrote in message

Thanks for that. Another thought has just struck me... If I take a second shot to exposure the water correctly could I use that image as a layer then make the layer transparent where the kids are. I'm not sure exactly how to do this, but is it worth persuing?

David

you could try curves mixed with the dodge and burn tools not very

technical

but might help.

Rob

"David" wrote in message

With summer children take to water. I've been trying to get photos of children in our pool, but the harsh light is more than the camera can cope with. Naturally I expose for the faces, but the water gets burned out, just plain white. Can anyone suggest a way of getting at least some colour back? I've tried Level without success, and the Paintbucket tool, but that just produces an un-textured blue expanse.
Thanks

David

David wrote in
news::

With summer children take to water. I've been trying to get photos of children in our pool, but the harsh light is more than the camera can cope with. Naturally I expose for the faces, but the water gets burned out, just plain white. Can anyone suggest a way of getting at least some colour back? I've tried Level without success, and the Paintbucket tool, but that just produces an un-textured blue expanse.

Thanks

David

I did this with backlit sunset picture:
1. Select the "hot" areas using the magic wand, then feather the selection 5-10 pixels
2. use Equalize, then "Fade" it back to a decent level.
3. Fill in with burn and dodge or clone tools.

Every case is different, so take this as a suggestion to try, not a solution!

You might already know, but for future reference, a polorizing filter on the camera can prevent a lot of the reflected glare.

--
---------------
Restore your photos
www.secondchancemedia.com

What kind of camera are you using?
if it's a slr 35mm cam, buy a polarized lens filter and your problems will be solved.
"David" wrote in message

With summer children take to water. I've been trying to get photos of children in our pool, but the harsh light is more than the camera can cope with. Naturally I expose for the faces, but the water gets burned out, just plain white. Can anyone suggest a way of getting at least some colour back? I've tried Level without success, and the Paintbucket tool, but that just produces an un-textured blue expanse.
Thanks

David

I'm just starting to learn PS (I have 6 right now) and probably shouldn't even try suggesting anything.

But this reminds me of a problem I've had. I have an auto focus/setting camera. When I aim it at the sky- bright blue sky, huge clouds, sun streaking through, etc. it closes down and what's below the sky (mountains, fiields, a lake, etc) gets very dark.

If I aim DOWN to get the details of what's below the sky, the sky washes out to nothing.

I've been experimenting with a tutorial I read about "painting shadow". Create new layer, set layer to multiply choose a medium dark color with airbrush, what you paint with this (in this case) darkens when it's set back to one layer. The way I've used it is the reverse, using a LIGHT color to paint what I want to lighten up.

In the case of the pool, it might work to take the pictures on the dark side (to get the water) then lighten up the kids in it?

Or, maybe try taking pictures on a more overcast day?

We have a small (above ground) pool and I've taken pictures of my grandaughter in it (jumping and splashing) with my auto set camera and they've come out fine.

Seems like using a flash would reflect off the water.

Anyway, I just found this ng and except for asking questions now and then, I think first of all I'll read over it and see what I can learn.

~ Carrie

"David" wrote in message

With summer children take to water. I've been trying to get photos of children in our pool, but the harsh light is more than the camera can cope with. Naturally I expose for the faces, but the water gets burned out, just plain white. Can anyone suggest a way of getting at least some colour back? I've tried Level without success, and the Paintbucket tool, but that just produces an un-textured blue expanse.
Thanks

David

On Fri, 30 Jul 2004 20:39:01 GMT, David
wrote:

With summer children take to water. I've been trying to get photos of children in our pool, but the harsh light is more than the camera can cope with. Naturally I expose for the faces, but the water gets burned out, just plain white. Can anyone suggest a way of getting at least some colour back? I've tried Level without success, and the Paintbucket tool, but that just produces an un-textured blue expanse.
Thanks

David

Buy a circular polarizer filter for your camera

David wrote:

With summer children take to water. I've been trying to get photos of children in our pool, but the harsh light is more than the camera can cope with.

Use a polarizing filter and/or adjust the shutter speed and/or the film speed and/or the position from where you are taking the photos ... photoshop can work miracles, but why work so hard?

:)

The Doormouse

--
The Doormouse cannot be reached by e-mail without her permission.

Thanks for the help, I'm cloning away and the results do look promising

David

Hmm - an interesting possibility, try this

1 - open the primary image (one with people and highlights)
2 - open a secondary image (can be any pool shot provided the water looks good)

3 - use the clone tool at different levels of opacity to clone bits from the secondary image into the primary image

If you do this carefully the final image may blow your socks off!
The idea with clone tool in this mode is to try and avoid cloning obvious patterns into the destination image.

When opacity is set at 100% it will clone over. The trick is to use opacity selectively say at 80%, 60% 40%, ... to fill in highlights
Have phun - I am sure that this will work :-)

Arts

ps - let us know what technique worked best for you and how you got on
A

"David" wrote in message

Thanks for that. Another thought has just struck me... If I take a second shot to exposure the water correctly could I use that image as a layer then make the layer transparent where the kids are. I'm not sure exactly how to do this, but is it worth persuing?

David

you could try curves mixed with the dodge and burn tools not very

technical

but might help.

Rob

"David" wrote in message

With summer children take to water. I've been trying to get photos of children in our pool, but the harsh light is more than the camera can cope with. Naturally I expose for the faces, but the water gets burned out, just plain white. Can anyone suggest a way of getting at least some colour back? I've tried Level without success, and the Paintbucket tool, but that just produces an un-textured blue expanse.
Thanks

David

did you try to use a polarise filter on your camera ? Try it, because it will filter the overexposure that you talk about and your photos will turn much better

Nelson Patriarca
Portugal

"David" escreveu na mensagem

With summer children take to water. I've been trying to get photos of children in our pool, but the harsh light is more than the camera can cope with. Naturally I expose for the faces, but the water gets burned out, just plain white. Can anyone suggest a way of getting at least some colour back? I've tried Level without success, and the Paintbucket tool, but that just produces an un-textured blue expanse.
Thanks

David

On Fri, 30 Jul 2004 20:39:01 GMT, David
wrote:

With summer children take to water. I've been trying to get photos of children in our pool, but the harsh light is more than the camera can cope with. Naturally I expose for the faces, but the water gets burned out, just plain white. Can anyone suggest a way of getting at least some colour back? I've tried Level without success, and the Paintbucket tool, but that just produces an un-textured blue expanse.
Thanks

David

Yes. Use a polarizer on the lens when you take the picture and save yourself an awful lot of work.

--

Hecate - The Real One

veni, vidi, reliqui

"David" wrote in message

Thanks for that. Another thought has just struck me... If I take a second shot to exposure the water correctly could I use that image as a layer then make the layer transparent where the kids are. I'm not sure exactly how to do this, but is it worth persuing?

Yes, definitely persue it. You may run into an issue with the turbulence of the water not matching the actions of the subjects but this not necessarily a bad thing if it's subtle. For instance I've done stills, first shot exposed for a dark room, second shot exposed for the bright sunlight in the doorway or window combined to create a shot impossible to capture with the camera alone. I've then deliberately fudged the exposures so that it looks just not quite right (often oversaturating the outside scene or even masking off a doorway and enlarging the scene slightly) with impressive results. People seem to be drawn to that which looks correct but just quite isn't.

~Doc

Welcome Carrie

This is a very very good ng

Arts

"Carrie" wrote in message

I'm just starting to learn PS (I have 6 right now) and probably shouldn't even try suggesting anything.

But this reminds me of a problem I've had. I have an auto focus/setting camera. When I aim it at the sky- bright blue sky, huge clouds, sun streaking through, etc. it closes down and what's below the sky

(mountains,

fiields, a lake, etc) gets very dark.

If I aim DOWN to get the details of what's below the sky, the sky washes out to nothing.

I've been experimenting with a tutorial I read about "painting shadow". Create new layer, set layer to multiply choose a medium dark color with airbrush, what you paint with this (in this case) darkens when it's set

back

to one layer. The way I've used it is the reverse, using a LIGHT color to paint what I want to lighten up.

In the case of the pool, it might work to take the pictures on the dark side (to get the water) then lighten up the kids in it?

Or, maybe try taking pictures on a more overcast day?

We have a small (above ground) pool and I've taken pictures of my grandaughter in it (jumping and splashing) with my auto set camera and they've come out fine.

Seems like using a flash would reflect off the water.

Anyway, I just found this ng and except for asking questions now and then, I think first of all I'll read over it and see what I can learn.
~ Carrie

"David" wrote in message

With summer children take to water. I've been trying to get photos of children in our pool, but the harsh light is more than the camera can cope with. Naturally I expose for the faces, but the water gets burned out, just plain white. Can anyone suggest a way of getting at least some colour back? I've tried Level without success, and the Paintbucket tool, but that just produces an un-textured blue expanse.
Thanks

David

Good stuff!

Once you are comfortable with the results obtained try using the different effects

What do I mean?

Well, you will have the original image with blown highlights and the repaired or amended image

You can use these as source and destination images with the clone tool yet again. This time add complexity to your results by cloning between layers using Normal, lighten, burn, .... options seeking finesse of final result

Happy cloning! :-)

Arts

"David" wrote in message

Thanks for the help, I'm cloning away and the results do look promising

David

Hmm - an interesting possibility, try this

1 - open the primary image (one with people and highlights)
2 - open a secondary image (can be any pool shot provided the water looks good)

3 - use the clone tool at different levels of opacity to clone bits from

the

secondary image into the primary image

If you do this carefully the final image may blow your socks off!
The idea with clone tool in this mode is to try and avoid cloning obvious patterns into the destination image.

When opacity is set at 100% it will clone over. The trick is to use

opacity

selectively say at 80%, 60% 40%, ... to fill in highlights
Have phun - I am sure that this will work :-)

Arts

ps - let us know what technique worked best for you and how you got on
A

"David" wrote in message

Thanks for that. Another thought has just struck me... If I take a second shot to exposure the water correctly could I use that image as a layer then make the layer transparent where the kids are. I'm not sure exactly how to do this, but is it worth persuing?

David

you could try curves mixed with the dodge and burn tools not very

technical

but might help.

Rob

"David" wrote in message

With summer children take to water. I've been trying to get photos

of

children in our pool, but the harsh light is more than the camera

can

cope with. Naturally I expose for the faces, but the water gets

burned

out, just plain white. Can anyone suggest a way of getting at least some colour back? I've tried Level without success, and the Paintbucket tool, but that just produces an un-textured blue

expanse.

Thanks

David

On Sat, 31 Jul 2004 02:19:46 +0100, Hecate wrote:

Yes. Use a polarizer on the lens when you take the picture and save yourself an awful lot of work.

I'm using a Canon G1 digital camera, do polarizing filters work with digital cameras?

What I have found so far:-
Took a shot of the pool and children, followed by a shot from more or less the same spot without them.

Opened the one with the children, copied the background to a new layer.
Opened the one of the water and pasted it behind the copied background.
Used the Erasor working around the figures to remove the copied layer and show the water.

This worked better than cloning in my opion because:

The images were exactly the same size before any cropping,

The changes in water colour where the bottom of the pool met the sides, and where the water was deeper, were correctly aligned.

There were no discontinuities in the lines of the ripples and light, something I couldn't achieve even with 2 images side by side on a 20" monitor. Doesn't sound like it should be noticeable in the chaotic surface of the water, but the eye picks up on this immediately.

I was also able to tweak the colour of the water without effecting the figures. However, I think there must be a better way of erazing large areas.

David

<shrug of shoulders>

ah well - I tried anyway :-)

Arts

"David" wrote in message

On Sat, 31 Jul 2004 02:19:46 +0100, Hecate wrote:

Yes. Use a polarizer on the lens when you take the picture and save yourself an awful lot of work.

I'm using a Canon G1 digital camera, do polarizing filters work with digital cameras?

What I have found so far:-
Took a shot of the pool and children, followed by a shot from more or less the same spot without them.

Opened the one with the children, copied the background to a new layer.
Opened the one of the water and pasted it behind the copied background.
Used the Erasor working around the figures to remove the copied layer and show the water.

This worked better than cloning in my opion because:

The images were exactly the same size before any cropping,
The changes in water colour where the bottom of the pool met the sides, and where the water was deeper, were correctly aligned.
There were no discontinuities in the lines of the ripples and light, something I couldn't achieve even with 2 images side by side on a 20" monitor. Doesn't sound like it should be noticeable in the chaotic surface of the water, but the eye picks up on this immediately.
I was also able to tweak the colour of the water without effecting the figures. However, I think there must be a better way of erazing large areas.

David

On Sat, 31 Jul 2004 21:56:10 GMT, David
wrote:

On Sat, 31 Jul 2004 02:19:46 +0100, Hecate wrote:

Yes. Use a polarizer on the lens when you take the picture and save yourself an awful lot of work.

I'm using a Canon G1 digital camera, do polarizing filters work with digital cameras?

No reason why they shouldn't.

--

Hecate - The Real One

veni, vidi, reliqui

On Sat, 31 Jul 2004 21:56:10 GMT, David
wrote:

On Sat, 31 Jul 2004 02:19:46 +0100, Hecate wrote:

Yes. Use a polarizer on the lens when you take the picture and save yourself an awful lot of work.

I'm using a Canon G1 digital camera, do polarizing filters work with digital cameras?

Yes I have used them on 35mm, medium and BOTH in digital. I have used them for about 20 years, polarizers are the best for what you asked about. Hence my earlier post. Once you use one you will never be without.

What I have found so far:-
Took a shot of the pool and children, followed by a shot from more or less the same spot without them.

Opened the one with the children, copied the background to a new layer.
Opened the one of the water and pasted it behind the copied background.
Used the Erasor working around the figures to remove the copied layer and show the water.

This worked better than cloning in my opion because:

The images were exactly the same size before any cropping,
The changes in water colour where the bottom of the pool met the sides, and where the water was deeper, were correctly aligned.
There were no discontinuities in the lines of the ripples and light, something I couldn't achieve even with 2 images side by side on a 20" monitor. Doesn't sound like it should be noticeable in the chaotic surface of the water, but the eye picks up on this immediately.
I was also able to tweak the colour of the water without effecting the figures. However, I think there must be a better way of erazing large areas.

David

Will get one today.

Thanks for all the input.

David

I'm using a Canon G1 digital camera, do polarizing filters work with digital cameras?

Yes I have used them on 35mm, medium and BOTH in digital. I have used them for about 20 years, polarizers are the best for what you asked about. Hence my earlier post. Once you use one you will never be without.

On Sun, 01 Aug 2004 21:20:00 GMT, David
wrote:

Will get one today.

Thanks for all the input.

David

Don't forget to get a circular polarizer if you use AF

On Mon, 02 Aug 2004 00:36:16 GMT, (ZONED!)
wrote:

On Sun, 01 Aug 2004 21:20:00 GMT, David
wrote:

Will get one today.

Thanks for all the input.

David

Don't forget to get a circular polarizer if you use AF

Can you still buy anything but circular? I haven't seen a non-circular for ages.

--

Hecate - The Real One

veni, vidi, reliqui

On Mon, 02 Aug 2004 02:47:26 +0100, Hecate wrote:

On Mon, 02 Aug 2004 00:36:16 GMT, (ZONED!)
wrote:

On Sun, 01 Aug 2004 21:20:00 GMT, David
wrote:

Will get one today.

Thanks for all the input.

David

Don't forget to get a circular polarizer if you use AF

Can you still buy anything but circular? I haven't seen a non-circular for ages.

--

Hecate - The Real One

veni, vidi, reliqui

Dunno, never looked myself, for the last....(enter long period of time here). But according to Murphy, if I didn't mention it, someone would find the last linear one on the planet ;o)

On Mon, 02 Aug 2004 16:52:24 GMT, (ZONED!)
wrote:

Can you still buy anything but circular? I haven't seen a non-circular for ages.

Dunno, never looked myself, for the last....(enter long period of time here). But according to Murphy, if I didn't mention it, someone would find the last linear one on the planet ;o)

LOL!

--

Hecate - The Real One

veni, vidi, reliqui

"David" wrote in message

On Sat, 31 Jul 2004 02:19:46 +0100, Hecate wrote:

Yes. Use a polarizer on the lens when you take the picture and save yourself an awful lot of work.

I'm using a Canon G1 digital camera, do polarizing filters work with digital cameras?

snip...

I have a G2. For this model, you can buy a filter adapter. Not sure if you can with the G1.

--

SamMan
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