Need to distort site plan overlay for aerial photo

JS
Posted By
Jim_S_Lacy
Dec 1, 2006
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1679
Replies
18
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Closed
Is there an easier way to change the perspective of a site plan graphic to fit a boundary on an aerial photo? The photo is taken from an angle(not directly overhead). As a result I use the free transform distort on the site plan to try and fit, then accept. If I try to edit again, the bounding box for free transform changes and allows me less control of the site plan(which is not a rectangle). Could I perhaps change the site plan layer to a shape which is easier to manipulate?

Thanks,Jim
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P
Phosphor
Dec 1, 2006
Please post JPEGs of both original images images (LARGE, please…at least 800px on the short dimension).

If you can’t host them yourself, you can use the services of <http://www.pixentral.com>.

Copy the ALL of the HTML code in the box below the image after it’s uploaded and returns to display on the Pixentral page. IGNORE the [IMG] code.

Then, paste the code for the images in a reply here.
JS
Jim_S_Lacy
Dec 2, 2006
I’ll make the question a lot simpler. Can I turn a selection into a shape, where I can change it’s shape(and contents) with the control points along the edge?
JS
John_Slate
Dec 2, 2006
Edit>Transform>Distort?
JS
Jim_S_Lacy
Dec 2, 2006
I tried that, but I don’t get the amount of control I need. I’m overlaying an irregularly shaped site plan onto an aerial photo shot from an oblique angle. I have to match the site plan to the perspective of the photo. Working with the side and corner control points of a free transform box is maddening! I thought there had to be a better way. Yes, I tried using the vanishing point tool, but it’s impossible to get the site plan to the right size and position on the plane.

All I want is a custom shape containing the site plan so I can manipulate each control point. Uploading the 2 images really won’t help explain what I’m trying to do.
MD
Michael_D_Sullivan
Dec 2, 2006
Jim, if you have Photoshop CS2 (and it sounds like you do, given that you talk about the VP tool), you can use File > Place to overlay the site plan on the aerial photo, and then you can transform or warp the placed file endlessly without losing anything since it is not rasterized.
P
Phosphor
Dec 2, 2006
"Uploading the 2 images really won’t help explain what I’m trying to do."

I do plenty of plat & photo work.

If you offer the two images you’re trying to mate up, I might be able to bring my experience to bear and work out what you need to do.

Let me have a play. If I can do it, I can write out the steps for you.
JS
Jim_S_Lacy
Dec 4, 2006
Thanks…here goes:

The aerial photo with the boundary for site plan in red:

The site plan to overlay on aerial photo:

I tried using Vanishing Point on a different aerial, but still had to adjust and readjust plane to get streets on aerial and site plan to line up properly. < http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1HZxFfpU2JfdnuDK3U 4YBBZoQoqJ40>
JS
Jim_S_Lacy
Dec 4, 2006
Hmmm…I followed your instructions in post 1 for pixentral (deleting img and code after) but the images didn’t make it. What did I do wrong?
P
Phosphor
Dec 4, 2006
Read and follow the directions and give it another try. To copy the HTML code, just get your cursor going in the text field to the right of "HTML:" and do a "CTRL + A" then "CTRL + C".

COMPLETELY IGNORE the code in the text field next to "Forum:"

BTW…do you have nice big JPEGs without the orange outlines drawn in?
JS
Jim_S_Lacy
Dec 4, 2006
The jpegs are about 1200×1600. I can delete the outline if you want, but it really helps show where the site plan goes on the aerial photo. It’s your call…
P
Phosphor
Dec 4, 2006
1200 × 1600 is all the better. I have a wicked fast connection, so I don’t worry about big-arsed files so much. 🙂

As for the orange outlines…since you’ve already posted images with them, those can be used for reference while I have a play with the images that DON’T have orange lines.

So yeah, go ahead and post the 2 big, unmarked images.
JS
Jim_S_Lacy
Dec 4, 2006
All right…they’re actually a little bit larger. Here’s the aerial: < http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=18OCsBlxoo5TDkqGHd 2TIEWljWrfE>

Here’s the site plan:
< http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=19iVXTDBLmDb5VOxBD TXj3D3a8gWFG1>
JS
Jim_S_Lacy
Dec 4, 2006
I’m gonna call it a night but will check back in the morning. Thanks again…
P
Phosphor
Dec 4, 2006
That looks a little difficult, but I’ll give it a shot.

BUT…let me ask you this:

Do you have Google Earth <http://earth.google.com> (there’s a free version available for download, and it’s one heckuva cool application)? If so, can you provide a .kmz location file that I could use to view that area in my copy of Google Earth?

If not, could you provide a street/city/state ZIP code address for something prominent in the aerial photo, say, for the big highway interchange near the center of the image.

If I can get that, maybe I can grab a better "straight-down" satellite photo, and manipulate from that instead.

Work with me on this, and you may learn some valuable lessons for doing this kind of work in the future.
MD
Michael_D_Sullivan
Dec 4, 2006
Here’s my try at it:
< http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1VS8XecvoFGmRYoLOb xIpS8vgA0Kh> I used the pen tool to create a path about the plan, saved it, and made it a selection, then inverted it and deleted the extraneous stuff, and saved it as a file. Next, I opened the site picture, placed the revised site plan, and did some preliminary rotating and movement. I cleaned up the red line with cloning. Then I rasterized the smart object and used a variety of Transformz, including skew and distort, as well as rotate and move.
JS
Jim_S_Lacy
Dec 4, 2006
Michael, nice job! How long did it take you? I used basically the same set of tools (not skew) on a different site plan but it took a couple of hours. I thought the client was going to be very picky on details… I have about 6-8 more to do by Tuesday afternoon, so saving time is big deal!
JS
Jim_S_Lacy
Dec 4, 2006
Phos, I’ll work on getting the intersection info to you. I don’t have Google Earth downloaded yet…here’s the cropped site plan:
< http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1RA5W9aC0x6gpai2uY nMRe92WMQK4>
MD
Michael_D_Sullivan
Dec 6, 2006
I probably spent 20-30 minutes on it. And that "Transformz" should be "Transforms".

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