Poster Glare - I need help

daacon · 12-17-2009, 11:17 AM

I have all the tools (CS4 , LR 2) and soooo little skill can you help a fellow forum member out ?

Here is the picture I need help with. I have several like this. What I want to do is eliminate or at least lessen the glare from the poster behind them. A good photographer would have noticed that before hand and taken his time to fix it int he camera

Thanks in advance for any tips you offer.

Marc Sabatella · 12-17-2009, 03:50 PM

Actually, I don't know that there was anythng to do about that in camera. A polarizer filter *might* have heped, but perhas not enough. A really good photographer would have simply asked the subject to stand somewhere else :-)

As for PP, the problem is the lights are too light, so I'd consider a curve to darken them, or whatever tools your programs have to do things like that. Or you could select the background and darken the whole thing.

Ben_Edict · 12-17-2009, 04:21 PM

Originally posted by daacon

I have all the tools (CS4 , LR 2) and soooo little skill can you help a fellow forum member out ?

Here is the picture I need help with. I have several like this. What I want to do is eliminate or at least lessen the glare from the poster behind them. A good photographer would have noticed that before hand and taken his time to fix it int he camera

Thanks in advance for any tips you offer.

There is nothing you can do, really. OIfcourse you can get the colours right, the face is far too Magenta. And you can clone out some highlights in the white parts of the poster. And if you have time to invest, you can sure clone some of the typo etc. But there is no pp, which can eliminate the specular highlights.

The only thing you can do for future shots, place two lights at app. 45 degs. angles to the left and right of the subject and above it (typical group shot lighting). That should prevent this evil glare. But only, if the poster is straightend beforehand.

Ben

daacon · 12-17-2009, 04:23 PM

haha thanks Mark I should have noticed it and changed the angle (as the poster was what they wanted) .....live and learn. I did a little experiment with just that selecting the background and darkening it , it helps somewhat. I think cloning would work as well but that is a lot of work per photo.

I googled and did not see any magic PS action that would fix it , I kinda figured it was a PIA. Thanks for the reply I appreaciate it.

daacon · 12-17-2009, 04:39 PM

Thanks Ben yeah this was unedited just to show the glare - I have no lights and only did this as a favor to my daughter - will know better next time ...

falconeye · 12-18-2009, 10:24 AM

Originally posted by daacon

Thanks in advance for any tips you offer.

You can set the white point at a darker point of the white background. And adjust gamma and exposure afterwards. Maybe into this direction (cf. attachment):

THAN THE SWORD · 12-18-2009, 06:05 PM

If the person is the important part of the shot, and isn't available, then reshoot the posters with out the glare. A flash to the side or angled just right should take care of it. Then cut the person from the one exposure and put them in the other one. Its a way to handle it and is also great practice.

I agree, I would have noticed the glare and moved to subject. (most of the time anyway.)

daacon · 12-18-2009, 06:05 PM

Thanks Falk that is better than anything I have tried.

Ben_Edict · 12-19-2009, 01:10 PM

Originally posted by falconeye

You can set the white point at a darker point of the white background. And adjust gamma and exposure afterwards. Maybe into this direction (cf. attachment):

Setting the white point to match the glare will reduce tonality and increase contrast. It only really makes sense, if it is used, while masking out the person in front, to treat that separately. It is not much of an effort, fi the numbers of images are not huge, but it takes some time.

Ben

flockofbirds · 12-21-2009, 12:42 AM

Hmmmm I attempted to do a quick reconstruction of the photo. Going to a less diverse color scheme, ie some muted tones or just some simple color adjustments make it easier, I made it look crappy so I just went to black and white.

The soccer kids at the top would have required a lot more patients to reconstruct than I have at midnight.

so lets pretend they dont exist, maybe just remove them all together and do some cropping.

So it is possible, just will take some time...

Color could have been done but I didn't want to add another level of work to my short example lol

falconeye · 12-21-2009, 05:47 AM

Originally posted by Ben_Edict

Setting the white point to match the glare

I proposed to set the white point to match the shadows beneath the glare ...

daacon · 12-21-2009, 07:10 AM

Wow Falk that is impressive ..... thank so much BW looks great ! You could have submitted that is last weeks contest before and after - great save.

falconeye · 12-21-2009, 07:42 AM

Originally posted by daacon

Wow Falk that is impressive ..... thank so much BW looks great !

I assume you meant flockofbirds' work which is great indeed.

Ben_Edict · 12-21-2009, 09:48 AM

Originally posted by falconeye

I proposed to set the white point to match the shadows beneath the glare ...

Which would narrow down the available tonal range even more. I think flockbird's cloning is an overall much more tedious but better option. Also, what "The the Sword" wrote is probale the best solution: reshoot just the poster and cut/paste the portaits into it. But depending on the numbers, this may be very time consuming, indeed.

Ben

GerryL · 12-21-2009, 07:55 PM

Here's a little Photoshopping.
Did it quick just to give you an idea what you can do with PS.
Blurred background a bit and fixed it a bit (quick).

12-17-2009, 11:17 AM	#1
daacon Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Alberta,Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 20,914	Poster Glare - I need help I have all the tools (CS4 , LR 2) and soooo little skill can you help a fellow forum member out ? Here is the picture I need help with. I have several like this. What I want to do is eliminate or at least lessen the glare from the poster behind them. A good photographer would have noticed that before hand and taken his time to fix it int he camera Thanks in advance for any tips you offer.

12-17-2009, 03:50 PM	#2
Marc Sabatella Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Denver, CO Photos: Gallery Posts: 10,685	Actually, I don't know that there was anythng to do about that in camera. A polarizer filter might have heped, but perhas not enough. A really good photographer would have simply asked the subject to stand somewhere else :-) As for PP, the problem is the lights are too light, so I'd consider a curve to darken them, or whatever tools your programs have to do things like that. Or you could select the background and darken the whole thing. Last edited by Marc Sabatella; 12-18-2009 at 11:26 AM.

12-18-2009, 10:24 AM	#6
falconeye Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Munich, Alps, Germany Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,871	Originally posted by daacon Thanks in advance for any tips you offer. You can set the white point at a darker point of the white background. And adjust gamma and exposure afterwards. Maybe into this direction (cf. attachment): Last edited by falconeye; 06-15-2011 at 05:29 AM.

12-21-2009, 07:55 PM	#15
GerryL Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: CA Posts: 2,731	Here's a little Photoshopping. Did it quick just to give you an idea what you can do with PS. Blurred background a bit and fixed it a bit (quick). Attached Images

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12-17-2009, 04:21 PM	#3
Ben_Edict Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: SouthWest "Regio" Photos: Albums Posts: 3,309	Originally posted by daacon I have all the tools (CS4 , LR 2) and soooo little skill can you help a fellow forum member out ? Here is the picture I need help with. I have several like this. What I want to do is eliminate or at least lessen the glare from the poster behind them. A good photographer would have noticed that before hand and taken his time to fix it int he camera Thanks in advance for any tips you offer. There is nothing you can do, really. OIfcourse you can get the colours right, the face is far too Magenta. And you can clone out some highlights in the white parts of the poster. And if you have time to invest, you can sure clone some of the typo etc. But there is no pp, which can eliminate the specular highlights. The only thing you can do for future shots, place two lights at app. 45 degs. angles to the left and right of the subject and above it (typical group shot lighting). That should prevent this evil glare. But only, if the poster is straightend beforehand. Ben

12-17-2009, 04:23 PM	#4
daacon Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Alberta,Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 20,914 Original Poster	haha thanks Mark I should have noticed it and changed the angle (as the poster was what they wanted) .....live and learn. I did a little experiment with just that selecting the background and darkening it , it helps somewhat. I think cloning would work as well but that is a lot of work per photo. I googled and did not see any magic PS action that would fix it , I kinda figured it was a PIA. Thanks for the reply I appreaciate it.

12-17-2009, 04:39 PM	#5
daacon Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Alberta,Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 20,914 Original Poster	Thanks Ben yeah this was unedited just to show the glare - I have no lights and only did this as a favor to my daughter - will know better next time ...

12-18-2009, 06:05 PM	#7
THAN THE SWORD Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: TEXASS Photos: Gallery Posts: 151	If the person is the important part of the shot, and isn't available, then reshoot the posters with out the glare. A flash to the side or angled just right should take care of it. Then cut the person from the one exposure and put them in the other one. Its a way to handle it and is also great practice. I agree, I would have noticed the glare and moved to subject. (most of the time anyway.)

12-19-2009, 01:10 PM	#9
Ben_Edict Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: SouthWest "Regio" Photos: Albums Posts: 3,309	Originally posted by falconeye You can set the white point at a darker point of the white background. And adjust gamma and exposure afterwards. Maybe into this direction (cf. attachment): Setting the white point to match the glare will reduce tonality and increase contrast. It only really makes sense, if it is used, while masking out the person in front, to treat that separately. It is not much of an effort, fi the numbers of images are not huge, but it takes some time. Ben

12-21-2009, 12:42 AM	#10
flockofbirds Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Oregon, USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 178	Hmmmm I attempted to do a quick reconstruction of the photo. Going to a less diverse color scheme, ie some muted tones or just some simple color adjustments make it easier, I made it look crappy so I just went to black and white. The soccer kids at the top would have required a lot more patients to reconstruct than I have at midnight. so lets pretend they dont exist, maybe just remove them all together and do some cropping. So it is possible, just will take some time... Color could have been done but I didn't want to add another level of work to my short example lol

12-21-2009, 05:47 AM	#11
falconeye Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Munich, Alps, Germany Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,871	Originally posted by Ben_Edict Setting the white point to match the glare I proposed to set the white point to match the shadows beneath the glare ...

12-21-2009, 07:10 AM	#12
daacon Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Alberta,Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 20,914 Original Poster	Wow Falk that is impressive ..... thank so much BW looks great ! You could have submitted that is last weeks contest before and after - great save.

12-21-2009, 07:42 AM	#13
falconeye Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Munich, Alps, Germany Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,871	Originally posted by daacon Wow Falk that is impressive ..... thank so much BW looks great ! I assume you meant flockofbirds' work which is great indeed.

12-21-2009, 09:48 AM	#14
Ben_Edict Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: SouthWest "Regio" Photos: Albums Posts: 3,309	Originally posted by falconeye I proposed to set the white point to match the shadows beneath the glare ... Which would narrow down the available tonal range even more. I think flockbird's cloning is an overall much more tedious but better option. Also, what "The the Sword" wrote is probale the best solution: reshoot just the poster and cut/paste the portaits into it. But depending on the numbers, this may be very time consuming, indeed. Ben