Professional Photos Guide.

Youngbird Posts : 3337 Join date : 2010-09-22 Age : 85

Thought i'd put together a guide for those who want to have a go at doing photo's like you see in the weeklies. The ones I have done so far I havent put a great deal of time into, and the results are still great, but if you spend the time with the details you could make one 1000% better.

For this im using Adobe Photoshop CS5.

Step 1 : Open Photoshop

Step 2 : Press File, Open and find the image you want to use.

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Step 3 : Click the quick select tool in the side bar
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Step 4 : While left clicking drag inside the picture of the pigeon, you dont need to go too slowly.

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Step 5 : if the outliner goes outside the pigeon, hold down ALT wile you click and drag and go from outside the pigeon in
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Step 6 : heres what the pros do, any parts you dont want in the picture, do as above and bring the line across where you want it to

Step 7 Once you are happy press the refine edge button at the top, a window comes up. Now you can click and drag on any part of the outline of the pigeon that looks jagged or unnatural.
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Step 8 Click on the output to box in the new window and select new layer with mask

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Step 9 You will now see a black and wxhite image of a pigeon in the lower right hand side, click this

Click the zoom tool at the side then click on the feet to bring the feet larger so you can work on them easier, once you are happy hold down ALT and click on the feet, you will then zoom out.
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Step 10 : click the brush tool and adjust the size, left click while dragging and it will erase the parts you do not want around the toes
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Step 11 Find an image you want, i used a storm one, press file, open and find the image...

Step 12 Click back onto the first tab under the top toolbar, mine is named DSCN 0630.jpg, yours will have your pic name. Click the Move tool in the side bar, and click and drag the pigeon upwards into the next image tab, named storm1-1.jpg on mine. the tab will change over to the background image of your choice, release your finger of the mouse button and the pigeon will appear on the background image, you can move it around till you are happy.
Professional Photos Guide. Storm1-1-1

You can add text to the image by clicking the text button in the side bar and clicking where you want to write in the image.

Step 13 : Now press file Save As, JPG and press OK, you are now done cheers

Youngbird Posts : 3337 Join date : 2010-09-22 Age : 85

Part 2 up in a bit Very Happy

Subject: Re: Professional Photos Guide. Mon Mar 21, 2011 6:03 pm

well done alex ,i,ll have a go when i can

Youngbird Posts : 3337 Join date : 2010-09-22 Age : 85

Thank you ray Very Happy

Oldbird Posts : 5539 Join date : 2011-01-01 Age : 64

whos a clever boy then

Subject: Re: Professional Photos Guide. Mon Mar 21, 2011 8:24 pm

Alex that is Brilliant mate fair play

Youngbird Posts : 3337 Join date : 2010-09-22 Age : 85

Thanks lads, i'm doing one for jason of his best bird...will take my time with that one and sort out a good background for it so will turn out miles better.

Think its best to stay away from the photos that are darker at the bottom as they show the toes more, thats why the birds floating... with a lighter background the feet look much more natural I have found

Subject: Re: Professional Photos Guide. Mon Mar 21, 2011 8:55 pm

well done alex thanks for showing how its done

Subject: Re: Professional Photos Guide. Mon Mar 21, 2011 8:59 pm

thats great alex, excellent guide for us to get started..............would be nice if you could do one for the best performing yb in the exchange maybe.....?

Youngbird Posts : 3337 Join date : 2010-09-22 Age : 85

Yes David i'd be glad to, should have had enough practice by then too Very Happy

Subject: Re: Professional Photos Guide. Mon Mar 21, 2011 9:21 pm

that would be great, im sure ken who runs it will be pleased, and also the breeder/owner of the bird will be too........when we first started the yb exchange it was suggested we get one of these pictures done by a member at the time, but the member left so we never actually got round to doing it.........

thanks alex.

Subject: Re: Professional Photos Guide. Mon Mar 21, 2011 9:29 pm

how much is it to get Adobe Photoshop mate i have Gimp at the mo and cand get me ed round it lol!

Subject: Re: Professional Photos Guide. Mon Mar 21, 2011 9:32 pm

hi rene, gimp is supposed to be pretty good by what ive heard......

Subject: Re: Professional Photos Guide. Mon Mar 21, 2011 9:47 pm

it is mate i just cant get my ed round it lol then again me and paitience dont go together lol!

Subject: Re: Professional Photos Guide. Mon Mar 21, 2011 10:11 pm

can we keep this on somehow,so we can go back to it easily when we come to use it

Subject: Re: Professional Photos Guide. Mon Mar 21, 2011 10:29 pm

peel bros wrote:: can we keep this on somehow,so we can go back to it easily when we come to use it

have made it an anouncement ray, so it stays at the top of the page and easy to find............ Very Happy

Youngbird Posts : 3337 Join date : 2010-09-22 Age : 85

Thanks for that David, i'll sort out gimp and do a guide for that too Very Happy

Subject: Re: Professional Photos Guide. Mon Mar 21, 2011 10:40 pm

thanks alex, excellent posts...........

Youngbird Posts : 3337 Join date : 2010-09-22 Age : 85

working on the guide now david, much easier in gimp and the feet look far better, just done the printscreens so i will put together a guide Very Happy

Did this in gimp just now so it can be done. Even down to the same font the pro's use.

Professional Photos Guide. GB07K