How to Match Light & Color for Composites Photoshop | Day 28
Matching Subject with Background for Compositing
In this section, the speaker introduces the topic of matching a subject with a background for compositing in Photoshop.
Converting to Smart Object and Scaling
- Convert the subject layer to a smart object before scaling it.
- Use the move tool to drag and position the subject on the new background.
- Hold Shift while dragging to maintain aspect ratio.
Analyzing Light and Color
- Use an adjustment layer (e.g., black and white) to analyze light levels without color distractions.
- Adjustments can be made using levels or curves adjustment layers.
- Utilize clipping masks to apply adjustments only to the subject layer.
Using Clipping Masks
- Create a new layer above the subject layer.
- Paint on this layer using any color.
- Right-click on the layer and select "Create Clipping Mask" to restrict visibility to where the subject is visible.
- Adjustments made on clipped layers affect only the subject.
Making Subject Darker
- Add a levels adjustment layer.
- Bring down light levels to darken the subject.
- Clip the adjustment layer to affect only the subject's appearance.
Improving Color Accuracy
- Toggle off black-and-white adjustment layer visibility.
- Observe that color still looks off after darkening.
- Further adjustments are needed for accurate color matching.
New Section
In this section, the speaker discusses how to change the blend mode to saturation and adjust the color balance to make the subject blend better with the background.
Changing Blend Mode and Adjusting Saturation
- The speaker suggests changing the blend mode from normal to saturation.
- This adjustment increases the saturation of the entire image, making it match the brightness of a bright red color.
- By doing this, it becomes easier to differentiate between the subject and the background due to differences in saturation levels.
New Section
In this section, the speaker introduces using a color balance adjustment layer to fix any unnatural colors in the subject caused by blending with a different background.
Using Color Balance Adjustment Layer
- The speaker recommends adding a color balance adjustment layer.
- This adjustment should be clipped to the subject layer.
- Starting with mid-tones, pushing them towards yellow and red while reducing cyan tones can help improve blending.
- Similar adjustments can be made for highlights and shadows as well.
- The color balance adjustment helps achieve better color matching between subject and background.
New Section
In this section, further adjustments are made using levels adjustment layers to enhance overall consistency in light levels.
Adjusting Light Levels with Levels Adjustment Layer
- The speaker suggests using levels adjustment layers in addition to color balance for consistent light levels.
- By adjusting different channels (such as blue or green), specific colors can be pulled out or reduced from highlights or shadows respectively.
- These adjustments help improve blending between subject and background.
New Section
In this section, additional refinements are made by resizing the subject and fine-tuning the levels adjustment layer.
Resizing Subject and Fine-tuning Levels
- The speaker suggests resizing the subject by using Ctrl or Command + T and scaling it down slightly.
- This helps improve the overall composition.
- Additionally, further adjustments can be made to the levels adjustment layer by selectively reducing blues and greens from highlights.
- These refinements contribute to a better blend between subject and background.
New Section
In this section, the speaker emphasizes the importance of preserving original shadow details when cutting out subjects for compositing.
Preserving Original Shadow Details
- The speaker advises leaving a bit of the original ground or surface that the subject was on when cutting them out.
- This preserves the original shadow details in the image.
- If necessary, minor touch-ups can be done using clone stamp tool while being careful not to disrupt the original shadow detail.
New Section
In this section, a summary of adjustments made is provided along with a before-and-after comparison of the composite photo.
Summary of Adjustments and Before-and-After Comparison
- The speaker recaps the adjustments made, including using black and white adjustment layer to identify brightness issues, levels adjustment for light level consistency, color fill analysis with color balance adjustment, and fine-tuning with additional adjustments if needed.
- A before-and-after comparison shows how these adjustments have improved blending between subject and background.
New Section
In this section, final touches are made to achieve desired results in terms of lightness.
Final Touches for Desired Lightness
- The speaker makes some final adjustments to make the subject slightly lighter for better matching with the background.
- The overall image is reviewed to ensure the desired lightness has been achieved.
New Section
In this section, the speaker provides some additional tips for compositing and encourages taking breaks to review the image with fresh eyes.
Additional Tips and Final Thoughts
- The speaker recommends taking breaks while working on a composite to review it with fresh eyes.
- If the composite still needs adjustments, additional adjustment layers can be added for further fine-tuning of light levels or color.
- The speaker expresses gratitude for watching and concludes the video.
This summary covers the main points discussed in the transcript.