[Help] How to my sky looks blue?

[HVB88]

I use Gradient Tools to make the sky blue, but at the same time, it will affect the colour of the trees.

I also tried to use Color Range to split FG and BG (the sky), but it doesn't help also.

Is there any solutions to solve this? Thank you.



Here are the sample photos (in red box):

 

[kentay]

its going to be difficult to get natural looking results especially since theres little bits of sky peeking out from under the trees.

its always better to try and alter things before you take the picture (nd grad, polarisers etc)

 

[betazone]

Hi, maybe you can try to use color balance or saturation to up the colour instead..

 

[yanyewkay]

you got the original file to try with?

 

[ExplorerZ]

best and easiest way would be to use a CPL. blue Grad ND wun work, as there will also be blue tint on the trees as well.

for photoshop, mabe selective processing will work

 

[HVB88]

Thanks for the reply.

As requested, this is the original pic:

 

[theRBK]

In Colour Range, don't use colour picker...instead, use select Highlight...but before that, adjust the contrast of the image so that the sky stands out as a highlight against the trees...select highlights as said above, then try to use curves or saturation instead of filling with colour...more natural...

this is what I have done with the low res image with provided...the above method will work better with a high res image...have fun

 

[HVB88]

Thanks theRBK.
Really appreciate that.

 

[theRBK]

no prob...oh, and remember to feather the selection abit

Thanks theRBK.
Really appreciate that.

 

[yanyewkay]

I used overlay and levels

 

[djork]

I used overlay and levels

the places where its supposed to be dark looks unusually bright..

 

[Clockunder]

Here's my version.

I guess it's a matter of selecting the sky properly.

1) Select/colour range (Use add samples and click on various part of the sky to make sure the different shades of colours in the sky are selected. Adjust the fuziness so that the selected area would include all the sky but exclude most of the others. I used about 100 for fuziness in this case)

2) Lasso tool to fine tune the selected area (mainly to exclude the unwanted land area and trees)

3) Magic wand to fine tune the selected area (use exclude so that the edges of trees are deselected. Use tolerence levels approppriate to the situation)

4) Layer/New/Layer via copy (a new layer will be created with just only the selected area i.e. sky)

5) Click onto the new layer in the layer palette so that only it is selected.

6) lock the transparent area by clicking onto the relevant lock icon in the layer palette.

7) Use gradient tool (foreground to background, opacity 100%. Use gradient editor to get the colour and changes of shades you desire)

When the orignal background and the new layer is combined, it's done.

 

[HVB88]

Wow... thank you soo much for the tips... :thumbsup:

 

[kcuf2]

very very nice tips! i learnt something new today!

upz for the pros above

 

[jdredd]

hmm.. but if you compare the trees in original pic with the most recent PSd pics, they seem to have lost a lot of detail and look quite artificial?

 

[kentay]

how bout just putting a vignette on it?

1) New layer
2) fill black
3) set to soft light
4) Pick eraser, set a large enough size so it fits right in the middle of the frame and erase abit so you got a nice oval shape down the middle.
5) adjust opacity. 70% or so should do it.

 

[Clockunder]

hmm.. but if you compare the trees in original pic with the most recent PSd pics, they seem to have lost a lot of detail and look quite artificial?

Yes, I noticed that too when I did it. I didn't carefully go and select the areas but roughly go through the motion just to show the steps I've used.

To achieve the best results, use the full resolution original picture and carefully select the wanted and unwanted areas with the pen on a tablet but it will be quite time consuming.

I'm only 6 months in using photoshop. Prior to that, I was a complete noob. I'm still waiting for some experts here to give us some tips on doing it not only easier but also better.

======
Threadstarter,

I was toying with it earlier on and added a rainbow just for fun. :bsmilie:

 

[enivre]

try this..

Add a new layer set it to multiply, add a graduated blue over the sky area then double click on the layer with the graduated blue, then play with the blending bar at the bottom, the two (play with the underlying layer bar)... it's one of the easiest ways to do it...

If not another way is to use hue and saturation and adjust only the blue saturation but you can only do this to a limited extent... can try playing with selective colour, under the blue and cyan channels pump in more cyan...

have fun!

 

[Clockunder]

I use my method stated earlier, used a lower fuziness and after applying gradient tool on the sky layer, use lasso tool to select the top half of the original picture (now the background layer in the layer palette) and use shadows/highlights ( highlights darkened through : 50% amount, 50% tonal width) to darken the selected part so that when the 2 layers (sky layer and original picture layer) are seen/combined together, the leaves' edges won't appear with bright outlines against the sky.

Here's the original picture :

Here's what I get now with a refinement in the method :

 

[yanyewkay]

hmm.. but if you compare the trees in original pic with the most recent PSd pics, they seem to have lost a lot of detail and look quite artificial?

well yes. These were all 5min work.. So I don't think anyone really bothered to touch up the details carefully. Also, resaving a jpeg would have lost much details.