Correcting halo effect from dodging and burning?

[Big Fish]

Greetings...again....

On a BW landscape image I think I over dodged or burned the sky area causing a halo type effect( a series of distorted irregular shapes). The sky area is cloudless grey tone? The rest of the scanned image looks very good and would like to save. Can I correct the halo effect? It's a photo taken from an ocean beach with people images in the foreground.

Again..thanks.

Big Fish

[Vlad Soare]

Try split-contrast printing, and do the dodge/burn thing during the soft exposure only.

[Brian Ellis]

Since you're apparently scanning something, a negative or a print, can't you just select/mask the sky in your editing program and dodge or burn only it, then reprint? I'm having a little trouble figuring out just what it is you're doing and how you're doing it.

[Richard M. Coda]

Did you use Photoshop's "Dodge" or "Burn" tools? If so, don't. They are permanent (except, "I think", in the new version). There are other more elegant, and un-doable ways to burn and dodge, like using curves or levels adjustment layers with a mask, or even better, a new layer with 50% gray, set to Soft Light. Anything darker than the 50% gray will burn, anything lighter will dodge. I actually use TWO layers, one for each.

The key is to use layers.

[Big Fish]

Thanks Brian...

I scanned a 8 x 10 BW transparecy which was an older negative that has a bunch of defects, scrathes, etc. mostly in the sky area. A little unfamiliar with masking I believ I used the dodge/burn excessively creating the (multiple) halo effect. If I mask the sky area and what do I fill in with so it looks realistic, thatis, to match the grain?

Thanks.

Big Fish

[Big Fish]

Hi Ricahrd....

Yes, I did use the dodge/burn tools and will incorporating your suggesstions henceforth. However,can save this existing image of the disturbing halos in the sky area? It's an imporatnt image and the work on the lower half is very good and would like to keep.

Been to your site, love Big Sur area, I backpacked the Ventura Wild there in 1970 and had drinks at Windows on the World in 1980 before leaving for California.

Thanks.

Big Fish

[Richard M. Coda]

You may not be able to correct what you have done already without it being doubly obvious. Without seeing the scan I would recommend taking the original scan and placing it as another layer - ON THE BOTTOM. Then you can mask out the sky, and rework it whole saving what you have done in the non-sky portion.

Maybe you could post a low-res version of the scan or a low-res PSD file. I might be able to start you off... you would then just have to bring in my mask layer and resize it to your full file (that's how West Coast Imaging works on large files for contrast and other global effects (not dust busting).

Masking is easy... play around with it on a duplicate file first to get the hang of it. Make an adjustment layer for levels (just to play with). A blank mas comes up. Select the mask and then paint on it. You will see the levels adjustment disappear where you paint over. Kind of like using Rubylith (am I old of what)

[Big Fish]

Thanks again, Richard.

Let me follow up on your advice before taking you up on your offer. I do have other scanned image of the same image so maybe that could be another starting point. However, I have many hours in the retouching,using the spot healing brush mostly, that it would great to safe this file. You may enjoy the image as it's from the 1890's on the east coast.

I will keep you posted.

Again, thanks. Also, thanks for the American flag. I have two kids in NROTC.

Big Fish
(formerly of New York)

[Richard M. Coda]

Hey Big Fish!

That's another thing I also use layers for - spotting. Never do anything you can't undo.

I also use a technique for quick & dirty spotting... duplicate the base layer. Do a "Dust and Scratches adjusting till they are gone. Then, if you have white spots set the layer to darken, or if you have dark spots, set it to lighten. It's not precise, but it's fast.. and you can also mask so you are effectively working on only a small area.

Rich
(formerly from NJ)

[Big Fish]

Hi Richard...

I am moving along trying variations of your suggestions as well as others. The layers and paint brush seems to be working the best so I can zoom -in for detail? What about feathering? Is there a color fill selection that looks like natural grey sky? A solid fill may not look that good especially at 30 x 40? Any suggestions will be appreciated.

Thanks.

Big Fish