Help With Shadows

[Robin Bennett]

I took this picture and used curves to lighten it up and then realized the shadow of her arm coming across her chest was really bad. Tried selecting the area and lighting it up but that didn't work. Any help/guidance would be greatly appreciated.

Here is a link to the raw file - _RAB8179.ARW



Please and thank you!
Robin

 

[Tom Axford]

I took this picture and used curves to lighten it up and then realized the shadow of her arm coming across her chest was really bad. Tried selecting the area and lighting it up but that didn't work. Any help/guidance would be greatly appreciated.

Here is a link to the raw file - _RAB8179.ARW



Please and thank you!
Robin

I'm not sure what shadow you are referring to. However, there does appear to be a transparent plastic band encircling her body at chest height. The top edge of the band is visible just below her right armpit.

My personal inclination would be to lighten the image very considerably. This is my quick attempt on the JPEG image using GIMP:


Using curves to lighten an HSV Value layer, then sharpening with Unsharp Mask

I'm no expert at photoprocessing, so I'll leave it to others to come up with a more polished result.

 

[Digital Nigel]

I took this picture and used curves to lighten it up and then realized the shadow of her arm coming across her chest was really bad. Tried selecting the area and lighting it up but that didn't work. Any help/guidance would be greatly appreciated.

Here is a link to the raw file - _RAB8179.ARW

My take using PhotoLab 8:


PhotoLab 8 (from raw)

You can also soften the edges of the shadow:




Softer edges of the shadow

 

[Robin Bennett]

I took this picture and used curves to lighten it up and then realized the shadow of her arm coming across her chest was really bad. Tried selecting the area and lighting it up but that didn't work. Any help/guidance would be greatly appreciated.

Here is a link to the raw file - _RAB8179.ARW



Please and thank you!
Robin

I'm not sure what shadow you are referring to. However, there does appear to be a transparent plastic band encircling her body at chest height. The top edge of the band is visible just below her right armpit.

My personal inclination would be to lighten the image very considerably. This is my quick attempt on the JPEG image using GIMP:


Using curves to lighten an HSV Value layer, then sharpening with Unsharp Mask

I'm no expert at photoprocessing, so I'll leave it to others to come up with a more polished result.

Thank you. Better than mine.

--
Robin

 

[ishwanu]

I'm not sure what shadow you are referring to. However, there does appear to be a transparent plastic band encircling her body at chest height. The top edge of the band is visible just below her right armpit.

That's the shadow of her arm. It's coming from a light source to our left, presumably the sun or a remote flash. There's a similar shadow on her left shoulder formed by her head.

The plastic band idea doesn't work because it disappears. The darker skin on her left side is just shadowing again.

 

[Major Jack]

I took this picture and used curves to lighten it up and then realized the shadow of her arm coming across her chest was really bad. Tried selecting the area and lighting it up but that didn't work. Any help/guidance would be greatly appreciated.

Here is a link to the raw file - _RAB8179.ARW



Please and thank you!
Robin

Hi Robin,

Decided to give it a try.

Removed the shadow are by selecting it with Pen Tool and then copied the skin color and painted on new layer, and then did a little bit of blending to match the color.

I also adjusted the White Balance setting a little, (too blue imo) but can easily change it back if you like the Blueish tint.

Boosted Vibrance colors, and also used Generative fill to create the TOP of the balloons and finish the bottom of the cake.

Finally, I painted with light, in some of the darker areas also. Finally, ran through Topaz Sharpen Ai.

Hope you like it. Very cute little girl. Congratulations.




Click on Image to view Full Size File.



--
Major Jack
"You are welcome to retouch any photograph I post in these forums without prior consent from me". Have fun, and play as you wish.

 

[BobKnDP]

Well done.

 

[Major Jack]

I took this picture and used curves to lighten it up and then realized the shadow of her arm coming across her chest was really bad. Tried selecting the area and lighting it up but that didn't work. Any help/guidance would be greatly appreciated.

Here is a link to the raw file - _RAB8179.ARW



Please and thank you!
Robin

Hi Robin,

Decided to give it a try.

Removed the shadow are by selecting it with Pen Tool and then copied the skin color and painted on new layer, and then did a little bit of blending to match the color.

I also adjusted the White Balance setting a little, (too blue imo) but can easily change it back if you like the Blueish tint.

Boosted Vibrance colors, and also used Generative fill to create the TOP of the balloons and finish the bottom of the cake.

Finally, I painted with light, in some of the darker areas also. Finally, ran through Topaz Sharpen Ai.

Hope you like it. Very cute little girl. Congratulations.


Click on Image to view Full Size File.

After taking a SECOND LOOK, I did not like the color I created in the Shadow area that you wanted corrected. So, I worked on that area only in this one. It was a tad bit too yellow for my taste. I think this one matches better.




Click on Image to view FULL Size file







--
Major Jack
"You are welcome to retouch any photograph I post in these forums without prior consent from me". Have fun, and play as you wish.

 

[Major Jack]

Well done.

Thanks Bob. I made one small correction to it below though. I wasn't happy with the yellow tint in the shadow area.

 

[R Holt]

Skin softening using vivid light blend mode

I used this method.

 

[Robin Bennett]

I took this picture and used curves to lighten it up and then realized the shadow of her arm coming across her chest was really bad. Tried selecting the area and lighting it up but that didn't work. Any help/guidance would be greatly appreciated.

Here is a link to the raw file - _RAB8179.ARW

My take using PhotoLab 8:


PhotoLab 8 (from raw)

You can also soften the edges of the shadow:


Softer edges of the shadow

Definitely softer than mine. Didn't even think about using the dodge tool. Thank you.

Robin

 

[Robin Bennett]

I took this picture and used curves to lighten it up and then realized the shadow of her arm coming across her chest was really bad. Tried selecting the area and lighting it up but that didn't work. Any help/guidance would be greatly appreciated.

Here is a link to the raw file - _RAB8179.ARW



Please and thank you!
Robin

Hi Robin,

Decided to give it a try.

Removed the shadow are by selecting it with Pen Tool and then copied the skin color and painted on new layer, and then did a little bit of blending to match the color.

I also adjusted the White Balance setting a little, (too blue imo) but can easily change it back if you like the Blueish tint.

Boosted Vibrance colors, and also used Generative fill to create the TOP of the balloons and finish the bottom of the cake.

Finally, I painted with light, in some of the darker areas also. Finally, ran through Topaz Sharpen Ai.

Hope you like it. Very cute little girl. Congratulations.


Click on Image to view Full Size File.

I do like it very much. Thank you.

--
Robin

 

[Robin Bennett]

I took this picture and used curves to lighten it up and then realized the shadow of her arm coming across her chest was really bad. Tried selecting the area and lighting it up but that didn't work. Any help/guidance would be greatly appreciated.

Here is a link to the raw file - _RAB8179.ARW



Please and thank you!
Robin

Hi Robin,

Decided to give it a try.

Removed the shadow are by selecting it with Pen Tool and then copied the skin color and painted on new layer, and then did a little bit of blending to match the color.

I also adjusted the White Balance setting a little, (too blue imo) but can easily change it back if you like the Blueish tint.

Boosted Vibrance colors, and also used Generative fill to create the TOP of the balloons and finish the bottom of the cake.

Finally, I painted with light, in some of the darker areas also. Finally, ran through Topaz Sharpen Ai.

Hope you like it. Very cute little girl. Congratulations.


Click on Image to view Full Size File.

After taking a SECOND LOOK, I did not like the color I created in the Shadow area that you wanted corrected. So, I worked on that area only in this one. It was a tad bit too yellow for my taste. I think this one matches better.


Click on Image to view FULL Size file

I do like it very much. Thank you.

--
Robin

 

[Robin Bennett]

Skin softening using vivid light blend mode

I used this method.

Like it very much. Thank you.

--
Robin

 

[Babine]

--
Cheers.
Gary
It’s not my age that bothers me; it’s the side effects.

 

[BobKnDP]

Very nice.

 

[Robin Bennett]

Thank you. So much better than mine! Much appreciated.

--
Robin

 

[Ken Seals]

Nice! Very imaginative

 

[Babine]

You're very welcome.

 

[Fred T]

Did it with the old ShadowIlluminator, which is only working on 32 bits.