Flawless Cropping & Photo-Enhancing (UPDATE 10/05/08)

[Diru_SC]

Edit 10/05/08
- New simpler version! (And different picture. As October, Halloween comes. Why not try a "spookier" photo, anyways...)
- Add 5 Minute Photo-Enhancing Tutorial (http://forums.sims2community.com/showpost.php?p=1264922&postcount=13) by request from Pixie. (Post #13)
- **New Cropping Tutorial has no colorization! (Will add one later.)


http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj284/_2t/SIM/NAO_0811005_crop_tutorial_1.jpghttp://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj284/_2t/SIM/NAO_0811005_crop_tutorial_2.jpg

Credits
SIM - Gos mouseyblue's Dirch
background image @ IWS-stock.deviantart.com


Requirements
photo-edit program (Photoshop, PSP, etc)











http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj284/_2t/SIM/NAO_0811005_crop_tutorial__1.jpg

To crop your Sim, click on the Freehand Tool. Use the Point to Point method to crop.
For a flawless crop, enlarge your photo. (For this photo, I enlarge 1000%)

My Settings :
http://i35.tinypic.com/nec903.jpg

Point to Point is MUCH better than Freehand, because it is difficult to crop a straight line with the mouse.
The more feather, the more blurry your crop.
The more smoothing, the more your crop rounding edges. (No harsh angles)










http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj284/_2t/SIM/NAO_0811005_crop_tutorial__2.jpg
Crop version.

(I usually crop around the hair and finish crop afterwards.)










http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj284/_2t/SIM/NAO_0811005_crop_tutorial__3.jpg
Select a background, and paste your Sim onto the background.
( Right click > Paste > Paste as New Layer )

I crop out the hair. This time, I use Freehand, Feather = 4, Smoothing = 1.















PHOTO-EDIT

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj284/_2t/SIM/NAO_0811005_crop_tutorial__4.jpg

This is a simple photo-edit for contrasting color.
( Adjust > Brightness and Contrast > Automatic Contrast Enhancement )

My Settings :
http://i37.tinypic.com/2rxh9x2.jpg


http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj284/_2t/SIM/NAO_0811005_crop_tutorial__4_1.jpg
(Before and After)







THE END !

Hope you like the tutorial and try it out!
Feel free to ask the questions for me. Or want more detail steps.
Sorry if I am not very good at explaining stuff.







Other photo manipulation using (for the finishing photo) has include adding a border, text, effects - burn, dodge, hard light).

[Jenphur D]

Great tutuorial, could you give a photoshop version, I cant seem to find hue map

[Charley-x]

wow. the finished picture is well good:)

[1306]

Nice tutorial. I love your pics, by the way--they all look stunning! Do you photoshop all your pics?

[pansy888hk]

wow.........thx very much, but i used photoimpact to make my pics more beautiful! THX

[Diru_SC]

Great tutuorial, could you give a photoshop version, I cant seem to find hue map

Jenphur D - I uninstall Photoshop, but there is a site here (http://www.zuberphotographics.com/content/photoshop/hue-saturation.htm) show the hue/saturation. It says Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Hue/Saturation (for Photoshop).

Or, you can just Colorize it yourself by using the Colorize Bar. (I'm sure that Photoshop has this) Adjust > Hue and Saturation > Colorize. Here is a snapshot of this method. It produce similar result, but take a more longer time, because you have to outline it.

You have to enter numbers for Hue and Saturation.
Saturation is good at number 40-100.
Hue numbers are generally :
0 - Red
15 - Orange
30 - Yellow
70 - Green
120 - Blue
200 - Purple


If still you are confuse, I can put Photoshop version. But, I have to download to my laptop it first :S

[Diru_SC]

pansy888hk, simcharley1990 - Thank you ! Much is appreciated ! :)


Nice tutorial. I love your pics, by the way--they all look stunning! Do you photoshop all your pics?

1306 - Thank you ! :)
I photo-edit my photos yes. I enjoy to changing the colors. I don not crop and change the background anymore. I am to lazy :P Right now, I just like making colors stand out like something like this, every one of my photo now has something like this a only 5 minute photo-edit :


BEFORE
http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj284/_2t/SIM/naosim-rd-small-1-org.jpg
big photo here (http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj284/_2t/SIM/naosim-rd-org.jpg)


AFTER
http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj284/_2t/SIM/naosim-rd-small-1-fin.jpg
big photo here (http://i516.photobucket.com/albums/u326/naosim/001/010.png)

[Charley-x]

merghhhh i really have to get photoshop - is it expensive? lols andd where do you get your background? :D thankyou.

[Diru_SC]

merghhhh i really have to get photoshop - is it expensive? lols andd where do you get your background? :D thankyou.


Photoshop is expensive, around 600$. I use PSP, around 100$. I prefer PSP. But, Photoshop do have more effects and options.

I get background from Stocks section for deviantart.com

[Charley-x]

omg! so in thee UK it would be around £300? oOh mMY GoOd just for a editing programme. Christ! I'll just get PSP. lols and thanks about backgrounds.

[pixie_SC]

Diru - could you please tell in greater detail how you got the effects in the "after" picture in the post #7? :]

[Ferret II]

omg! so in thee UK it would be around £300? oOh mMY GoOd just for a editing programme. Christ! I'll just get PSP. lols and thanks about backgrounds.

Photoshop Elements 6 is only £50 on Amazon.co.uk (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Adobe-Systems-Inc-Photoshop-Elements/dp/B000VZEIOS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=software&qid=1220796984&sr=8-1). Sometimes you can buy a laptop/computer with Photoshop installed, like mine :D

[Diru_SC]

Sorry for the long lack of reply. I delete SIMS and re-install again.. @_@

Pixie, below is tutorial of 5 minute photo edit.












5-minute Photo-Enhancing Tutorial (and other minor editing)

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj284/_2t/SIM/NAO_081005_photo_enhancing_final.jpg


Start by using Automatic Contrast Enhancement on your photo.
( Adjust > Brightness and Contrast > Automatic Contrast Enhancement )

Use the same settings as first tutorial.
( Bias = Darker , Strength = Mild, Appearance = Bold )








http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj284/_2t/SIM/NAO_081005_photo_enhancing_2_1.jpg

To get rid of flaws (such as above), use Scratch Remover on the flaws.
(Scratch Remover is under the Clone icon.)








http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj284/_2t/SIM/NAO_081005_photo_enhancing_2_2.jpg

For more contrast, duplicate the layer and set it to Overlay 100%
Because we only want to contrast certain parts (the eyes and mouth),
erase all contrast except for the two areas.



To make corners darker, Duplicate the layer and set to multiply 40%
Use Feather 100, and erase the center so only corners darker.




http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj284/_2t/SIM/NAO_081005_photo_enhancing_before.jpghttp://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj284/_2t/SIM/NAO_081005_photo_enhancing_after.jpg
Before and After



The End
Hope it helps (:

[Charley-x]

Photoshop Elements 6 is only £50 on Amazon.co.uk (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Adobe-Systems-Inc-Photoshop-Elements/dp/B000VZEIOS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=software&qid=1220796984&sr=8-1). Sometimes you can buy a laptop/computer with Photoshop installed, like mine :D

Thanks! :)

[pixie_SC]

Thank you for explaining the editing part, it was useful. :)