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  • How to Remove a Fence From Your Photo in Just 3 Steps in Photoshop (video)

    The post How to Remove a Fence From Your Photo in Just 3 Steps in Photoshop (video) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.

    In this Photoshop video tutorial from Piximperfect, you’ll learn how you can remove a fence from your photo in Photoshop – you know, those annoying fences in front of your subject.

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    How to remove a fence from your photo in just 3 steps in Photoshop

    Use the following steps to remove your fence:

    Step one: Painting out the fence on a layer mask

    1. Make a layer mask.
    2. Zoom in close to your fence, then choose a hard-edged brush that is just slightly larger than the edge of your fence (be sure your paintbrush color is black).
    3. To paint the fence, simply click at the beginning of the fence, then hold the shift key, move the brush to the next section of fence and click. This will create a straight line.
    4. Continue this process over every section of the fence. While this can take some time, duplicating the pattern generally won’t work as no two sections will be the same).
    5. While zoomed in, to move around the image, press the space bar to bring up the Hand and then move the image to where you need it. Then continue painting in the fence lines.
    6. Be sure to paint over all the discrepancies in the fence. If some sections of the fence aren’t straight, simply paint in two or three points.
    7. Once you have painted in all the fence lines, you can move onto the next step.

    Step two: Apply the Content-Aware fill

    1. Select the background layer and turn off the fence mask layer using the eye icon next to the layer.
    2. Now hold Ctrl (PC) or Cmd (Mac) and click on the thumbnail of the fence mask layer. This will select the fence layer.
    3. Go to Edit->Content-Aware Fill (If you are using an older version of Photoshop, for to Edit->Fill and then choose Content-Aware from the dropdown section).
    4. This will open up the Content-Aware Fill settings. Leave them at the default settings. Just change the Output To: setting to New Layer. Click OK.
    5. Press Ctrl+D (PC) or Cmd+D (Mac) to deselect the fence.
    6. To see how the Content-Aware Fill tool has worked, turn off your background layer momentarily. Then turn it back on.

    Step three: Making minor adjustments

    1. The image may look great while zoomed out on the full image, but when zoomed in close, some areas may not look right. This is where the minor adjustments come into play.
    2. Create a new layer.
    3. You can use the Spot Healing Brush Tool. Paint over areas that need fixing with a soft brush. Be sure that the “Sample All Layers” box is checked too. That way, it samples all the layers below the layer you are working on.
    4. For trickier sections, like eyes, select the Clone Stamp Tool.
    5. Take a sample of a similar section by clicking the Alt Key and selecting. If you need to rotate your clone (for example, around an eye). Hold down Shift+Alt+Right or Left Arrows or > (Win) and Shift+Opt+Right or Left Arrows (Mac)
    6. You can also do that by going to Window->Clone Source and then manually entering in the angle of rotation.
    7. Then use the regular Healing Brush Tool. Click the Alt (Win) or Option Key (Mac) to take your sample then paint in the areas that need fixing.
    8. If you are having difficulty fixing areas such as the eyes, consider duplicating the other eye.
    9. To do this, make a new layer. Then use the Clone Tool and make your selection from the same eye. Then repaint it onto the new layer.
    10. Then press Ctrl or Cmd+D to select it and right-click and select Flip Vertical. This then brings up the corner anchors, and you can rotate the eye as you please.
    11. Next, move the rotated eye section over the top of the original eye.
    12. Click on the Mask icon on the Layers panel to create a mask. Select your brush tool. Remember, a black fill will hide your layer (paint it out).
    13. Start painting out the sections you don’t want. You can lower the opacity of your layer so that you can get it’s positioning just right too.
    14. Next, merge your clone layers (not the background or Content-Aware Fill layers). To do this, select the first layer, then press Ctrl or Cmd and click on the next layer. Then press Ctrl or Cmd+E to merge them.
    15. Continue to look for discrepancies and fix those using the same process.

    Step Four: Further adjustments

    1. Now, you can make further adjustments to your image, including selective focus.
    2. Next, create a stamp visible layer.
    3. To do this, first, create a new layer and call it “Selective Focus.” Then select Ctl+Alt+Shift+E (win) or Cmd+Opt+Shift+E (Mac). This will bring your image into the layer.
    4. Then convert the layer to a smart object. Go to Filter->Convert for Smart Filters. Click OK.
    5. Then go to Filters->Blur Gallery and choose Tilt Blur. Next, rotate it. Keep in mind that the areas in the middles are focused – they have zero blur.
    6. Adjust the blur level to whatever you like. You can also adjust the width of the blur area by pulling the lines outward.
    7. Always have your eyes in focus.
    8. You can also add other blur types if you like.
    9. You can also add some sharpness to the eyes. Create another Stamp layer as above. Then desaturate it by clicking Ctrl+Shift+U (Win) or Cmd+Shift+U (Mac). Then go to Filter->Convert for Smart Filter. Click OK.
    10. Next, go to Filter->Other->High Pass. Zoom in so you can see the detail. Decrease the radius slowly and gradually increase it. Just when you begin to see the halos, stop.
    11. Change your layer blend mode to Overlay.
    12. You will see the sharpness on the overall image, but you really only want it on the face. So, hold down the Alt Key (win) or Opt Key (Mac) and then click on the mask. This will create a negative (black) Mask.
    13. First, name it “Sharpen.” Then click the mask, select your Brush Tool, then choose a soft brush and paint on the areas you want to sharpen (Be sure your white paint palette is selected).

    And that’s it!

    Share your before and after results with us in the comments section!

     

    The post How to Remove a Fence From Your Photo in Just 3 Steps in Photoshop (video) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.


    Digital Photography School

  • DPReview TV: The most important Pentax cameras of all time

    Pentax week continues! In this video, Chris takes us for a ride on the wayback machine to look at the most important Pentax cameras in history.

    Have your own favorite Pentax model? Tell us in the comments.

    Subscribe to our YouTube channel to get new episodes of DPReview TV every week.

    • Introduction
    • Pentax K1000
    • Asahi Pentax 6X7
    • Pentax LX
    • Pentax Auto 110
    • Pentax K10D
    • Pentax 645Z
    • Conclusion

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Photojournalists won’t be allowed to capture the handing over of the articles of impeachment against Donald Trump

    Image US Capital, West Side. Captured by Martin Falbisoner used under CC BY-SA 3.0

    It’s been revealed the United States Senate will be cracking down on the press corps for the Senate impeachment trial of U.S. President, Donald J. Trump, severely limiting photojournalists ability to document the monumental moment.

    Later today, when House leaders hand off the articles of impeachment to the Senate, still photographers won’t be allowed to document the monumental moment, an unprecedented move that’s raising concerns over credentialed reporters’ and photographers’ ability to exercise their First Amendment right to the freedom of the press.

    According to a report from Roll Call, Capitol Police Chief Steven A. Sund and Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Michael C. Stenger are putting in place restrictions that will allow just a single video camera to be present in the room. No still photographers will be allowed to press the shutter and no audio recordings will be allowed.

    Even after today, the remainder of the trial will see only a single press pen set up on the second floor of the Senate, where legislators will enter and exit the chambers. Reporters and photographers won’t be able to move outside the pen, except for before and after the processions when they’re escorted by proper authorities.

    Following news of these restrictions, The Standing Committee of Correspondents, a five-member panel of journalists representing the credentialed press in Congress, fired back saying the restrictions ‘fail to acknowledge what currently works on Capitol Hill, or the way the American public expects to be able to follow a vital news event about their government in the digital age.’

    Roll Call reports the ‘planned restrictions […] rejected every suggestion made by the correspondents,’ regarding press access during the trial and The Standing Committee of Correspondents has rejected the claim these planned restrictions are being put in place to protect the lawmakers, saying Capital Police have implemented these rules ‘without an explanation of how the restrictions contribute to safety rather than simply limit coverage of the trial’

    Other individuals chimed in on the matter, including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a U.S. Representative for the NY-14 district, who shared the following tweet:

    Photographer and teacher David Hobby also shared his thoughts on the matter, saying:

    Unfortunately, these restrictions likely mean photographer David Burnett won’t be able to use his now-iconic 4 x 5 film camera to capture the transfer of articles for the third impeachment in U.S. history.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Xiaomi patent shows pop-up camera with up to seven lenses

    Pop-up front cameras are an established design to avoid large bezels, ‘punch holes’ or notches on smartphone fronts. If Xiaomi’s latest patent filing is anything to go by the concept could soon be taken to another level, though.

    The documentation which was recently authorized by CNIPA (China National Intellectual Property Administration) shows a pop-up camera that comes with a lot more camera/lens modules than anything we’ve seen up to now.

    The patent includes three versions, with the most simple one featuring dual-cameras at front and back. The most advanced variant comes with a dual-cam at the front and five modules on the front.

    To accommodate all this the pop-up mechanism is wider than on most other smartphones with pop-up cameras but still, image sensors would likely have to be smaller than on more conventional camera setups. As usual, there is no way of knowing if this patent will ever be turned into a final product but it’s good to see manufacturers looking at new ways of designing smartphone cameras.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Lensrentals gets risky while tearing down the Nikon Z 24-70mm F2.8 zoom lens

    Image credits: Photos published with kind permission from Lensrentals.

    Over on ‘The Desk of a Humble Genius,’ Roger Cicala of Lensrentals has ‘finally’ taken apart the Nikon Z 24–70mm F2.8 lens and shared both his insights and images from the experience.

    As the original title of the teardown, ‘Lens Disassembly is a Complicated Profession. Don’t You Agree?,’ alludes to, this particular disassembly proved to be a challenging one, which par for the course with Nikon lenses, according to Roger. In his own words, Roger says ‘Nikon lenses have always been a bit “old fashioned” and different from other SLR lenses,’ but this review comes with a very clear warning to ‘not get your lens and screwdriver and follow along at home,’ because ‘Bad things might happen. Bad. Things.’

    The teardown starts off with what is about the only negative thing Roger has to say about the lens—the felt around the lens hood, which he feels peels up too easily isn’t up to the quality of the rest of the lens.

    From there, it’s onto the mount, which was dissected one screw and ribbon cable at a time. Upon removing the mount itself, Roger noticed it was particularly difficult to get off. This was due to an inner lip that rests against the rear barrel of the lens. Roger says ‘This might be to keep the bayonet centered, for a dust seal, to provide a little extra strength, or just because it looks cool,’ but notes regardless of the exact reasoning, ‘it seems like an all-around good idea.’

    Moving along, Roger removed the rear piece of the lens barrel to reveal the A/M focus switch and the optical sensor the control ring uses. Each piece removed reveals a healthy amount of weather sealing gaskets, as well as numerous electrostatic discharge (ESD) cushions under the exterior of the lens.

    With the rear barrel off, Roger gets into the internals of the lens, which proved to be a pleasant surprise. In his own words:

    ‘OK, let’s take a moment for me to give some props. Forever, during Nikon tear-downs, I’ve made snarky comments about the old-fashioned look they have inside; soldered wires here and there, flexes wandering aimlessly, random secondary circuit boards, etc. Well, no more. Look at this engineering right here: neat flexes running directly where they’re heading placed in recessed channels in the barrel and thoroughly taped in place. Superb! Nikon has clearly modernized and spent time and effort in making a clean, well-engineered layout for the electronics. I’ve been asking for that for years, and Nikon delivered.’

    The PCB itself also proved to be quite minimal, at least compared to the one found inside the Canon RF 70–200mm F2.8 lens Roger tore down a few weeks back. In the past, Nikon has used secondary circuit boards in the lenses to beef up the processing capabilities, but Roger notes there wasn’t another one inside this lens, suggesting the camera handles a generous amount of the processing power.

    After a few other auxiliary bits, it was onto the removal of the next piece of the lens barrel. Unfortunately, this is where Roger and Aaron ‘ran into the “be careful what you wish for; you might get it” conundrum.’ It turns out one of those nicely-organized flex cables ran down to the display unit of the lens and refused to budge when attempting to lift the barrel.

    A syringe full of rubbing alcohol isn’t something you usually want to see during a lens teardown.

    ‘Rule 63 of taking apart lenses is “thou shalt not tug a flex”; because tearing a flex is bad,’ says Roger in the teardown post. ‘[But] on Nikon lenses, because we can’t buy parts, tearing a flex is very bad.’ After countless attempts to use different means of removing the flex cable to avoid tugging, Roger and Aaron decided they were sick of holding off lunch and decided to use a little rubbing alcohol in a syringe to ease the adhesive from the back of the ribbon cable. After a little bit of pulling, the barrel was off and they were on their way.

    Roger hits on a number of other interesting tidbits about the buttons on the lens and the unusually-bright neon-yellow tape strategically-placed throughout the lens. The zoom barrel proved to be weather-sealed incredibly well and the zoom position sensor Nikon uses is an upgrade from the traditional metal brushes it’s used in the past.

    The remainder of the lens disassembly proved to be a doozy, with excellent build quality proving time and time again to be a double-edged sword for Roger, who seemed to be as challenged as he was impressed.

    While we’ll leave the rest of the humor, photos and details to Roger in his full write-up, here are a few other notable details discovered throughout the remainder of the teardown process:

    • Breaking the front filter thread of the lens is going to be a very expensive fix, as the entire front barrel is a single piece, rather than a piece simply held on with a few screws.
    • Aaron had to put on gloves during the assembly, which in Roger’s own words means ‘shit’s getting real’
    • The aperture diaphragm assembly is a combination mechanical/electronic aperture with very tight tolerances

    When all was said and done, this teardown proved to be the longest ever—and that’s before Aaron had to piece it all together. The good news is, it (mostly) took so long because Nikon went above and beyond when engineering this lens.

    Roger says these new Nikon Z lenses are a far cry from their F-mount counterparts and much like Canon’s RF lenses, are likely completely new optical designs made in-house. He notes ‘The engineering itself is incredible in most ways [and] the neatly laid out and solidly adhered flexes reflect the careful design.’

    To see all of the images and read more in-depth knowledge shared by Roger, head on over to the Lensrentals blog.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Platypod creators return with the new Platyball Ergo and Elite tripod heads

    The Platypod creators are back with another product called Platyball, a new type of tripod head that features a unique design and more modern, convenient features. The Platyball is made with a weather-sealed aluminum unibody, steel components and polymer brake pads; it supports payloads of up to 10kg (22lbs).

    Rather than featuring bubble indicators, the Platyball features a built-in leveling indicator offering an accuracy level of 0.5-degrees. The pricier Elite model is identical to the cheaper Ergo model, the only exception being its electronic leveling indicator system. The Platyball is designed for single-hand and gloved-hand use, plus it can be transported using a carabiner clipped to a bag or belt.

    Other features include support for use in half a dozen directions, an adjustable brightness display for nighttime use, support for user calibration, an Arca-compatible twist collar, panning lock thumb wheel, two large buttons for locking and unlocking the device and support for standard A23 alkaline batteries.

    The Platyball Ergo is offered to Kickstarter backers who pledge at least $ 199; the Platyball Elite for pledges of at least $ 249. The team estimates that shipping to backers will start in March 2021 and that the eventual retail prices will be $ 249 and $ 325, respectively. You can find out more and secure your pledge by heading over to the Kickstarter campaign.

    Disclaimer: Remember to do your research with any crowdfunding project. DPReview does its best to share only the projects that look legitimate and come from reliable creators, but as with any crowdfunded campaign, there’s always the risk of the product or service never coming to fruition.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Canon wins lawsuit against eBay sellers accused of peddling counterfeit batteries

    Canon USA has announced a successful lawsuit against two eBay sellers who were allegedly peddling counterfeit ‘Canon’ batteries. The camera company had filed a complaint against the defendants in October 2019, claiming the sellers were using its trademarks and that doing so could ‘mislead the public as to the source and authenticity’ of the products, potentially to their peril.

    The legal victory took place on December 12, 2019, in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. According to Canon, the defendants in the case were barred from ‘infringing and counterfeiting the valuable Canon trademarks.’ The sellers will also be required to pay Canon a ‘significant amount of money,’ according to the camera company.

    Below is a copy of the court documents, obtained by PetaPixel:

    Counterfeit batteries put both the operator and their camera at risk, Canon explains on its website. These products may be poorly made and prone to overheating; they may also offer lackluster performance when compared to the real thing, resulting in frequent recharging and shorter lifetimes. Signs of a counterfeit battery include lack of an anti-hologram sticker on the bottom, modifications to the company’s logo and an inability to communicate with the camera.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Fotodiox’s new Vizelex Cine ND Throttle Fusion adapter connects EF lenses to GFX cameras

    Fotodiox has launched its new Vizelex Cine ND Throttle Fusion Smart AF lens adapter for connecting Canon EF lenses to Fuji G Mount GFX mirrorless cameras. The adapter features integrated Fusion tech for using autofocus and other automated functions, as well as a built-in variable neutral density filter with 1 to 8 stops (ND2-256).

    Fotodiox says users may notice vignetting when the adapter is used with certain Canon EF lenses; for these instances, the product features a switch for changing from medium format to 35mm mode. As well, the adapter has a switch for directly toggling from aperture priority to program mode. Firmware updates are delivered over micro USB.

    Other features include an all-metal design, the promise of high-precision construction, chrome-plated brass mounts and a geared rotating ring for adjusting the ND filter. The adapter is available now from Amazon, B&H Photo and Adorama for $ 550.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Weekly Photography Challenge – Protests

    The post Weekly Photography Challenge – Protests appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.

    This week’s photography challenge topic is PROTESTS!

    Climate-Change-Rally-Wollongong-January-2020-by-Caz-Nowaczyk

    Climate Change Rally, Wollongong NSW Australia, January 2020 by Caz Nowaczyk

    In many countries around the world, people protest all sorts of issues – climate change, equality, human rights, government policies etc.

    In my home town, there was a recent protest on climate change – brought about by the recent bushfire crisis in Australia.

    So, this week’s challenge is to go out and shoot any pictures that include protests (if there are none in your town, perhaps you protest about something and would like to depict that somehow in picture form).

    Set out to capture the energy, emotion, wide crowd shots, close-ups of signs and people.

    So, check out these pics, have fun, and I look forward to seeing what you come up with!

    Climate-Change-Rally-Wollongong-January-2020-by-Caz-Nowaczyk-02

    Climate Change Rally, Wollongong NSW Australia, January 2020 by Caz Nowaczyk

    Climate-Change-Rally-Wollongong-January-2020-by-Caz-Nowaczyk-03

    Climate Change Rally, Wollongong NSW Australia, January 2020 by Caz Nowaczyk

    Climate-Change-Rally-Wollongong-January-2020-by-Caz-Nowaczyk-04

    Climate Change Rally, Wollongong NSW Australia, January 2020 by Caz Nowaczyk

    Check out some of the articles below that give you tips on this week’s challenge.

    Tips for Shooting PROTESTS

    The Ultimate Guide to Street Photography

    The Ultimate Guide to Zone Focusing for Candid Street Photography

    Photographing Festivals and Events – Tips for Travel Photographers

    How to Organize and Photograph Events Like a Pro

    5 Tips for Safely Photographing a Dangerous Event

    7 Tips for Capturing the Decisive Moment in Street Photography

     

    Simply upload your shot into the comment field (look for the little camera icon in the Disqus comments section) and they’ll get embedded for us all to see or if you’d prefer, upload them to your favorite photo-sharing site and leave the link to them. Show me your best images in this week’s challenge.

    Share in the dPS Facebook Group

    You can also share your images in the dPS Facebook group as the challenge is posted there each week as well.

    If you tag your photos on Flickr, Instagram, Twitter or other sites – tag them as #DPSprotests to help others find them. Linking back to this page might also help others know what you’re doing so that they can share in the fun.

    The post Weekly Photography Challenge – Protests appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.


    Digital Photography School

  • Sony releases minor firmware updates for a9 II and 24mm F1.4 GM, 135mm F1.8 GM lenses

    Sony has released minor firmware updates for its a9 II camera system, as well as its 24mm F1.4 GM and 135 F1.8 GM lenses.

    For the a9 II, firmware version 1.01 improves the FTP transfer functionality to speed up how soon after shooting photos the images can be transferred. Additionally, the firmware update corrects a condition where the camera can sometimes turn off at random times when looking back through Raw images and improves JPEG image quality when shooting under certain, unspecified conditions.

    Both the 24mm F1.4 GM and 135mm F1.8 GM receive, via firmware ’02,’ improved aperture response when the lenses are attached to Sony’s a9, a9 II and a7R IV camera systems, as well as the ability to select ‘Focus Priority’ from the ‘Aperture Drive in AF” menu when attached to Sony’s a9 camera system.

    You can download firmware version 1.01 for Sony a9 II camera systems, as well as firmware version ’02’ for Sony’s 24mm F1.4 GM and 135mm F1.8 GM lenses for mac OS and Windows computers on Sony’s website. Details and instructions on how to install the firmware can be found on the respective download pages.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)