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tonymidd
27th November 2005, 01:40 PM
I know some may have a bit too much snow at the moment but if you want to add some to that nice landscape you took in the summer here's how...

False Snow

1 : Open suitable image. Use eyedropper to select a mid-tone for the

area/objects you want standing snow on.

2 : Select > color range select sampled colour and a fuzziness setting about 130- 135

3 : New layer. (name it ?snow?]

4 : In new layer Edit > Fill select White. tip this wants to be a cold white so either add some blue using colour balance or use a blue filter from the photo filters.

5 : Ctrl+ D to deselect layer

6 : In layer palette change mode to ?hard light? > OK

7 : New layer [ snowfall #01]

8 : Edit > Fill > contents 50% grey [ again try a blue white and different %ages]

9 ; Use ?D? to revert this layer to default black & white colours.

10 : Filter > noise > add noise

11 ; Select gaussian, amount between 130-160, check mono box. > OK

12 ; This noise needs clumping together so use filter > blur > gaussian blur

with a radius between 3 and 6.

13 : Using levels adjust the contrast of the snowfall layer. Adjust the LH slider to the right so that is under the centre of the histogram peak; now bring the RH slider so it just shows behind the LH pointer. It is important to do this step in this order. > OK

14 : Set the mode of this layer to ?screen? with an opacity of 50% or less so the main scene shows through but the snow is still visible.

15 : Now blur the snow Filter > blur > motion blur. Select an angle that suits the image; try one not far off vertical; and a distance between 8 and 16 depending how blurred you want your snow.

16 : Duplicate the above layer Ctrl+J [snowfall #02]

17 : Edit > transform > flip horizontal

18 : Edit > transform > scale or distort and enlarge this duplicate layer so the snow flakes are larger than the original snow layer. > enter to lock the transformation.

19 ; You may wish to alter the motion blur on the duplicate layer. Try a negative angle with a value similar to the one used above, again the distance setting is to your preference.

20 : You may now have to adjust the density of the background layer and/or the opacity of the snow layers to get the desired effect.

You should have 4 layers

Steps 1- 2 Steps 3 ? 6 Steps 7 ? 15 Steps 16 - 19

Top pic is the original and below a more wintery version, this may even become this years Christmas card.

DennisB
27th November 2005, 04:46 PM
Fantastic tip Tony.

Just off to look for a suitable image to try it on. Strangely enough we don't have any snow in the Glasgow area at the moment.

Might save me buying Christmas cards this year.....I know ...it's the Scottish blood in me :D

tonymidd
27th November 2005, 11:35 PM
Might save me buying Christmas cards this year.....I know ...it's the Scottish blood in me :D
Why do you think I make my own????