I did have a go at usin a layer mask a moment ago and got this

wivmist2 by Dan, on Flickr

I think I might take some more shots with PS in mind.

I'm guessing that focus stacking works in a similar way? I might try that too as I'm struggling always getting the foreground in focus.

 

Did you add the mist to a non-misty shot, using a layer and layer mask, Dan?

 

the morning was misty and so I took two different exposures and then blended them. It took a while and it wasn't as successful as I had hoped as the blending using a brush was a bit harsh, I need to soften the brush a bit but not sure I'm doing it right. The video I watched was using an older version of PS so I had to work out where I was going

 

If you're having difficulties with brush harshness for masking, I would suggest that - in addition to the hardness setting for the brush - try experimenting with the brush's opacity and flow settings. Also, try experimenting with using a larger brush than you might think appropriate, as this also gives softer edges. You'll find that in a given situation, one of these settings might prove better than the others, so just experiment until the nuances of choosing between these different options become intuitive.

 

Thanks Peter. A larger brush, now you've said it, might be the answer I'm looking for. I did try the opacity, but that affected all then brush strokes I had used, not just the one I was using at the time. Is that correct?

Also, the content aware tool that Tony mentioned. I can move things but I have no idea actually what it is actually doing or how to use it correctly.

 

Yes, that's right. Once set, the brush will continue with those settings, until you change them again. I frequently use the larger brush method, because I find it more convenient. The brush size can be adjusted quickly and easily (IMO) using the [ and ] keys, if you prefer.

 

The content aware tool is something of a mixed blessing. In certain situations, it works superbly, but when it doesn't, it's completely useless. All you can do is to try it - and if it works badly for the situation that you're working on - then simply 'undo' the effect, and either try using it slightly differently, or try another method entirely. It's very rare that there's only a single way of achieving the desired result, in PS.

 

That might speed things up a bit, thanks

 

I find it much quicker. (BTW, for clarity, those are square bracket keys)

 

I've worked out that I can move things with it, but the image that I have moved, then wont go away... any ideas where I'm going wrong? Sorry to trouble you so much, I'm really appreciating your help.

 

I can't visualise the problem, from your description, Dan. Would it be possible to post some screen extracts showing what you were trying to do?

 

Arghhh, its driving me crazy. For some reason the healing brush now doesn't work at all.

 

If your image has more than one layer, be sure that the layer mask isn't highlighted - the healing brush does nothing on a mask. Also, make sure that the currently active layer isn't an adjustment layer... the same applies.

 

Note (reference my previous post) that you can have a layer selected, either on the mask (the mask edges will change to a double line), or just on the layer itself i.e. not on the mask (mask edges will return to a single line). These two 'conditions' will give a very different function. Hope this helps.

 

OK, It is working now, not sure what happened, maybe it was being temperamental. Thanks for your help Peter. Once I moved the object with the content aware tool, I moved it to some a place where I could then erase it. I'm not sure if that is the best way to do it, but it seemed to work. It's a bit of a learning curve and watching some videos I think

 

Dan, I'm intrigued - and slightly puzzled - by your description of "moving" an object with the content aware tool. It doesn't quite match the way that I use that tool - care to elucidate? (Glad to hear you've achieved what you were trying to achieve, BTW!)

 

With the content aware move tool. I drew round the thing that I wanted to move (a lifebuoy), then clicked on it and dragged it elsewhere in the photo. then I double clicked on where I had moved it from, which made the original placement of the lifebuoy disappear, leaving a crude but healed spot, but I was left with a floating lifebuoy that I had moved elsewhere into the photo. Once I moved it I didn't know how to get rid of it. Right clicking didn't help... right clicking works for everything right? , or so I thought. Ill see if I can show you what I mean

 

Screenshot (2) by Dan, on Flickr

You may be able to see where I had moved it a couple of times, the last one was flaoting in space. The only way I could remove it was with the healing brush

 

Oh, and I am finally getting somewhere with PS, many thanks Peter

 

My apologies, Dan - I've just realised that you're using a more recent version of PS than the one I'm used to. I guess that you're on CS6, or CC? Anyway, that explains why I couldn't understand - it's because I'm not familiar with the 'content aware move tool'. That tool must be a more sophisticated derivation of the content-aware tools that were in earlier versions.