newbie: dealing with flash facial overexposure

Hi ... I'm new to digital photopgraphy and photoshop (v8)...
Disappointingly - I took an indoor photo of our local swimming team,
and with the auto flash, the face of those @ the front have been well
overexposed
(white wash out) compared with those on the back row...
now I know its impossible to put back whats not captured ... but I wonder
if there are any techniques to make the best of a bad job...

there is still a little detail (around nose & eyes) and shadow at edge of
faces...
I wondered if there was some way to colorise the face rather than just
have them white ... using the color from the faces on the back row....
or any useful plugin (camera doesn't support raw ... I've only got the image
I've got)?

Any constructive advice gratefully received
thanks andrew

 

I'm afraid there's not much you can do about the overexposion, but maybe the
nice new feature in CS: Image>Adjustments>Shadow/Highlight can give you some
better results for the total lightning. Make sure to check the 'Show more
options'

Good luck

 

Post it somewhere so we can see it and experiment with it.

 

I generally don't like masks, but this time you need one.

Create an Hue/Sat adjustment layer. Ignore the rest of the image.and play
with the sliders until the faces look better. You'll have to drop the
Lightness slider a bit to get some traction for the hue.

Then use the Layer menu to create a "Hide All" layer mask, click on the
mask, and paint the faces with a white brush to bring the color back to just
the faces. If you stray outside the lines, click the x key to erase.

 

Sometimes, by using the Multiply Mode in Layers, you can improve overexposed
pictures.
1. Select the part you want to improve.
2. Duplicate layer.
3. In this layer: Inverse Selection.
4. Clear selection (Delete)
5. Set Mode to Multiply
6. Adjust effect with slider.
7. Flatten Image
8. Remove selection

vdRee

 

overexposion?

you related to george bush?

K

 

and this wise-assed comment from a person who wrote the following:
QUOTE
"This newsgroup has really gone downhill - it's half full of semi literate
cretins who get their kicks out of smart ass (or is that dumb ass) replies
to requests for help - superiority complexes abound...

I could name names - but you know who you are..."
END QUOTE.

Guess you decided to 'join the crowd', eh?

 

Indeed.

 

Well, if it would have been anybody but George W, I wouln't have been
offended. You really hurt me with that low road.
So, please stay away from your humour attempts in the future.

 

I think I'll leave you hanging right there

 

I also said, quote:

"HUMOUR IS GOOD - not answering is fine... but what possible satisfaction do
these idiots get for saying; "read the manual" (and variations), or; "look
it up in Google" (Duh!)".

My post was a gentle attempt at HUMOUR, no offence meant - if V1nc3nt was
genuinely offended (and I don't believe for one moment that he was) I will
apologise to him...

OK?

(As usual, capitals for emphasis only - I don't shout)

K

 

Okay - as promised (but I suspect (!) you are teasing and I really don't
believe you were offended!!!)...

SORRY!!! V1nc3

(

(Capitals used for... etc)

K

 

Moderation is good for everyone but YOU, right?

hahahahaha.

 

why do you keep talking bollocks?

hahahahahahahahahahah

dribble...

hahahahahahah

K

 

K, first things first, worry about the back row. Get it like you like
it, totally disregard the washed out front row. Got it done? Cool.

Now the easiest way (several ways to do this, but this is really
flexible, non-destructive, and pretty easy) way is to make a new
layer, but not a normal new layer. Alt+Click the new layer button, and
instead of normal, set mode to overlay, and check the box for 'fill
with neutral color'. Now you've got this seperate layer that does not
show up due to the way overlay (or softlight, etc..) see's gray tones.
Select the paintbrush, set your color to black, and drop your opacity
and flow way down (25% or so, whatever you like), and now you have a
really cool way to burn back in that detail. Just use the paint brush
tool to burn back in the detail. If you get something you dont like,
switch to white color and brush back in. Works great for washed out
areas like that of which you speak. Hope this helps.

 

This newsgroup has really gone downhill - it's half full of semi literate
cretins who get their kicks out of smart ass (or is that dumb ass) replies
to requests for help - superiority complexes abound...

I could name names - but you know who you are...

 

Do you need a cup for that?

 

Blah Blah Blah

 

And yet you like to rail at other people for the same thing. Tsk.

It's a bitch when you can't live by your own rules, isn't it?