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Author Topic: Masking Hair  (Read 11035 times)

markyboy

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Masking Hair
« on: March 28, 2014, 12:44:25 AM »
Hi All

I'm using background masking in photoscan, which on the whole works fine, but it does struggle around peoples hair. I try to get the hair as smooth and as flat as possible, but certain areas such as where the hair meets the neck causes problems with masking. I always end up with some of my white background within the mask. This in turn ends up on the photoscan model as white patches in the hair. Is there away around this besides manually masking each image in photoshop or could I using difference masking/keying in photoshop to get better results?

See attachment for problem I'm getting

Thanks Mark.


admir

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Re: Masking Hair
« Reply #1 on: March 28, 2014, 11:39:45 AM »
You coud try building dense cloud, removing thos parts, build mesh without those white areas and use as mask ? Otherwise, manual masking in Photoshop. I usually remove those small patches of hair anyway.

Admir

markyboy

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Re: Masking Hair
« Reply #2 on: March 28, 2014, 12:15:28 PM »

That sounds like a quick way of doing it, thanks. So do you prefer that method over photoshop ?

Mark.

admir

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Re: Masking Hair
« Reply #3 on: March 28, 2014, 12:24:57 PM »
With 150+ photos of head, yes! However if you have empty background photo, you can place it on top of photo with head in photoshop using Difference blending and start from there (making action to automatize).

Admir

markyboy

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Re: Masking Hair
« Reply #4 on: March 28, 2014, 12:31:34 PM »
Hi

Can you explain the difference blending method? Load your photo and background into photoshop, put the background on the top layer and change it to difference blending, then what do you do ?

Thanks Mark.

admir

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Re: Masking Hair
« Reply #5 on: March 28, 2014, 12:49:56 PM »
Place one photo above the other. Set top layer to Difference, flaten image, desaturate and if needed using brightness/contrast create mask. You will end with back/white-ish mask.

Admir

markyboy

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Re: Masking Hair
« Reply #6 on: March 28, 2014, 01:27:33 PM »
Hi Admir

Ok I've just got an random image off the internet test this. Image 1 - original. Image 2 - Difference mask. Image 3 desaturated. Am I looking to lose all detail after this stage and have a completely white on black image ?

Thanks Mark.
« Last Edit: March 28, 2014, 01:29:26 PM by markyboy »

Wishgranter

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Re: Masking Hair
« Reply #7 on: March 28, 2014, 01:41:28 PM »
To get the "perfect" mask, use Pshop and the W keyboard you shoudl have selected QUICK SELECTION TOOL, then press Left buton on mouse and go over areas that need masked, it uses soem AI stuff so can do a lot of nasty work done very quick, and its great on hairs.. just ry it, in few minutes get it in hands....

SZelect sthe size of the brus somewhere between 10-40 pix for best results....
----------------
www.mhb.sk

markyboy

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Re: Masking Hair
« Reply #8 on: March 28, 2014, 02:14:28 PM »
Hi

My experiments with the quick selection tool haven't been good, also trying to to it for 100 plus photos would be time consuming. Surely difference masking gives better results ?

Mark.
« Last Edit: March 28, 2014, 03:08:04 PM by markyboy »

admir

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Re: Masking Hair
« Reply #9 on: March 28, 2014, 03:06:15 PM »
Here is example from one of my sessions....

01 is background taken from same position as head photo
02 is photo from series of photos
03 is background on top of head photo set to diff, desaturated.

Like i said, you can adjust mask further more (levels, brightness/contrast...).

Admir

markyboy

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Re: Masking Hair
« Reply #10 on: March 28, 2014, 03:15:08 PM »
Hi

As I said, does the last image need to be taken any further to be used as a mask? Does it need to be solid white on black? Sorry I'm at work at the moment so can't actually test any of this.

Mark.

admir

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Re: Masking Hair
« Reply #11 on: March 28, 2014, 03:31:39 PM »
Like i said it depends on your needs, i would contrast it to become black/white-ish .

Admir

Lambo

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Re: Masking Hair
« Reply #12 on: March 28, 2014, 08:36:30 PM »
As posted before, the Quick Selection Tool in Photoshop is AMAZING since it is adaptive as per every selection or deselection you do teaches Photoshop what kind of area you want to select or not and it starts adapting because of that, not like the normal Magic Wand.
Since you have to work with many pictures, you can do the action with the difference and desaturation as they suggested and after that, check them manually to see if any particular picture still needs more refinement that you can fix with the Quick Selection Tool.
If you end up with some fine white area around the subject that you want to remove (typical around hair areas for example) you can select the background with the Magic Wand and then expand the area a little with Select/Modify/Expand. Use a small increment and check to see if it is enough. You should fill the new slightly bigger selection with the black color of the rest of the background.
Unfortunately there is no one fast way to do the backgrounds for every case and most require a bit of work from your part.
Leo

markyboy

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Re: Masking Hair
« Reply #13 on: March 29, 2014, 01:08:43 AM »
Ah i see Lambo. Sorry Wishgranter, I thought you were walking about the Magic Wand tool. I'll give it a go.

Thanks Mark