How can I create a heavily edited underwater composite with smooth blending?
Asked 5/26/2020
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2 answers
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I enjoy underwater photography and I’m trying to understand how to achieve a final image like the example shown: the original file looks flat and green/blue, while the edited version has a darker, cleaner background, simplified colors, and the subjects stand out much more.
It looks beyond basic Lightroom color grading. I suspect the result was made in Photoshop or similar software using compositing and masking rather than a simple channel swap.
If an underwater image is built from multiple edited layers or background replacement, what techniques are typically used to blend those layers smoothly and make the final result look subtle and believable?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
6y ago
2 Answers
3
Is this only pure picture and color grading?
The image has obviously been heavily edited in Photoshop or similar.
- The background has been entirely replaced.
- Part of the diver's shirt has been removed.
- The luminosity of the fins has been altered.
- The colors in the final image have very little hue variation.
How does one end up with an image like the one shown... ?
The Channel Mixer is unlikely to be useful in this case. Techniques involved likely include:
- "Hand coloring." – Try using color layer blending.
- Background replacement. – Try using layer masks.
- The usual essential photo editing tools: levels, curves, cloning, layer blending, masks, etc.
Writing a tutorial covering all of these techniques is overly expansive. There are plenty of tutorials online. Consider asking Google or YouTube.
Originally by user75526. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user75526
6y ago
0
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The example is almost certainly more than simple color grading. Based on the visible changes, it appears to be a heavy Photoshop-style edit or composite.
Typical techniques would include:
- background replacement or heavy darkening of the original background
- layer masks to blend subjects and background smoothly
- curves/levels for contrast and tonal control
- cloning/healing to remove distractions
- selective color work or “hand coloring” using color blend modes
- local adjustments to brightness, such as changing the fins and clothing separately
A channel mixer alone is unlikely to be the key tool here. The edited image shows very reduced hue variation, cleaner separation of subject from background, and removal/alteration of details, which points to masking and retouching rather than a single global correction.
To make blends look subtle, the usual approach is careful masking with soft transitions, then matching brightness, contrast, and color between layers so they share the same underwater look. In practice, this is standard compositing workflow: masks, blending, curves/levels, and retouching.
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