Is it possible to clone and keep parts

[jparnold]

I have a photo of a monument which has a shadow across it and I am wondering if it is possible to modify part of the background without loosing the writing on the monument.
Here is the photo.I have modified part of the photo where I could. I have circled the area which I would like to modify so that all the monument stone looks the same without disturbing the writing on the monument -

[Ken Berry]

If you managed to modify that little bit -- I assume by cloning -- why couldn't you do the rest? The big parts are easy with a big size cloning tool, and then you reduce down -- again as I assume you did -- for the fine bits between the letters. (I just did this very quickly so didn't really fill in all the gaps around the letters or re-do the white line...)

[jparnold]

Yes I DID do some cloning but the EASY bits (not in and around each character in the text).

I thought that there may be a way to clone so that the cloning only applied to certain parts of the image without loosing selected parts.
I was hoping that there might be a method to change like in FLOOD FILL where you can adjust the TOLERANCE and also select the MATCH MODE so that the flood fill was only applied to parts which were within the tolerance selected.
Maybe I will try using MAGIC WAND TOOL to select the parts in the shade and then adjust brightness/contrast or something other.


Hey I see that you have moved (now in NZ)

[Tadjio]

One method is to Select an area and then the Clone only applies when cloning into that area.
Or you might want to select the area not to Clone and use 'Invert Selection'.

[df]

There's no easy way of doing it, but I'd try a different approach.

-First, correct for barrel distortion. I'd say a strength of 40 would be good.
-Next correct for the tilt, uncheck the crop image on the tilt dialog.
-Next I'd use the selection tool to select a rectangle of the image that you want the rest to look like.
-Promote that selection to layer.
-Use the pick tool to move that selection over the part of the monument that you want to change.
-Set opacity to about 75%, you may try changing the blending mode to Multiply or Darken but I didn't see much difference from Normal.
-Select the background (bottom) layer and use the magic wand tool to select the text as best as can be, then use another selection tool like the smart edge set to add to select the text that the magic wand didn't want to select. Once all text is selected switch to the promoted (top) layer and create a mask layer from the selection, show selection.
-Now you can change the mask layer if need be using the air brush tool.

Save as a PSP image to retain the layers if further editing is needed (do this even if you think you're all done on anything that takes a good amount of time and effort) then save as a jpeg, but DO NOT SAVE OVER THE ORIGINAL.

It will take time and only you can tell if it's worth it, but that's how I'd do it. There's probably other ways too.

[jparnold]

Thanks DF

I was able to follow your instructions easily until I got to the bit about selecting the text.

I have used magic wand selection a fair bit and have used it with COLOR, BRIGHTNESS etc and know how to use TOLERANCE to get all the bits I want but have a problem. I have never worked out how to select ALL the 'bits' in the image which 'match the COLOR (or BRIGHTNESS) within the TOLERANCE I have set. In this example I mean how to select ALL the characters without having to hold down SHIFT and then left click on every character. Is there an easier method to select all the different 'parts' of the image which have areas between them which are different?

[Kathy_9]

Snip

-Next correct for the tilt, uncheck the crop image on the tilt dialog.

Dan - I'm lost on this part. Where is the tilt dialog?

Thanks,
Kathy

[Tadjio]

@jparnold:-

Try uncheck 'Contiguous' in the Magic Wand Tool Options.

Did you try my Clone into a Selection?

[jparnold]

No I didn't try your method Tj, when I got to read the other reply your's had also been posted and I overlooked it.
It certainly looks a lot easier so I'll give it a go now.

[wds937]

... I'm lost on this part. Where is the tilt dialog?

The Straighten Tool and the Perspective Correction Tool (both of which could be applicable to this image) both have the Crop Image check box.

[Kathy_9]

Oh, okay - thanks.