Fog an image to white

Using Photoshop to simulate the technique used in the "Beyond Borders" movie poster...

Dulio from San Diego with Windows XP and Photoshop 7 writes:

How do I do a pic like this where you fade the face except for the eyes, nose and lips using photoshop 7 thanks (Referencing the "Beyond Borders" movie poster.)

This is relatively simple.

1. Use the Lasso to select Number of pixels beyond the point you want the fad to END (Make some measurements)
2. Make a loose selection (in that zone) around the area to SAVE
3. Choose: SELECT > FEATHER
4. Set the Feather amount to roughly double the number of pixels
5. Choose: SELECT > INVERSE
6. Hit DELETE

This should render a nicely "feathered" zone around the subject leaving the desired image parts in tact.

Method 2:

1. Click "New Layer" button next to trash in the layers palette


2. Tap "B" or select the brush tool


3. Observe the Options bar across the top of the screen, and set your brush to a relatively large (21 or so) SOFT edged brush. (Brush size depends on the size of the art, and area to be fogged.)


4. Tap "D" (Resets default colors) Tap "X" (Makes white the foreground)

Begin painting in from the edges, on the new layer, in white to 'manually' introduce the fogging/fading effect, until you've removed the background and isolated your in-focus image parts.

That should do it -- except the Photoshop team had so much fun doing this technique they recorded the steps and published a color pictorial at: www.graphic-design.com/Photoshop/whiteout.html

Please keep us informed of progress. Send out a small screen capture or thumbnail of the finished art, so we can show everyone.

See past cases:
http://www.graphic-design.com/Photoshop/Tips/index.html
Or post a new emergency:
http://www.photoshop911.com/emergency.html

Comments

[Mal. Walker]

I read with much interest the procedure for ghosting an image. But I'd like to take it a step further. How would fog affect the colours/brightness/tones in, say, an old English manor scene? Let's call it midday. Can someone tell me where to start in adjusting the picture, before the white fog. Should it be more a grey fog, anyway?

By the way, I am retired, have been taking pix for 50 years (since the days of Ilford FP4 and Dektol....) and I have some serious Canon gear, so I'm not a complete beginner. One of the best days in my digital photography life was the day I discovered this site. IT is abso-bloody-lutely marvellous.
Mal.

[PS 911 replies]

Mid-day would be bright, we would assume.

However, assuming it's not -- try this:

1) Make a new layer
2) fill with white
3) Apply the "Clouds" filter (experiment with settings)
4) reduce opacity until the underlaying "manor" scene appears.

This will give the effect of "fog"

Adjust this with the ERASER tool, and a large, soft-edged brush.

Carefully and softwly erase 'clouds' from the TOP of the image
to get the effect of ground fog... "Toolie Fog"

Experiment with layer blending modes

Let us know how it turns out!

[mamamia]

how do I enlarge a photo that was taken at low resolution (72) to make it clear enough to print a nice print for a 4x5 with clarity