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Question

Correcting perspective of lighthouse and house

Forum|Forum|9 years ago
November 25, 2016
5 replies
2028 views

This is an example of the image that I have in mind. Taken at 24mm with a full frame camera it has considerable distortion. When I try to correct the entire image at once with the perspective tool, I can get the right wing of the house straight but then the lighthouse starts leaning. Someone explained to me once that I need to correct such an image in two steps: first select the lighthouse with the marquee tool, correct it with the Skew tool (or was it Deform?) and put on its own layer. Then repeat the same process with the building and finally blend the two halves together using layer masks. However, I must have forgotten a few critical steps because I cannot get the images to align. Can you point me to a tutorial?

Thanks!

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E

edgrimley

Participating Frequently

Try the adapative wide angle filter. Draw a line across the roof top, right click and set to horizontal. Draw a line down the center of the lighthouse right click and set it to vertical;

K_Georgiadis11735984Author

Known Participant

Excellent suggestion, thank you!

D Fosse

Community Expert

The biggest problem here is the underexposure. With that out of the way:

Standard procedure in these cases is to correct vertical perspective, but not horizontal. The former looks "natural", but the latter tends to introduce so much secondary distortion that it ends up looking artificially warped (as of course it is).

Circular objects are always a problem because of rectilinear correction in the lens. In order to maintain straight lines, corners are stretched, distorting round objects away from the center of the frame. The wider the angle the worse it gets, and the more geometric correction you apply the worse it gets.

Dave's approach is the best one. But in this case I would leave horizontal perspective alone, just correcting vertical perspective and corner stretching of the lighthouse top.

Just as a worst-case scenario, take a look at this, where perspective is fully corrected in one go. It looks awful, doesn't it...

K_Georgiadis11735984Author

Known Participant

Thanks D Fosse, points well taken. As to the exposure, the lightmeter was fooled by the considerable amount of white and the relative brightness of the sky. It was easily fixed in post.

sterne200

Known Participant

Not so sure on all of this - but seems as if you are getting some good guidance - advice.

Highland Lighthouse in North Truro ?

S

K_Georgiadis11735984Author

Known Participant

Yes, it is the Highland Lighthouse in North Truro.

Trevor.Dennis

Community Expert

K_Georgiadis wrote:
Yes, it is the Highland Lighthouse in North Truro.

Yes exactly, and lighthouses taper. Plus you are not perfectly square to the buildings, so the roof line shouldn't be parallel to the top and bottom edges of the image.

davescm

Community Expert

Try perspective warp then fill the gap at the top with content aware fill.

Dave

K_Georgiadis11735984Author

Known Participant

I am going to give this a try! Thanks!

davescm

Community Expert

Great - if you get stuck shout. To be honest I tried a few methods with your image but, because of the multiple distortions, perspective warp worked best.

Dave