Frequency Separation Issue

[Erin25196590tq6p]

:sparkles:CALLING ALL PHOTOSHOP EXPERTS:sparkles:

Hello all!👋🏻

I’m having an issue with my frequency separation. I’ve followed various tutorials. One was working for me, then about a week ago, I started having an issue where, instead of blurring textures, the Gaussian blur was turning the selection gray or black.

For this past week, I’ve tried getting help from Adobe, but they’ve been no help-every time they didn’t even know what I was trying to do. I’ve tried trouble shooting and searching on google, but nothing is working. I’m just really frustrated, but don’t want to give up because it was amazing the first couple of times I was able to do it successfully. 😭😭😭

Would anyone be able to help me?

[kevin stohlmeyer]

Hi @Erin25196590tq6p can you share a screenshot of your workspace with the layers panel showing and the layer for the blur selected? This looks like your layer blend mode is wrong.

Adobe support wont be able to help with specifics like this - fortunately you've come to the right place.

[Erin25196590tq6p]

This is what my workspace looks like.

[Erin25196590tq6p]

Here's the area selected.

[c.pfaffenbichler]

To what exactly did you apply the Layer Mask/Selection – the Layer or the Group? 

[Erin25196590tq6p]

I applied it to the low frequency layer. I was just showing a selected portion. Sorry if that's confusing. 🤦🏼‍:female_sign:

[c.pfaffenbichler]

I applied it to the low frequency layer. 

That does not seem to make sense, try applying it to the Group. 

And in the future please post better screenshots that show the whole relevant Layers stack in the Layers Panel. 

[Sef McCullough]

Hey @Erin25196590tq6p , right - it looks like maybe your selected area is duplicating up to a new layer and the blending mode is setting back to Normal, not Linear Light. Are you using an action or script to generate your separation layers?

Generally, Gaussian Blur (or better yet - Median) should be used on the entire Low/Tone layer, then the High/Texture layer is created via Apply Image.

I have seen some tutorials that show selecting areas of skin and simply blurring them with Gaussian Blur to remove blemishes. It's important to know that's a pretty outdated method that's been abandoned in favor of more high-quality methods such as using mixer brush, healing brush, remove tool, CA Fill, etc.

Not sure if that's the method you're using but it will create some visible degreadation in skin quality.

Let me know if you have questions!

Sef

[Erin25196590tq6p]

I've tried using a script and an action and both end up having this same result. I still don't understand what I'm doing wrong. I'm not entirely sure how to use those other tools-that's why I was just using the lasso from a tutorial I watched-because it worked for me once. 

[davescm]

Hi,

Try these steps:

1. Make 2 duplicates of your image layer

Name the lower - "Low frequency"

Name the Higher - "High Frequency"

2. Select the Low frequency layer and use Filter Gaussian Blur (around 6.0)

3. Select the High frequency layer
Go to menu Image > Apply Image
Set the source layer to Low Frequency
Set the blending mode to Subtract
Set Scale to 2 *
Set offset to 128 *
Click OK

4. Change the blending mode of the high frequency layer to Linear Light

5. Now you can clone out blemishes on the high frequency layer and lighten or darken areas on the low frequency layer





* Note - the above steps are for 8 bit/channel images. For 16 bit/channel images step 3 changes slightly

3. Select the High frequency layer
Go to menu Image > Apply Image
Set the source layer to Low Frequency
Check "Invert" next to channel

Set the blending mode to Add
Set Scale to 2
Set Offset to 0
Click OK

Now carry on with step 4 above

Dave

[Erin25196590tq6p]

I tried following the instructions, but I ended up with the same results. 😞

[davescm]

Your screenshots show the two separated layers and a selection made on the forehead with the High Frequency layer targeted. What exactly did you do next?

Dave

[Erin25196590tq6p]

I selected the low frequency layer and clicked filter>blur>Gaussian blur and started toggling the selection up. It starts getting gray at about 20 pixel something.

[davescm]

If you go too high with the gaussian blur setting it will start using areas from around the selected skin to form the blur, such as the hair, and will therefore darken the blurred area. Don't raise the blur setting to high.

An alternative, after making your selection press Ctrl+J to copy that part of the low frequency layer onto a new layer between the low and high and then apply your new blur. That way the blur will only use pixels from within the selection border

[c.pfaffenbichler]

I selected the low frequency layer and clicked filter>blur>Gaussian blur and started toggling the selection up. It starts getting gray at about 20 pixel something.

By @Erin25196590tq6p

I had missed that post earlier but this seems to be even curiouser … you named the Layer »Low Frequency« but it’s actually not or why are you applying Gaussian Blur to the Layer itself at this point? 

Maybe you should start using Smart Objects and Smart Filters – that way it might be clearer what exactly you have been doing. 

[davescm]

I think the idea of the extra Gaussian Blur on the LF is to smooth out any colour variations. Personally I tend to stick to repairing fine detail on HF or general lightenting/darkening by painting on LF

Dave

[c.pfaffenbichler]

Yeah, but what is this setup supposed to achieve unless the LF-layer has already been blurred (as the HF-layer is already in place with »Linear Light«-Blend Mode)? 

I assumed the LF-Layer would be blurred and one would mask the Group. 

Maybe the OP wanted to locally increase the Blur, but doing that destructively would seem imprudent to me. 

[davescm]

I agree - it does seem a strange method to apply

Dave

[Signfeld]

As an aside, I sometimes have seen weird things and fills happening when...

- I haven't restarted PS in a while

- I haven't rebooted the OS in a while

- I haven't done my monthly connection to Adobe in a while