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D
DaBrownCO
Inspiring
February 27, 2019
Answered

Needing Guidance with Clone Stamp and Multiple Layers

  • February 27, 2019
  • 1 reply
  • 1276 views

I'm not sure if this is the right place for this or not so do let me know if not.

I have three images that I exposure bracketed with 1/3 stop difference. What I want to do is to combine these into a smart object and do Stack Mode Median to sharpen the combined images. There is also a few distracting objects that I have to clone out.

My questions are:

  1. When I convert the layers into the smart object, blended in Normal blend, is there one specific layer that would be the resulting exposure or does the process sort of combine the images and the exposure is of the combined images? Maybe averaged?
  2. How to I go about removing the distracting objects non-destructively?
    • I had the thought to use a layer mask on one of the layers, clone stamp out the objects, and then duplicate the layer mask to the other two layers. When I tried to do this the target area turned into a transparency and did not clone the source area. I'm not sure if the issue is that I brought the images into Photoshop by choosing the images in Lightroom and choosing 'Edit as Layers in Photoshop' so they are essentially Raw Image layers.
  3. I don't want to combine these using HDR and since the exposures aren't that far apart, I don't think I have to mess with luminosity blending nor do I want to. Is there another approach I should be doing or is just combining them, getting things sharpened with Stack Mode Median, and then adjusting afterwards in Camera Raw the right way to do this?

Thanks!!

David

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer davescm

Hi

1. The median stack mode takes the median (middle value) from the non transparent pixels in the layers being combined.

2. Do the first part of your process as normal so you have your stacked image. Then add a new empty layer at the top of the layer stack. Set your clone stamp tool to sample "Current and below" in the options bar. Then clone away on the empty layer.

3. Personally - If I am not taking advantage of either HDR or using stack modes with separate exposures to remove moving elements or reduce noise, I prefer just to use a single exposure developed in camera raw with minimal capture sharpening and leave other sharpening until sized for final output, be that print or web.

Dave

1 reply

davescm
Community Expert
davescmCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
Community Expert
February 27, 2019

Hi

1. The median stack mode takes the median (middle value) from the non transparent pixels in the layers being combined.

2. Do the first part of your process as normal so you have your stacked image. Then add a new empty layer at the top of the layer stack. Set your clone stamp tool to sample "Current and below" in the options bar. Then clone away on the empty layer.

3. Personally - If I am not taking advantage of either HDR or using stack modes with separate exposures to remove moving elements or reduce noise, I prefer just to use a single exposure developed in camera raw with minimal capture sharpening and leave other sharpening until sized for final output, be that print or web.

Dave

D
DaBrownCOAuthor
Inspiring
February 27, 2019

Hi Dave,

That's RIGHT! on the Median Stack. Geez, I wasn't thinking on that one.

Re #2: That worked, but is there a way to do this using a layer mask? The reason I suspect this works is because all the layers use Normal Blend mode. If that wasn't the case, then the objects would show through, right? When I choose All Layers, there doesn't seem to be anything happening. Why is that?

Note, I tried to use the Patch Stamp Tool, but nothing seemed to happen to the object I wanted to remove. Thoughts?

Re #3: I agree with you. Since the brighter images were shot hand-held at 1/30th down to 1/13th of a second I thought the Stack Mode Median may be a way to take advantage of the tonal range of the various exposures and reduce camera shake. Maybe sharpening wasn't the accurate term here.

I also did some further processing and I must say I got some pretty good results on the first set I tried this on where I didn't need to do any clone stamping.

Thanks

David

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