Way over my head (GIMP)

[amethyst_jean]

Any photo editor I've had before has been very basic (crop, rotate, change colour effects), none of the stuff that is in GIMP which is one of the ones suggested to me in another post. Even if you don't use gimp maybe you can help me, because I'm sure many of the terms are the same and I can find them in my program. There are so many things that I don't know (and I went through the tutorials on the gimp site) but I will ask only one for now. I have a photo and I have one part that I want to decrease the brightness and another that I would like the original or brighter, and only apply a smoothing affect to that part. I assume this is done in layers, but I have never used layers before so I have no idea what to do. Do I duplicate my picture as a new layer, create a new transparent layer and copy portions of my picture that I am going to work on, or something completely different? TIA

[ohenry]

If Gimp can do layer masking, the fastest method is to add an adjustment layer that darkens the entire image, then add a layer mask to that layer, fill the layer mask with black (which hides all adjustments), then using a paint brush with white selected as your foreground color, make sure you have the layer mask selected, then paint in the areas that you want to darken (areas with white in the mask reveal adjustments). The results are that you'll darken the areas that you selectively paint in. You can do similar layer adjustments with another layer, stacking the layers.

I can't give you more specifics since I don't use GIMP.

[Keith Reeder]

Actually Jean, you can do that sort of selective editing quite easily without layers in a little freeware application called Photofiltre.

Simply "draw" around the area you want to adjust using the Lasso tool and then select the required adjustment from the menu - Photofiltre applies the adjustment only to the lassoed area.

Just a thought, in case you find yourself struggling with layers. I use Photofiltre in this way for quick localised fixes all the time (toning down a "hot" patch on a bird's plumage or blurring a distracting background feature, for example).

I can be done and dusted in the time it takes for Photoshop or PaintShop Pro to open!



It's a very nice little editor for the more basic kinds of image processing.

[amethyst_jean]

ohenry...oh boy!! You lost me. Man I am so stupid I'm going to read up more on the GIMP site to see if I can understand.

Keith, thanks for the info I'll try it.

GIMP has a lasso tool, but I don't know it can do the same thing. I'll try and see.

Thanks for the suggestions.

[carlalex]

In the Gimp You can use the scissor select tool to select the area you want to lighten or darken. From the colors menu you can use the brightness contrast sub menu

Carl

[amethyst_jean]

Thanks Carl. I do love that scissor select that is so cool.

(Another) Question...can you use that kind of thing for cloning? I don't always want a brush shape they have. For example, if you see Help with lazy eye? I've cloned my eye to compensate for the lazy eye, but the eye is not a perfect circle and I had to paint and airbrush around the iris to make it more realistic.

[carlalex]

Yes, you can copy the selection to the clip board and make as many copy's as you like

Carl

[amethyst_jean]

Thanks Carl.

And Oh Henry I did figure out how to do what you meant, although I still don't quite get layers in general and have found that I can do the selective retouching so working with one layer so far.

[carlalex]

GIMP 2 for Photographers

This is a good guide for using the Gimp

Carl

[amethyst_jean]

Is that supposed to be a link? It doesn't work or not for me. I still have much to read in the users manual but I scanned through it and read all the tutorials (before I realized I needed to read the manual for basics like "where the heck is that?")...still not so sure about the "what the heck is that?" (for some things) lol

[Keith Reeder]

Nope, no link there.

[carlalex]

Here's a link
O'Reilly Media | GIMP 2 for Photographers

[amethyst_jean]

Thanks carlalex...I will check it out soon.

I figured out a few things and edited my first two photos and made my signature pic using layers for the first time, but ot so sure about how layers works in photos. I will continue to read up though.

[fjbyrne]

Might I suggest:

GIMP - Documentation

You should read about the Quick Mask. It is really great for selections.

[amethyst_jean]

Thanks fjbyrne. I have been to docs.gimp.org which I think is the same.

Carlalex I put a reserve on that book at my library but there are two people ahead of me so it could be 6-9 weeks for that. Still I have the gimp documentation to go through and probably find more info on the web. I'm sure I could find info about what layering is/does in photos generally regadless of program. Once I know what it is and how it works i can figure out how to do it in GIMP.

[fjbyrne]

Another good resource is:

Gimp-tutorials.net - Gimp , tutorials , brushes , downloads, forum.

[cmchavis]

Originally Posted by amethyst_jean

Thanks fjbyrne. I have been to docs.gimp.org which I think is the same.

Carlalex I put a reserve on that book at my library but there are two people ahead of me so it could be 6-9 weeks for that. Still I have the gimp documentation to go through and probably find more info on the web. I'm sure I could find info about what layering is/does in photos generally regadless of program. Once I know what it is and how it works i can figure out how to do it in GIMP.

Sorry for the late reply - newly joined and saw the thread. You might want to look for GIMPshop. It's a free frontend/interface for GIMP that gives it a photoshop look and feel. It's not a perfect clone, but makes it much easier to use.

-Chris

[yaksha]

Dear jean
There is easier software called Photobie which also has layers.This is much simpler learning curve. you may download the same from Free Software Downloads and Software Reviews - Download.com.
Now your problem. select the portin of your image cut it paste it as a new layer. go tothe layer. adjust the lighting or the shadow as required.
merge the layer no 1 and layer which you have adjusted . Your Image is ready
if you stillhave any doubts please do not hesitate to ask

Yaksha