# Perform a creamy picture like this.



## hangovertini (Dec 4, 2012)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pootaro/5685848921/in/set-721576266064480 46/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pootaro/5686435158/in/set-721576266064480 46/



These 2 pics were shot in high iso settings which should make lots of noise, but they looks very clean and creamy, smoothy.
I've tried several ways to perform like that but unable to archive such level.

I guess that was "Noise reduction" + "Sharpen Edge", any idea?


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## Colin Robinson (Dec 4, 2012)

hangovertini said:


> http://www.flickr.com/photos/pootaro/5685848921/in/set-721576266064480 46/
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/pootaro/5686435158/in/set-721576266064480 46/
> 
> 
> ...



The flickr pages shows both were taken at 400 ISO. I would not consider this to be "high" ISO for a modern quality camera.


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## clee01l (Dec 4, 2012)

This is the reply that I gave you on the Flickr site.





> The photo was shot with a 4mp Sigma P&S . This camera uses a Foveon sensor which is very different from the sensors found in other digital cameras. This also might count for capabilities beyond what you would normally expect in a digital camera. I could find nothing in the EXIF that suggested that LR was used for processing and may merely have been the conduit for the original image which might have been a SOOC JPEG.


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## Victoria Bampton (Dec 4, 2012)

For reference, also cross posted here: http://forums.adobe.com/message/4895113


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## Glenn NK (Dec 4, 2012)

hangovertini said:


> http://www.flickr.com/photos/pootaro/5685848921/in/set-721576266064480 46/
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/pootaro/5686435158/in/set-721576266064480 46/
> 
> 
> ...



I've been experimenting with the Adjustment Brush to soften backgrounds (make them more creamy if you wish), and the experiment is going very well.

It's not difficult, but it's better if the main subject has well defined edges.

Working in the Develop Module, the first step is to select a brush and turn on the Auto Mask.  You can research this on your own if not familiar with the workings of AM.

The "K" key turns the Brush on and off.  However when in the middle of a procedure it's convenient to hold the space bar down to zoom around the image.

In the brush settings, I typically use -100 for Clarity and +100 for Noise.  Away from the edges of the subject, Sharpness can be set to -100, but this can result in some strange effects at the edge, so I use it later on for areas that aren't "creamy" enough.

If the main subject is large, has simple edges, and is well defined one need not zoom in, but working around complex flowers (for example), I usually use a 1:1 or 2:1 setting but occasionally zoom in as much as 8:1 or even 11:1.

I normally have Density and Flow settings at 100, and usually use no Feather.

For the first pass around the subject, hold down the Space Bar in order to be able to move around the image with the mouse.  In order to change the zoom ration, the "K" must be used to turn the brush off.

At a zoom setting of 2:1 it's easy to see the results.

Once I've gone around the entire subject, I sometimes start over and to a second or third pass.

With the outline finished, the general BG can be brushed - at this stage, I often turn Auto Mask off, as if there are any well defined edges you wish removed, this will do it.  An interesting example of this process is "fixing" bad bokeh.  I've taken image with multiple bright circles in the BD, and greatly smoothed them out so as to be no longer objectionable.  But be careful with Auto Mask turned off - it will smooth everything, including the subject.

Another setting I use for the BG, is a negative value of Sharpness - this really takes care of bad bokeh.

All the other Brush adjustments can be used including the Colour settings.  I've never use the Temp and Tint settings, but these could be very effective.  On occasion, I use the colour picker.  Open up the colour tab, and while holding down the mouse anywhere in the picker, drag to an area that has the colour you desire and let go.  Now the brush will be painting with that colour - note this isn't as easy as it sounds (at least so far for me).

Other interesting settings are Exposure and Shadows - negative values for these will create a black BG for the subject - useful at times for flower photography.

Of course, one can use the Adjustment Brush ON the subject to change all the attributes available in the brush - softening skin, increasing/decreasing contrast, etc.  It's limited only by one's imagination and resourcefulness.

In conclusion, I've been using the Adjustment Brush with very good results when I don't want to focus stack, but use a single image at a small f/stop.  This produces a horribly busy and distracting background which can be "creamed" right out more easily than stacking and fixing the stacked image (which has some serious limitations I've found).

My profound admiration goes to the geniuses that came up with the Adjustment Brush tool. :angel:


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## Mark Sirota (Dec 5, 2012)

Glenn NK said:


> In the brush settings, I typically use -100 for Clarity and +100 for Noise.  Away from the edges of the subject, Sharpness can be set to -100, but this can result in some strange effects at the edge, so I use it later on for areas that aren't "creamy" enough.



As a trick, set the Sharpness to -50. This will completely disable sharpening, but won't introduce the gaussian-type blurring that begins at -51.


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## Glenn NK (Dec 6, 2012)

Mark Sirota said:


> As a trick, set the Sharpness to -50. This will completely disable sharpening, but won't introduce the gaussian-type blurring that begins at -51.



Mark:

Thanks for the tip - it will be useful.


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