Best way to convincingly extend a sky vertically

[parkerbrown]

I have an image of a clear sky, which I wish to extend the height of, seamlessly. There is a slight gradient in the sky - but overall the tone is pretty consistent.

What is the best way to convincingly extend this region of the image?

 

[jimoblak]

Expand the canvas.

Select the sky with a feathered edge at the horizon.

Transform by stretching the sky upwards.

- - I hope this helps - -
_{(Complain to someone else if it doesn't)}

 

[parkerbrown]

Maybe I'm missing something here, but...

Ummm, isn't that just going to give the impression that the sky has been distorted?

Any inconsistencies in the sky tone will "stretch", making the extension very obvious.

 

[duncdude]

I think jimoblak is quite right... you mention the sky is clear so how on earth would anyone be aware you have stretched it? Unless you are expanding it an outrageous amount that is...

Can you post a shrunk sample of the pic?


Kind Regards
Duncan

 

[jimoblak]

There is a slight gradient in the sky

This is why stretching it may be ideal. Without the ability to see it, this is the first approach I would take.

- - I hope this helps - -
_{(Complain to someone else if it doesn't)}

 

[parkerbrown]

OK, fair enough.

I have to extend the height of the area by about 200%, though. When I mentioned slight inconsisentcies, there is some slight, feint wsipy clouds.

I wasn't aware that we could post images in this forum?

 

[parkerbrown]

Just tried your approach guys, and due to the grain in the image it is quite visible that the image has been "stretched".


Have you another method which might work more convincingly?

Should I perhaps soften the grain by using some sort of blur filter (gaussian??), and then try your approach. And then maybe do a slight "Add noise" to regain the slight grain that the original image had.

 

[duncdude]

Strangely enough i have just had to do exactly the same - i used a Xenofex plugin that creates skys & clouds. It is quite sensational. The client accepted the first proof... quite something considering it was a poster and all of the sky was removed and re-created digitally. An accolade to the software - not me. I just created a mask - ran the plugin - mucked about with random seeds until the clouds looked like i wanted them to - accepted that - hue/saturation to adjust the sky colour - and finally added a very light noise. Awesome software indeed.


Kind Regards
Duncan

 

[kiddpete]

Go outside with a digital camera. Take a picture of the sky. Use it to extend your image.

 

[parkerbrown]

Kidd, ensuring that the lighting and tones are the same as my image would be somewhat difficult using your method, I think.

Dunc, I'll look into that plug-in, thanks.

Any ideas on how to do this using PS's standard toolset?

 

[duncdude]

Hi parkerbrown

I, like yourself, was faced with the problem of 'adding' to the sky - and even requested to do so by the client. But i found that it was easier to make an entirely new sky which i had control of. It really did work a treat. You might have some luck with this link - which would save you the hassle and expense of Xenofex:-

http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=U&st...t/forums/showthread.php?threadid=18758&e=9797

Kind Regards
Duncan

 

[juzzo66]

hi park,

I was reading post and I totally agree with duncdude, create your own sky and then you can make it any depth you want. I have done this before and has worked nicely.

 

[kiddpete]

I regularly photograph interesting sky views for use in pictures where I want a 'better' sky, or where more sky is needed than the existing image has. You do, of course, replace the whole sky.