In-Flight Models + Photoshop magic = Awesome Images

[Rhinolover]

I recently completed two models displayed in-flight while performing some type of in-flight action such as refueling or dropping bombs.

Here are the most recent builds with a little Photoshop magic.

The original models....

After the magic...

Edited February 20, 2011 by Rhinolover

[Rhinolover]

Edited March 11, 2010 by Rhinolover

[toadwbg]

Kick @ss!

Looks so good I can taste it!

[Manuel J. Armas S.]

WOW....

[Flankerman]

Fantastic pictures

Any chance of a short tutorial about how it was done.....

How to crop the model image and paste it into a 'sky' image. ??

Nothing too technical - just the basics to point us mortals in the right direction....

Cheers

Ken

[GreyGhost]

Fantastic Results !

Gregg

[Rraab]

Holy..., uhh, well you know.... !!!!!

Rhino, I've been impressed by your work on here before, but these pics are just (un?)believable! I especially liked the canopy "rain spots" on a couple of the photos - very ingenious touch...these are undoubtedly some of the best looking models/ photoshopping I have seen anywhere. Totally realistic!

Very inspiring stuff, thanks for putting these up!

Rob

[MarkW]

Very cool shots--and beautifully done birds to blend into a real background so well.

Edited March 11, 2010 by MarkW

[Qian]

OOOOOOHHHHHHHH SSSSSSSSHHHHHH********TTTTTT!!!!!!!!! :woot.gif:

Those pics are SSSSSSSSOOOOOOOOOOO RRRRRRRRRREEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!! :)

Seriously.. Just fantastic! FANTASTIC photography and PS skills!! Now you can show your friends these pics and they'll be fooled for sure!

[ChernayaAkula]

Wow! Phenomenally awesome!

[The Mikester]

Is it real or is it Memorex? Great stuff!

[Janissary]

This is awesome! The shades on the plane seem to match extremely well to the sun position and ambient light in the images. This is fantastic. Perhaps the most realistic job I have ever seen. It won't be fair if you don't tell us how you and the fellow ARCers do this (and what the most difficult part of the entire process is). Pretty please?

Edited March 12, 2010 by Janissary

[Rhinolover]

This is awesome! The shades on the plane seem to match extremely well to the sun position and ambient light in the images. This is fantastic. Perhaps the most realistic job I have ever seen. It won't be fair if you don't tell us how you and the fellow ARCers do this (and what the most difficult part of the entire process is). Pretty please? :)

Thanks for all the kind compliments. I'm glad you all like the images.

I don't know how the magic happens. I can only build the models. The photowork in way above my skill level. Maybe on of them will chime in and enlighten us both.

[John Krukowski]

I liked your models already but this is just over the top! I don't use the word "awesome" lightly but THIS is friggin' awesome.

John

[Aigore]

OK, That´s my fav pic....and there is no way for me to tell that´s a model!

Awesome modelling and insanely good PS work! Hat´s of to the team effort!

Cheers!

[HOLMES]

The original models....

After the magic...

PHEWF!!!!

AMAZING.....STUNNING bit of work there Rhinolover...

LOOK so REAL...cannot tell they are models....

[JohnS]

Thanks for all the kind compliments. I'm glad you all like the images.

I don't know how the magic happens. I can only build the models. The photowork in way above my skill level. Maybe on of them will chime in and enlighten us both.

I'll give it a try.

Here’s a short write-up describing how Adobe Photoshop Elements (PSE) was used to make Rhinolover’s in flight photos.

First, it's best to start with high resolution photos of a great looking model and the desired background.

No, not that kind of great looking model!!!!!!!!!! … at least not for this project.

Note: You can start with the background photo first, and then take a photo of the model from an angle that suits the background. Or, if you already have a photo of the model, you can select a background photo with a similar perspective as model photo.

When selecting and downloading any photos off the Internet, it’s always important to understand the copyright restrictions (if any) associated with the photos.

Here’s a couple of screen shots of Rhinolover’s beautiful F-14 Tomcat, and one of the selected background photos, opened in the PSE program.

Note: Some background photos may need to be modified (enlarged, unwanted images removed, colors enhanced, etc.) by using the same PSE techniques as I describe below.

I’ll quickly run though the steps used to combine the model and background photos. I’ve identified some of the PSE tools used and the modifications made with red arrows in the attached screen shots.

Step 1:

The outline of the image to be placed on the background photo was traced using the PSE ‘Polygonal Lasso Tool’.

PSE has a number of adjustment settings to feather and smooth the edges of the traced outline.

Note: Don’t worry about making a mistake as you can go back and retrace the image.

Step 2:

Once the image has been traced, it was copied (I cut it in the attched image for illustration) using the PSE/computer’s Clipboard functions.

Step 3:

The image was pasted on the background image using the PSE/computer’s Clipboard functions. It was positioned and resized as necessary, using the PSE tools.

Step 4:

The PSE magic begins. The colors, brightness, shading, etc. for the aircraft image were adjusted to suit the background and to get overall desired effect. Each image pasted on the background becomes a PSE ‘layer’, and each layer can be modified/adjusted individually.

PSE has a number of tools to modify/enhance the layers and the final image.

Step 5:

The magic continues. Using the same PSE tools as in Steps 1 thru 4, the model’s canopy was modified to make it look transparent against the background.

Step 6:

The refuelling hose was added. The hose image was copied and pasted from another photo using the same PSE tools as in Steps 1 thru 3. The hose ‘layer’ was then modified to blend into the aircraft image and background, using the same PSE tools as in Step 4.

Step 7:

Once the total image was completed, all the individual layers were ‘flattened’ into one final image layer, and saved as a 'jpeg' file.

… and voilà, the final Photoshopped image of Rhinolover's beautiful model.

[Rhinolover]

Now I'm really impressed by the work you guys did. I thought getting the Hasegawa kits built and painted was tough work.

[Flankerman]

I'll give it a try.

Here’s a short write-up describing how Adobe Photoshop Elements (PSE) was used to make Rhinolover’s in flight photos.

Thanks for taking the time and effort to show us how it was done....

Much appreciated.

Ken

[Janissary]

Excellent tutorial. Thank you very much! Transparent canopy trick was really great. I wonder if the initial extraction using the lasso tool takes a lot of time (~30mins) or if it is fairly easy to do (~5mins). Even after the tutorial, my eyes are still fooled by how realistic it looks. Great job!

[TomcatFanatic123]

The pictures are fantastic! I actually showed my mom and she didn't believe it was a model! The tutorial was very interesting, and I'm going to try this on one of my builds one of these days.

[JohnS]

Thanks for the feedback.

... I wonder if the initial extraction using the lasso tool takes a lot of time (~30mins) or if it is fairly easy to do (~5mins). ...

I found that using Photoshop becomes easier and quicker with practice. You need a good eye and steady hand on the mouse when doing the tracing. Tracing Rhinolover's Tomcat took less than 5 minutes.

I've been using Photoshop for a number of years, but since it's such a powerful program I'm still learning new ways to use its tools.

Here's one of my first attempts using Photoshop. I took two photos of one of my cars - one with the hood open, and one with it closed, - from the same angle & distance. Using Photoshop, one photo was overlayed on the other and modified, with lots of trial & error, to make the hood look semi-transparent. I used this same technique (without the error part ) on the Rhinolover's F-14 canopy.

[C-130CrewChief]

We should pin this in tools and tips. Outstanding! the pics look like they came from Navy.mil.

Curt

[HOLMES]

JOHN S's Guide is pretty clear and should be pinned. I for one who is useless or have a aversion to these things could try to use it later. <_<

Thank you John s.

[Janissary]

Very cool result with the car hood. You know you can make a living with these skills nowadays. I can see this overlaying idea being used for models before and after paint/decals. Or, same angle same lighting without and with armament. Very refreshing!