What does the background look like?

**Inspired** · 22-12-2009, 3:36am

I have looked at the photo on 3 different computers 2 out of 3 the background is completely black - the 3rd i can still see all the velvet material and texture etc. Can you please tell me what you see? (I am wanting it all black)
Thanks so much

**I @ M** · 22-12-2009, 5:40am

Nicole, looking at it here I can see different colour and texture within the red highlighted areas.

**Longshots** · 22-12-2009, 8:24am

That means that 2 of the 3 computer screens were not correctly calibrated. And yes I can see the same areas highlighted and some more.

**ricktas** · 22-12-2009, 8:42am

Yep, I can see the background too, on a calibrated monitor. There are several ways you can fix this if you want a pure black background.

1. Use the Burn tool, work slowly and carefully
2. Use levels adjustment layers
3. Use curves adjustment layers
4. Make a selection and darken it

**Inspired** · 22-12-2009, 1:07pm

Thanks everyone! I thought i was going crazy for a minute! I sat here the other day and "burned" (like you said rick) all the backgrounds on the photos on my desktop pc (i have been using my laptop with no problems but the charger went dead so i have been using the desktop while i wait for a noew one!) In the meantime i have enjoyed using the desktop more, found it easier/faster etc, so i thought i would use this from now one...But yesterday i got a new charger looked at all my images and was like oh crap! it was like i hadn't edited them at all!
Guess i will have to continue with the laptop until i get my screen calibrated!

Thanks so much for taking the time and showing me - much appreciated, as i wasn;t sure which computer was out! (thought it was the desktop but was hoping i was wrong, as i just did 30 images! haha)

**Raven** · 22-12-2009, 1:21pm

I can see the background too! TBH I like the texture it gives and thought it was supposed to be like that

Think I saw the pics in another thread somewhere

I only had a lappy for a while there and got a bit of a shock when I got a new imac because I had patches that I thought had been brushed out black. Maybe it has a bit to do with the size of the screen too

because my lappy was calibrated with a spyder.

**Inspired** · 22-12-2009, 2:11pm

Originally Posted by Raven

I can see the background too! TBH I like the texture it gives and thought it was supposed to be like that

Think I saw the pics in another thread somewhere

I only had a lappy for a while there and got a bit of a shock when I got a new imac because I had patches that I thought had been brushed out black. Maybe it has a bit to do with the size of the screen too

because my lappy was calibrated with a spyder.

Thanks Sam. I quite like the texture too, but the mum (My friend) said she wants them all to appear as there's no background/solid black.

Its a big shock isn't it like you said - you think you have done something then you see it on another screen and its like hrmmm thats not what i thought i did.
Can't wait to get my desktop monitor calibrated, i just tried fixing them on the laptop and i'm going barmy already! Seems it doesn't want to 'burn' wear i want it too. just doing its own thing. I have the cursor on the black background and it burns on bub instead so dont know whats going on there!

**Raven** · 22-12-2009, 2:33pm

Do you know how to use the history palette?
Take a snapshot of the photo as it is.
Go to levels and choose the black dropper and then choose the lightest part of the background and click on it. You'll end up with a very dark photo but take a snapshot of that too. Select the first snapshot as the one to use with the history brush and select the dark photo as the one you want as the top picture. Use the history brush to brush the people back. Make sure you take a snapshot once you're done.

Takes a bit of practice but I find that to be very effective!

**Inspired** · 22-12-2009, 2:48pm

history pallet? hmm not sure? sorry (i know how to do things but not sure what its called half the time)

Snapshot - is that whe i control J do the droper and then ALT add new layer mask? and then paint? or am i completely on the wrong track? Thanks for taking the time out to help - much appreciated!

**Raven** · 22-12-2009, 3:13pm

You can find the history palette in the same area where the actions are kept. It has it's own little tab. If you click on the history tab, down the bottom of the dialogue box there is a little camera and it takes a snapshot of your work as it is in that point in time. The history brush is the one under the clone stamp. It has a little dotted circle on it.

It is quite complex to use the first few times but I find it easier than layers for some things. I'm not in any way a PS expert (actually I suck at it lol) but I was shown this trick and I do lots of things this way now.

**umajo** · 22-12-2009, 3:23pm

thanks Raven am going to try this

**Inspired** · 22-12-2009, 4:00pm

Thanks will try it. My new laptop charger has just stopped working too! (argh! - not having much luck with this charger business!) AS soon as i get one that works and my laptop is up and running i will be trying it! Thank you!

**Inspired** · 22-12-2009, 8:21pm

OK i just had a bloke come a calibrate my monitor - is this any better (just looking at the background as i haven't done anything else yet) Does the background look solid now? Have attached to different ones, just incase i subconciously did extra on the first since i knew where the part where that needed working on thanks to you wonderful people

My BW looks alot darker now then before he came!

**Wayne** · 24-12-2009, 8:37am

The first (your latest post) looks like a black image, the 2nd pic underneath I can see the texture of the velvet background.

**Inspired** · 07-01-2010, 1:36pm

Thanks wayne..much appreciated!

User Tag List

Thread: What does the background look like?

Thread Tools

Display

What does the background look like?

Posting Permissions