I use Photoshop Elements that came bundled with my scanner. It costs about $50, I think. There is a "Magic Wand Tool" that is useful when changing backgrounds. Click an area and it selects all the similar colors in that area. Then click Edit / Select Similar and all similar colors will be selected. It will get some areas that you do not want, so look the picture over and deselect those (check the manual for that - I'm getting too long here already). With a sky, once it is all selected (surrounded by moving dashed lines - referred to as 'marching ants'), go to a picture of the sky you want, copy, return to the original and select Edit / Paste Into. You can move the pasted scene around (click-hold-drag) until you see what you like. Then do control-D (dead ants) to remove the moving dashes and lock the new sky in place.
It sounds a bit involved (Photoshop is like that) but not bad once you have done it a couple of times. If you really mess up, do File / Revert to undo all changes from your last Save, and start over.
George In Midcoast Maine, 'bout halfway up the Rockland branch
Hope the exception wasn't at a grade crossing.
Jon
Mike,
Great shot through the window. I wonder what a video shot through the window would look like as your train passed by.
Photoshop has some excellent masking tools (for a price ). The one I used for this is called a "lasso" tool, which allows for detailed cutouts; though, if you enlarge the photo, you'll see I did it in a big hurry. Actually, I bought the application because I'm also into genealogy*, and I'm forever coming across old photos which are in rough condition. Photoshop offers a terrific "healing" tool that is very useful for removing creases, stains, and etching. But, it's got many other uses as well. Another member here has done some really great work in blending his layout into "real-world" outdoor images. My hat is off to him for his work.
*Ah, yes, genealogy!!! Another expensive hobby (research memberships, computers, travel, postage, fees to local, state, and federal agencies for documentation). And plenty of eccentrics, perfectionists, and nit-pickers. Model railroading rivet counters have absolutely nothing over a fanatical genealogist (and I count myself among the very worst of the lot). If anyone cares about the subject, this is my website: www.sabin-clary.com.
Lynda
Cutting out the edges is always the hardest part. Does Photoshop have a tool that does it for you? I use Paint Shop Pro, which doesn't. I have to blow it up real big and go pixel by pixel.
Not to diminish your scene, which is flat freaking fantastic - a couple licks in Photoshop.
I love the mood your scene captures. It's full of life and demonstrates so exquisitely what detailing can do for a layout. I can only dream!
Way cool!!!
Alex
Happy New Year to you all. Looks like if you weren't at the Scoot-A-Boot last night you might have been at the wrong place, looks to be a busy place
Looks like standing room only, and a few of the drivers don't know how to park.
Not to worry, the local Law Enforcement had everything under control. Except........
There are always the exceptions on New Years Eve, I hope no one was seriously hurt.
As for me, I was a nice little boy and stayed home and watched everything from my upstairs window . Mike