Black background

[viv ash]

I have being trying to practice with creating black backgrounds using an adjustment brush in Lightroom CC - but each time I apply the brush it does not create a total black backdrop, and items in the background whilst being darken can be still be seen. In demonstrations I have seen the brush creating a total blackout including any background objects as it is applied. I know you can apply another brush onto top to make the the background darker, and subsequently darken the background objects ... but I never seem to manage a clean black drop where the background objects disappear and can not be seen. Any ideas what a

 

[Victoria Bampton]

If you're trying to darken something really light like that, you'd need more than 4 stops of darkening. That means you'll need to duplicate the pin once, twice, maybe even three times.

 

[viv ash]

Hi ..thx for the comment ... The light colours work OK .... buts in this case its the boots - I have tried multiple duplicates and whilst the the boots get fainter and fainter (merge into black) the outline is still visible . I wonder if the slider settings need to be changed?

 

[Gnits]

You would have the same problem with very dark and very bright colours if you just tried to dodge and burn in Photoshop.

The best way to do this is create a selection of the main subject in Photoshop and paint the colour of your choice on an inverse selection onto a second layer.
I am not sure if you have a Lr Subscription or Perpetual licence as you may have a licence to use Photoshop. If you have not used Photoshop before this would be an acquired skill.

Lightroom has improved the tools available to edit images, but for what you are trying to do, with this image, Photoshop currently would be a better option.

 

[viv ash]

Playing with the lightroom sliders with full power on exposure, highlights ..... and blacks - you can get a solid black cover as a single layer .... but where the black touches the puppy is another story.

The attachment below was just to see if I could hide the boots in a single brush stroke.