Keeping shadows when cutting out

CW
Posted By
CJC Williams
Dec 18, 2008
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2118
Replies
5
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Closed
Looking for advice as to the best way of doing this:

I take photos of products against a white background, then eradicate the background using a layer mask. I would like to keep in the shadow detail ‘as is’ rather than having to redraw it.
I’ve tried cutting out just the shadow area, putting it onto a separate layer, then setting that layer to multiply, but when imported into InDesign it doesn’t maintain the transparency, and you get a white box.

Any suggestions of away around this?
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CW
CJC Williams
Dec 18, 2008
Another way of looking at it, which may be clearer…

Is there a way to convert a black-to-white gradient (which is what the shadows are) to a black-to-transparent gradient?
WG
Welles_Goodrich
Dec 18, 2008
Hi CJC,

I’m not positive that this is answers your question regarding InDesign as I don’t use it but… When I have an image on a white background with a shadow which I wish to use on another background I use a very simple techinique using a freeware plugin called Peel Off White.

I’ll first select the white background with the Magic Wand tool and delete to get rid of most of the white. Next contract that selection by a pixel or two and run Peel Off White to get rid of any white fringe. Now select the shadow area and run Peel Off White a second time on the shadow selection to get a transparent area with only the black information left.

<http://www.bergdesign.com/plugins/>
AR
alan_ruta
Dec 18, 2008
Without an external plug in you can do it two ways:

1: The shadow area must be on a separate file–then you can set that file to multiply in ID.

2: Do a color range of the shadow in photoshop and create a mask so the previously white areas are not transparent. Then you can place just one ps file in ID.

alan
CW
CJC Williams
Dec 18, 2008
2: Do a color range of the shadow in photoshop and create a mask so the previously white areas are not transparent. Then you can place just one ps file in ID.

Doh!!

I should have thought of this, since I use the same method for doing semi-transparent ares (like windscreens/sunglass lenses)

Thanks for prodding me in the right direction Alan
J
JunkMailer
Dec 18, 2008
I have to use this technique a lot with studio shots of autos on white backgrounds for some of the ads I do. It adds a nice grounding to the vehicles on the page so they aren’t "floating" around. Here’s how I do it:

First, I duplicate my original image onto a new layer in PS. Then on the duplicate layer, I mask my object, omitting the shadow. So I now simply have a psd with 2 layers. Next I place the psd into ID and set the blending to multiply. Then I copy and paste the same image in place (on top of my first placement) and set the blending to normal. Last, on the "normal" layer, I go into the object layer options and turn off the base layer of my placed psd, thus only showing the object and not it’s shadow. Now group the two instances of your psd and you have a solid object with a transparent shadow underneath. You could also adjust the intensity of the shadow by simply adjusting the opacity of the bottom object that displays the shadow.

Keep in mind when you multiply white in a PS doc, it doesn’t eliminate white. It only changes how other colors below the white pass through. If there is only transparency below the white area it will still appear as white when exported/placed into ID.

-JM

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