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That is one way to swap a head- Photo Thursdays

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I usually do my tutorials in Picasa, but this is one thing you really need Photoshop for. So what do you do when you get the perfectly cute picture of the baby but it is not the best picture of mom?

Find another picture and swap the baby’s head, of course.
This is what it looked like when I was done.
There is more than one way to swap a head. This is just one way. I have swapped heads different way but this is the first one I was taught.
First open BOTH pictures in Photoshop at the same time.
If you see the far left of the picture below, you will see that I have selected the clone stamp tool. Select it the clone stamp as well.
In the upper left corner, as in the photo below, you can select your brush size and type. Select and very straight forward brush and pretty small brush around 15 or so.
Open the picture with the face you want. Can you see where my brush is, on the photo below? It is at the corner of one of his eyes. I do that so you have a very specific starting point. Bring the brush over his eye and clone (by pressing alt over the eye). Then go to the other picture and start clicking, at the same spot you did in the other picture. In our case, his right eye.
Keep clicking until you replace the baby. You can do the whole baby or just his head. Since his dad’s hand was on him in this picture, the only way I could make it look realistic was to replace the whole baby. Try not to go over the edges of the baby when you replace or you are going to be replacing other parts too.

After he is replaced, use the clone tool to replace and fudge the lines. I needed his mom to have a little bit more arm because Baby was covering some of it. So I cloned her arm and brought it down to cover the gap.
Add some levels and brightness and you are finished.
Some people have this idea that you can replace any head in any picture with any head from another picture. The pictures need to be the same distance away, or the head is going to look way too big or small. The pictures also need to have similar lighting or it will look extremely fake. Most of the time, just taking more pictures is a better option, unless you are in love with a photo and you think you can pull a head swap off.

More ways to swap a head later. If you have any questions, e-mail them to me @ debrajoyhawkins at gmail.com

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Comments

  3. says

    Great tips!! I take horrible photos so when anyone is snapping pictures of me, I make them take at least five of each pose. They hate me for it!

    Reply

  6. says

    Very nice! Great photo…after the head swap. Still the others were great too – more candid.

    Here from Friday Follow. Stop by my neck of the woods if you get the chance.

    Reply

  7. says

    Hi..I’m Barb from Fri. Follow. I am your newest follower. I hope you will get a chance to visit my blog @ santasgiftshoppe.blogspot.com
    & get inspired by something for your family/home. I hope you will follow me as well.
    Also I'm having a Link Party Monday April 12th called "My Creative Space" @ Santa's Gift Shoppe Year Round..Would love you to join in.

    Reply

  8. says

    One of these days I'll get round to doing a PhotoShop course…. It's def on my List! 😉

    We had a professional photo taken of my inlaws and all the grandkids as an anniversary gift, and the photographer swapped my FIL's head from one pic to the next! You'd never know!

    Found you on the FF & now following.

    🙂

    Annette
    http://www.mammakerr.com

    Reply

  12. says

    Hi! I'm a new follower visiting from Friday Follow 🙂 I hope you'll come visit me at A Lovely Place to Land and join the "do-it-4-you" link party, a celebration of using our talents to love on others!

    Reply

  20. says

    I'm lucky enough to have photoshop-my husband is a retired photographer, but I've never attempted anything other than very basic stuff. (And to be honest, I rarely, I mean *rarely* ever use PS.)
    I want to, though. Maybe I can learn a few tricks from your blog!

    Following via the Friday Follow~

    Lisa @ All That and a Box of Rocks

    Reply

  23. says

    Happy SITS Saturday Sharefest!

    You have convinced me that I need to get Photoshop. About a year ago I swore off portrait studios, bought our own fancy camera and I STILL very rarely go to the manual mode. I am a chicken. I am going to read more of your posts and see what I can do! Thanks.
    Have a great weekend!

    Reply

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