Anti-Ghost through transparency painting

Autopano Documentation - Stitching a Livepano > Stitching aerial photos > Using Color correction anchors > Using Anti-Ghost > Anti-Ghost through transparency painting

Using Photoshop masks to remove or keep content

You can use Adobe Photoshop masks to keep or remove some elements in your final panorama.

See on Youtube

Anti-Ghost through Transparency Painting with Photoshop in Autopano

• Building a panorama with a bike rider on each image
• Fast preview render
• Example 1: Removing one bike rider
  • In Autopano Editor images mode, we browse images and choose which bike to keep/remove
  • Photoshop: Adding a layer mask
  • Eraser Tool adjustments
  • Make holes in the mask on unwanted elements
  • Save file
  • Autopano: Reload edited image
  • See results
• Example 2: Only keep the yellow bike rider
  • Add masks in all TIF files in Photoshop
  • Autopano, reload images
  • Results
• Example 3: Remove all bike riders
  • Add mask on yellow bike rider
  • Results
• Example 4: Choosing which bike rider to place into the final panorama
  • Disabling layer mask of the bike rider we want to keep
  • Results
• Example 5: Choosing another bike rider to place into the final panorama
  • Disabling layer mask of the bike rider we want to keep
  • Results
• Example 6:
  • Brush Tool and Eraser Tool
• Example 7:
  • Placing only the bike rider of our choice. Managing masks
  • Autopano: Reload and see results

Example with bike riders on each image

Example with bike riders on each image

In this example we want to only keep the yellow bike rider

Default render of the panorama

• We have a project with 12 TIF files stitched in Autopano Editor.
• We decide to keep only the yellow bike rider.
• To remove unwanted bike riders and only keep the yellow one, we edit masks in TIF files through Photoshop. For each file:

Add a layer mask in Photoshop

Eraser Tool in Photoshop

Example of layer mask

• Using Eraser Tool and Brush Tool, we make holes in fusion masks (not pixels) on image elements we don't want to keep.
• To retrieve/keep content: Use the Brush Tool.
• To remove content: Use the Eraser Tool.
• Adjust radius to your needs, opacity 100%, hardness 100%.

Save each TIF file with these settings

TIF save options

• Image compression: None or ZIP.
• Pixel Order: Interleaved.
• Byte Order: IBM PC.
• Save Image Pyramid: No.
• Save Transparency: Yes (important).
• Layer Compression: RLE or ZIP.

Reload images in Autopano

Autopano context menu ro reload edited images

When all masks are set, reload the images in the Autopano Editor, select all files and right click «Reload images»

Results

Results with the yellow bike rider only

Here we have only kept the yellow bike rider using layers masks in Photoshop.

Anti-ghost markers vs Photoshop masks

One of the main features of Autopano is the anti-ghost. The anti-ghost is an advanced algorithm based on artificial intelligence. It is a smart image-cutting algorithm which is able to keep or remove some elements of your choice into the final panorama.

This tool was created to avoid using advanced and expensive photo editing software like Photoshop. With few markers clicks on unwanted elements, you can obtain what you wish. Then, Autopano keep and remove markers are the best tools to manage wanted/unwanted elements on your final panorama.

This video demonstration will illustrate the speed and ease of the Anti-ghost keep and remove markers of Autopano.

See on YouTube

• Autopano Markers vs Photoshop Masks for Anti-Ghost
• Introduction and presentation of the timed comparison
• Placing Autopano remove markers on each element we want to remove
• Adding masks on each image in Photoshop

Timed both workflow to do the same work

In this example we wish only to keep the yellow bike rider into the final panorama. In both cases we measure time used to achieve this. You can see time elapsed through the stopwatch included into the video.

• With Autopano Markers:
  • On each image with a grey bike rider, we place remove markers (0:27).
  • Place remove markers on main zones of the element to remove.
  • Place keep markers on elements you want to keep.
  • No use to place high numbers of markers, only few are required.
  • In this example, only remove markers was used to only keep the yellow bike rider.

• Photoshop Masks:
  • On each image, we need to add a transparency mask.
  • We erase zones we don't want to keep with the Eraser Tool.
  • To retrieve/keep content: Use the Brush Tool.
  • To remove content: Use the Eraser Tool.
  • Adjust radius to your needs, opacity 100%, hardness 100%.
  • When all masks are set, reload the images in Autopano, select all files and right click «Reload images»

In summary, Autopano Anti-ghost Markers are 6 times faster than the Layer Masks in Photoshop. Learn more about Anti-ghost markers in Using Anti-ghost

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