dark lines!

Could anyone please tell me what's gone wrong here?


[IMG]http://i1021.photobucket.com/albums/af340/rogerhlane/WaterLily012crop.jpg[/IMG]

In PSE9, I used the quick selection tool to define the white area of the lily, which was getting near to being burnt-out.
I then used levels to darken the selection & thought it pretty good.

Looking closer, there is a dark line around the area.

How can I achieve what I want.... without the line?

Thanks,

Roger.

Roger, I'm afraid I can't see your image (I think its a browser issue), but I have seen this before, and I think it is because the selection is too harsh.

Try this - once the area is selected with the quick selection tool, look for the small rectangular button on the 'toolbar', (just above the image window and below the menus) 'Refine Edge'.

Click this and it'll open a dialogue. You use the smoothness and feather sliders to 'smooth' the transition between the selected area and non selected area. I would just try a few settings and see - maybe 2/3rds of the way up on the sliders to begin.

Also, with blown highlights, in the levels dialogue you shold be using the bottom scale and the right hand triangle, the white one, and move it away from the right edge to the left. You could also try the command 'Highlights / Shadows' - the highlights slider in this can work well to reduce blown highlights also.

Thanks, Nigel. I'll try the Refine Edge settings!

Cheers,

Roger.