Often during outdoor photo shoots my bride/groom's faces are underexposed, as photogs like to shoot in the shade.

How can I selectively add FX to an area of a video scene, such as just the face?

Often during outdoor photo shoots my bride/groom's faces are underexposed, as photogs like to shoot in the shade.

How can I selectively add FX to an area of a video scene, such as just the face?As you are saying "photo shoots" these are still - yes? OK, then use one of the Bump Map lighting devices. Of course slide the BUMP levels down and just use the "lights", otherwise the Bride will NOT thank you! Use one of the up-lighting devices. It will make a great difference and allow you to impart some really effective remedies.

Another way is to use a 2 track approach, copy Event from Track1 to Track2 and use Bezier masking and then either reduce Gain on Track2 and/or apply Levels OR Colour Curves or Bump map lights to Event on Track1.

Much to do, but a little goes a long way. Less is more . ..

Grazie

You would need to create a mask some way to specify which areas are to be adjusted. One way is to use the Cookie Cutter.

Track 1: Original footage with Cookie Cutter over the area to be adjusted (probably want a FEATHER on the cookie cutter)

Track 2: Adjusted footage with the FX applied

So the adjusted footage would show through the hole created by the cookie cutter.

Now... different masking may be needed as the cookie cutter only has limited shapes. However, the masking tool in Pan/Crop is much more flexible. Both of these techniques are fully described in my newsletters (http://www.jetdv.com).

Thanks Edward and Graham.

I had been playing with both bump maps and cookie cutter, but was having limited success.

I have never gone to the trouble of learning how to use the masking tool, but this would appear to be the time to learn!

Thanks for the link Edward.

masking in pan/crop tool is great but it's gotta be done for every single clip separately while cookie cutter being a VFX can be applied to the whole video track. But then again you gotta do what you gotta do

Actually the adjustments are being done to 4-6 second clips, so masking would be fine.

The cookie cutter is working out perfectly. My problem was that I didn't realize/remember you could completely eliminate the border, and since I re-discovered that this morning everything has been working out perfectly.