Lighter green, and how to make it

After getting a "revolutionary" idea, I discovered a nice way to turn green (foliage) in the picture much lighter. This is also an updated method on what I did on my latest 'The Sunday Challenge':
www.ipernity.com/doc/serola/45281312

To do this you most likely need the free GIMP software, and that is because I think there is no exactly the same "Value layer mode" available on PhotoShop. Well, very likely there are more sophisticated methods to achieve similar results on something like LightRoom, but I just never have had a chance (money) to play with it.

What you need is three layers on GIMP, where two of them are duplicates of the original: docs.gimp.org/en/gimp-using-layers.html

Then on middle layer, first open'Colors → Components → Channel Mixer', switch it to 'Monochrome', and choose values something like Red=-50, Green=+200, and Blue=-50. This way you get a "black and white mask" to turn the greens lighter.

Next use 'Mode' menu in the 'Layers' dialog to change 'Value' for the black and white middle layer, and 'Lighten only' for the top layer. The value means something like using the "brightness" of that layer, and let the hue and saturation "come through" from lower level(s).



As a result you get pretty good image where the greens look much lighter, and yet the white areas are still white. On my earlier version I forgot to fix the white areas, and therefore the pure white areas turned out as gray. And that is because blue and red hues are turned darker on those white areas. Therefore the fix to "lighten only" is needed.

See also notes for more information. And check out the full size image to judge how good the details are: www.ipernity.com/doc/serola/45284128/sizes/o

I also tried other methods to do the same, but they just don't work out (or I just don't know how). But you may wish to check them out as well.

One was to change the color curves separately: docs.gimp.org/en/gimp-tool-curves.html

Another idea was to use 'Hue - Saturation' to turn greens lighter: docs.gimp.org/en/gimp-tool-hue-saturation.html

8.8.2017 update and credits

Thanks to gudrun for advicing to use 'Foliage' on 'Nik Collection: Color Efex Pro 4'. It is possible to make Nik Collection work with Gimp, but it is not easy to get it installed.

On Gimp for Windows: bernhardhuber.blogspot.fi/2013/05/using-niksoftware-in-gimp.html
On Gimp for Linux: www.evolware.org/?p=440

I have manage to get it run on Windows, but on Ubuntu Linux I failed to get even Wine installed. I may still try it some day.

Thanks to Pam for suggesting to experiment some more with 'Hue - Saturation'. Like saying above, it is another option, and by setting G (green channel) for something like 'Overlap: 100; Lightness: 50; Saturation: 100' you do get pretty good results.