2011

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consider premultiplying two or more images whenever you have to perform
a color correction or use filtering nodes.
When you premultiply an image by a matte, you should be aware that there
is a very specific brightness relationship between the pixels in the color
channels and the pixels in the matte. Since certain systems that will assume
that you are working with unpremultiplied systems, will also assume this
brightness relationship. As such, the brightness of any color channel cannot
be modified without also impacting the alpha channel.
There are two general rules to remember when considering premultiplication:
1 Only color correct unpremultiplied images.
2 Only apply filter and transform nodes to premultiplied images.
Common Problems with Premultiplication
There are certain problems that can occur when the rules of premultiplication
are ignored. These can range from problems with edges to raised global levels.
Additionally, when the premultiplied state of an image is ignored, there may
also be unwanted fringing around a masked object or the unwanted side effects
that may occur when a node affects parts of an image that it should not.
A possible result of compositing with a premultiplied image would be slight
lightening or darkening of the composite areas where the foreground matte
is semitransparent.
Another common problem is when color correction has been applied to a
foreground premultiplied image. This could result in the blacks in the scene
being elevated above the value of 0, which means that even though the matte
channel may still specify that the surrounding field is in black, the RGB
channels may have some small, often visually undetectable value.
Premultiplication Tools
Composite includes two tools for the purpose of premultiplication functions:
the Premultiply tool and the Unpremultiply tool. The Premultiply tool
premultiples an input image (see
Premultiply Tool on page 413). The
Unpremultiply tool unpremultiplies an input image (see
Unpremultiply Tool
on page 414).
338 | Chapter 15 Premultiplication