Selection to change sky from white to blue (CS3)

[YellowBudgie]

Hi Everyone,

I'd like to change the white background to sky blue, to the left of the woodpecker in this photo I took.
I've been trying selections and then refining the edge with various settings. I've tried a selection with the barely recognizable branch on the bottom left and without the branch in the selection.

Once I have a selection with a refined edge I've been using Image>Adjustments>Saturation to change the color with the Colorize option checked on.

I can't get the white background to light blue without making it obvious. The blue sky and edge of the tree just doesn't look right (I forgot the term).

Would anyone have some advice on how to change the white background to a natural blue sky color and have it merge well with the bark edge? Removing the left bottom branch from the photo would be fine.

I attached the full photo scaled down to 500x375 and a larger section of the left hand side.

Thanks!

YellowBudgie

 

[SEP]

maye a copy of original>add new layer (normal blend mode)>choose a nice sky blue shade for foreground>select gradient tool (option blue/transparent)>on new layer>drag vertically from top center to bottom>create mask on new layer>selct brush tool with airbrush soft opacity 100%>hit D key for default color>using foreground color(Black), paint away all area over to area wanted blue>adjust layer opacity to 60% or desired look. This may be a long way to do it, I am just a student, I am sure, mindbender or gaussian could have a better idea, Good Luck! attached is a sample.

 

[YellowBudgie]

Thanks Sep!

I think the results look great. Your technique did a much better job than I was able to come up with. Can't wait to try it on the full photo.

Thanks again!