foreground to dark

[stevenm]

Any suggestion on brightening the foreground of this pic would be appreciated. I tried the dodge too but it looked phony. I figure there must be a better way. TIA

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1mGBgpxG6jPxsFc6qQSNX45XGoY3S1_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1mGBgpxG6jPxsFc6qQSNX45XGoY3S1)

[Diana]

Hi Steven,

The best way to do a selective adjustment to an image is to use a mask. If you don't have Grant's tools or another add-on layer mask, you can hijack an Adjustment Layer mask to do the job. Here are the steps to apply an effect to part of an image:

Press Ctrl-J to duplicate the background layer

With the duplicate layer active, apply a Blend Mode of Screen. The blend mode menu is just below the Layers palette header, where it says "Normal"

Click on the original background layer to make it active.

At the top of the first layer in the layers palette, there is an icon that looks like a half white/half black moon, the Create Adjustment Layer icon. Click on it - it will open a menu - Select Levels - it will open a dialog box - just click OK without making any adjustment.

This will create a new layer, between the two image layers, with a white mask attached to it.

Click on the top image layer, then press Ctrl-G (to group with previous). The masked layer will indent.

Click on the white Mask of the adjustment layer.

Press Ctrl-I - this will invert the white mask to black and will hide the effect you made to the top layer.

Get the Brush tool and select a soft-edged brush - make the Foreground color White

Paint on your image in the workspace over the area of the subject to lighten it.

If the effect is too light, click on the top layer and lower the Opacity as needed.

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1bBeDiqnM9nmJhn7jQk16mC9caQ2D1_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1bBeDiqnM9nmJhn7jQk16mC9caQ2D1)

Hope this is understandable to you and that it helps.

Diana

[Diana]

Steven, I just experimented with your image a little more because the screen adjustment left the subject looking a little washed out.

So I dragged the top Screen layer to the Create New Layer icon to duplicate it, then changed the Blend Mode of that new layer to Soft Light. That seemed to help improve the color contrast.

You can adjust the Opacity sliders on both the Screen and Soft Light layers to optimize them to your liking.

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1vuQr7psXRTadzcbbIH0FvgcsBUeCI0_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1vuQr7psXRTadzcbbIH0FvgcsBUeCI0)

Diana

[Daviskw]

Hi there

I used ACR to lighten the face.... then tried to even out the color noise... I didn't have a lot of luck with good tone. I played and played and only made it look over-processed. I've always had problems with strong back lighting.

I could do even less with the existing background so I tried adding another...again limited success.

Too tired tonight to play with it...but what the heck may as well post anyway.

Butch

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1UuJ2qkKmlLmNi6StLvbPTPvHYkL1h_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1UuJ2qkKmlLmNi6StLvbPTPvHYkL1h)

[Jeff Perry]

Steven, an additional way to try, is to load the image into Adobe Camera Raw (ACR) and apply some fill light adjustment. What you see will help determine if there is too much noise in the shadows to make a good image. Frankly in my opinion, ACR is a good place to start with every image. All of the adjustments are non-destrcutive, not changing your image file at all.

With Elements open, go to File>Open As> and select Camera Raw from the drop down list at the bottom. This will work even if your image is a JPG file.

Navigate to your image and open it in ACR. Make your adjustments, and then when you are ready to go into Elements, click "Open Image". Once in Elements apply whatever additional corrections you need and Save AS a new file name.

Jeff

[stevenm]

thanks to all for your quick and thorough response. Will try each one. I liked your approach Davis, looks like a new photo

[stevenm]

how did you get it loaded in ACR. I couldn't even figure it out. When I tried it came up as static, like on a tv.

Hi there

I used ACR to lighten the face.... then tried to even out the color noise... I didn't have a lot of luck with good tone. I played and played and only made it look over-processed. I've always had problems with strong back lighting.

I could do even less with the existing background so I tried adding another...again limited success.

Too tired tonight to play with it...but what the heck may as well post anyway.

Butch

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1UuJ2qkKmlLmNi6StLvbPTPvHYkL1h_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1UuJ2qkKmlLmNi6StLvbPTPvHYkL1h)

[frank abramonte]

stevenm, tough to bring back a normal skin color, however, here's my attempt at clearing up the backlighting.


http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1CepHc68AxqDHWoAB959rkxDnj3IWe_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1CepHc68AxqDHWoAB959rkxDnj3IWe)