mdchachi (1611) 2007-01-06 12:38:12

The foreground is underexposed therefore you can brighten it up using a contrast mask. This brightens up the dark areas without overexposing the light areas as a simple brightness/contrast adjustment would do. The basic procedure for a contrast mask is to create a new layer w/ layer set to Overlay, convert to black/white (desaturate), invert, and blur. Then adjust the opacity to your liking before merging the layers. In this case, I actually did a contrast mask at 99% opacity, followed by an auto-levels, followed by a second contrast mask at 70% opacity. For a more detailed explanation of this technique, see http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/contrast_masking.shtml

mdchachi (1611) 2007-01-05 02:26:43

This is a classic shot where a contrast mask comes in handy to brighten up the dark areas. Basic procedure for a contrast overlay is to create a new layer w/ layer set to Overlay, convert to black/white (desaturate), invert, and blur. Then adjust the opacity to your liking before merging the layers. For a more detailed explanation, see http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/contrast_masking.shtml

mdchachi (1611) 2006-12-09 22:39:37

This is just another idea of how to crop this shot.

mdchachi (1611) 2006-12-09 22:27:05

I used a contrast mask to brighten up the dark areas without overbrightening the light areas. See here for more details regarding contrast masks.

I also cropped more of the concrete column out of the shot.

mdchachi (1611) 2006-12-07 00:52:03

This is the original frame. I considered posting the whole frame but I think the single subject shot is more engaging. Let me know what you think.

mdchachi (1611) 2006-11-18 13:08:59

This shot desperately needs a contrast overlay to lighten up the dark areas without blowing out the light areas. Basic procedure for a contrast overlay is to create a new layer w/ layer set to Overlay, convert to black/white (desaturate), invert, and blur. Then adjust the opacity to your liking before merging the layers. I know this explanation is maybe not so good but there are many detailed explanations on the Internet such as this one.

mdchachi (1611) 2006-10-29 19:12:18

This is an ideal photo for use of a contrast mask which brightens up the dark areas without washing out the light areas.

mdchachi (1611) 2006-07-26 07:36:38

A contrast mask is used to brighten up dark areas of an image without washing away the light areas. For details on how to do this in photoshop, see luminous landscapes.

mdchachi (1611) 2006-07-23 20:17:17

This shot is an ideal situation for the use of a contrast mask -- a technique used to brighten up dark areas of a shot without washing out the light areas. Notice how the flowers in the forefront now seem to be better lit from the front and the clouds in the sky are better defined. I also sharpened the shot a bit just before saving. Contrast masking sounds complicated at first but once you get used to doing them they are fairly easy. In fact I use a macro within Photoshop so it's just a single click for me now. For more details on how to make a contrast mask, see luminous landscapes.

mdchachi (1611) 2006-07-21 07:13:35

I increased the contrast to make the picture a little more dramatic then I used Unsharp Mask to sharpen the photo. This last step is very important when working with digital photos. If you don't do this, all your shots will seem slightly out of focus.