How To

How to improve contrast using Photoshop Elements

A good candidate for contrast masking: the face is too dark, the sky too bright.

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By Two Hands Gatlin
eHow Community Member

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(2 Ratings)

Contrast masking is a way to compress the brightness range and get good detail in both highlights and shadows. The result is similar to HDR processing, but uses only one image and covers a more limited range of brightness. If the highlight or shadow detail is not available in the original image, it can’t be brought out with this method. In that case, real HDR, using multiple images, might be required.

This process will work in most photo editors, using slightly different menus and controls. This tutorial gives general directions for each step, followed by specific mouse-click directions for Photoshop - although your software version may vary. These instructions will work for most other photo editors; the names and menu locations may be different.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Digital image
Photo editing software (This is written specifically for Photoshop Elements, but the same steps will apply whatever photo editor you use.)

Step 1

Duplicate the layer:
Layer -–> Duplicate Layer
Step 2

Desaturate the layer you just created:
Enhance --> Adjust Color --> Remove Color (or Ctrl+Shift+U)
Step 3

Invert the layer you just created:
Image -–> Adjustments -–> Invert (or Ctrl+I)
You should now have what looks like a black & white negative of the image.
Step 4

Set the new layer’s blending mode to Overlay:
Use the drop-down list in the layers window
Step 5

Apply a Gaussian Blur:
Filter -–> Blur -–> Gaussian Blur
Adjust the radius until it looks the way you want.
Step 6

Adjust the Opacity of the layer until it looks good:
Use the slider at the top of the Layers window
Step 7

Now the boy's face is much more visible, and sky shows more detail.

Tips & Warnings

A free contrast masking plugin for Photoshop is available from www.photo-plugins.com, look under Plugins --> Contrast Mask.

Resources

Comments

catnight said

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on 11/24/2008 Very nice!

SpeaK said

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on 10/15/2008 This article is awesome! Im a Hip Hop artist that also has to make my own album covers as well as album covers for others. This helps out a lot. Thanks! 5 stars