Those of you are using Photoshop CS must have come across Shadows and Highlights. This is a very useful filter to use for correcting shadows and highlights in photos. Also it can be used in a non-destructive way which means your image will not be affected by the adjustments.
Step 1 : I have opened this free stock image from ~Amliel
You will find it here. It belongs to
You will find it here. It belongs to
http://amliel.deviantart.com/
Step 2 : In The Layers pallete right click the layer thumbnail on the Background Layer. From the popup menu click on Convert to Smart Object.
This is how the Layers palette looks after conversion of the image to a smart object.
Step 3 : Go to Image>Adjustments>Shadow/Highlights.
Step 4 : The Shadows/Highlights dialogue box opens. Click the Show More Options.
Step 5 : As soon as you click more options appear which may look confusing, but it is not.
Step 6 : Drag the Amount and Tonal Width sliders to 70% and Radius to 50% of the Shadows.
This is how the image looks.
Step 7 : Drag the Amount slider down to 35 and Radius to 25. There is nothing hard and fast about it. Start of at between 65 and 70 for the Amount, increase the Tonal Width, then decrease the Amount. Decrease the Radius also. You will be able to see the effect on your image as you drag the sliders.
Step 8 : Now let us come to the Highlights. If you drag the Amount slider to the right, it darkens the image.
Step 9 : Drag the Amount to 70%n and Tonal Width to 25%. Now reduce the Amount to 50%. The radius is set at 25%.
Step 10 : Now let us come to the Adjustments. Increase the Color Correction and Midtone Contrast sliders slightly. I have increased them to +30 and +10 respectively. Click OK.
This is how the image looks after the Shadow Highlights correction.
Step 11 : If you want to see the original image just click eye icon the small white hand points to.
Step 12 : When you click off the eye icon you can see the image you started with.
Step 13 : Double click the Shadow/Highlights. It will bring back the Shdows/Highlights dialogue box, should you wish to tinker further. It also brings bac the edited image.
The corrected image.
Other Photoshop tutorials are here.
