This new tutorial explains how we can improve on the brightness of a dark  and underexposed image in Photoshop.

If you have an underexposed image we recommend that you start with this technique that you are about to see before doing other processing on the image.

Video: Brighten those under-exposed Photos!!

Here’s a summary of the steps:

(View the video for full details and explanations)

1. Load your image in Photoshop.
2. Drag the background layer down onto the new layer icon to create a background duplicate layer.
3. Convert the duplicate copy into a smart object.
4. Select on Filter on the menu
5. Click on Convert for Smart Filters.
6. Then go back to the Filter Menu
7. Click on the Camera Raw Filter
8. You will see the same control that you see in Lightroom and Camera Raw appear on the right section of the screen.
9. Adjust the Exposure slider to adjust the brightness evenly across the image and and until the desired brightness is achieved.
10. Note: Avoid adjusting the Highlights and Whites sliders too much as the image may look more HD instead of getting a natural finish.
11. Click Okay to apply the changes you have made.
12. You can toggle off and on on the duplicate background layer to see the changes that you have made.
13. Drag the duplicate background layer down onto the new layer icon to create a second background duplicate layer.
14. Open the Smart filter on the second background duplicate layer
15. Select the Camera raw filter, this reopen the camera raw filter with the same settings applied from the previous one.
16. Go to the Detail tab and adjust the Luminance slider between 20 and 30 in order to reduce the noise on your image.
17. Adjust the color noise as well by moving the sliders without losing the detail of your image.
18. Click on Ok to save the changes you have made.
19. Add a layer mask on to the second background duplicate layer.
20. Click on Command or Ctrl+I on the keyboard to invert the mask to hide this layer.
21. Select the brush tool with the white foreground.
22. Leave the opacity to 100%.
23. Start brushing on the layer mask to reveal the noise reduction layer.
24. Select both duplicate background layer.
25. Click on the create a new group icon, this will automatically group the two duplicate background layer.
26. Add a new layer mask to the group.
27. Click on the quick selection tool and click onto the sky area.
28. Once the sky is selected lower the opacity level to 30% or 40%
29. Click on the brush tool with a black foreground then brush on to the overexposed sky.
30. Click on Command or Ctrl+D to deselect the quick selection tool.
31. Reduce the opacity level of the Group until the color on the foreground and the sky is balanced.
32. You can also adjust the Density slider to balance out the color between the foreground and the sky.

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This new tutorial will allow you to make the colours on your photos pop and look more vibrant! It is a nice technique you can apply to photos with a great combination of colours .  Changing the image saturation may not be the best option to make the colours stand out and you will find in this video why.  Sometimes, we get a beautiful sunset and sunrise image and we just want to make the colours more stunning and we can certainly do it in Photoshop.

In this tutorial, two  images were used , one is a a beautiful sunset with lots of beautiful colours and the other one where you do not have so much colours  as a sunset image would offer.

Video: Make those colours POP!

Here’s a summary of the steps:

(View the video for full details and explanations)

First Image

1. Load your image in Photoshop.

First Method:

1. Add a Levels Adjustment layer.
2. Adjust the Control points towards each other within the Properties window
3. Adjust the control points until the desired effect is attained.
4. Changing the control points may affect some portion of the images.
5. To correct this we are going to do some layer masking.
6. Click on the layer Mask on your levels adjustment
7. Press Command or Ctrl+I and this will hide the adjustment completely.
8. Take the brush tool with the white foreground colours .
9. Set the Opacity level to 80%.
10. Brush into the parts of the image where you want the colours boosting option to be applied.
    Note: It is not recommended to do this effect all too much at once because it can get a bit heav-handed. Do one colour adjustment at a time rather than multiple colour all at once.

Second Method:

1. Add a Curves Adjustment layer.
2. Apply a simple S-curve adjustment under the Properties window.
3. Changing the control points may affect some portion of the images.
4. To correct this we are going to do some layer masking as well.
5. Click on the layer Mask on your curves adjustment
6. Press Command or Ctrl+I and this will hide the adjustment completely.
7. Take the brush tool with the white foreground colours .
8. Set the Opacity level to 80%.
9. Brush into the parts of the image where you want the colour boosting option to be applied.

Second Image

1. Click on the Hue/Saturation Layer.
2. Avoid using the Saturation slider with multiple colours all at once. .
3. Pick an individual colour at a single time.
4. Then boost the saturation slider of the individual colour.
5. You can repeat the same step with a different colour.
6. Add on a Curves adjustment layer.
7. Apply another S-curve adjustment.
8. Remove the dark shadows of the image by masking the shadows out.
9. Using the adjustment layer of the curves layer.
10. Take the brush tool with the white foreground colours .
11. Brush into the parts of the image where you want the shadows be removed.

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This video tutorial will show you how to use the Orton effect on your images. Make sure you stay until the end of the video because it will show you more steps on how to add a little twist to it making it more interesting!

The Orton effect is such a classic way of enhancing photos that can produce lord of the rings-like images. There is no specific tool for getting this effect we need to make it ourselves and you can adjust the settings depending on the output desired.

Video: Add a dreamy effect on your photos!

Here’s a summary of the steps:

(View the video for full details and explanations)

1. Load an image in Photoshop.
2. From the menu choose Select then click All.
3. Go to Edit menu click on Copy merged.
4. Go to Edit menu click on Paste, this will give you a new layer of the image that merged all the laters you currently have.
5. While keeping the new layer selected. Go to the Filter menu and click on Blur then select the Gaussian blur, this will open the Guassian blur menu.
6. For this particular image you can set the radius to 15 pixels.
7. Then change the blend mode to either Overlay or Soft light, you can choose between the two which mode would yield to a more pleasing outcome. In this sample image soft light is the best option.
8. After changing the blend mode you may change the Opacity level as well.
9. Or Add a layer mark to the merged copy and then use a black brush to lessen the effect to some of the areas where the effect may have come out as too strong.
10. Add a Curves Adjustment layer to your image and then turn this into clipping mask.
11. Hold ALT (Windows) Option (Mac) and then hover your mouse between the two layer
12. You’ll see the mouse change to a square with an arrow pointing downwards and when you can click your mouse and you will see the curves adjustment moves having the tiny arrow icon, this means that anything we do to the curves adjustment layer will affect the layer immediately below it. The other layers will not be affected at all.
13. Use the curves layer to adjust brighten or darken the image by pulling the curve up or down or use the S curve. You can play around with the curves layer until the desired output is achieved.

We surely will be delighted to see your photos using the Orton effect!

Click here now to join Photo Mastery Club and come share your results with this tutorial with your fellow members!

In this week’s tutorial video, Steve shows new technique on how to recover or fix a badly exposed part of a sky using Photoshop.

There are  instances when there are no amount of highlight recovery in Camera Raw can fix a picture with  badly overexposed part.

The sample image on this video is one great example, when you encounter a similar case it can be frustrating and one can feel that what could have been a amazing shot will end up being discarded.

Fret not! There is a way this can be rescued and be made beautiful again.

Video: Repair a Badly Overexposed Sky!

Here is a summary of the steps mentioned:

(View the video for full details and explanations)

1. Load an image with an overexposed sky.
2. Look around the image and find a good section that we can copy and paste over the overexposed section of the image.
3. Select the marquee tool and copy (ctrl+c) that section and paste (ctrl+v) the copied section.
4. Reposition the copied image by stretching it to cover the overexposed section.
5. Once repositioned, make sure that Layer 1 is selected and change the blend mode to Darken, you should see a big difference on the image now.
6. Change the opacity level as well to improve the look of the image.
7. In the video you will see a section where a straight line is visible, we can fix this by:
8. Going back to Normal blend mode add a layer mask.
9. Click on the brush tool with a black foreground colour. Set the opacity to 100% and brush around the edges of the lines.
10. Go back to Darken mode, you will see that the changes is subtle but the lines are no longer visible.
11. You can repeat the same process until the intended look on your image is achieved.

We cannot wait for you to share your photos after using this technique!

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Today’s video will teach you the quickest and simplest way perhaps, the most natural way of improving your sunrise or sunset images.

Sunrise and sunsets are always captivating , capturing it on photos makes it equally amazing. The technique shown in this video tutorial works best if the image you will be using already have a bit of colour in the sky.  You will get a sample of this vibrant or warm color and use it to enhance and make your image more serene.

Video: Intensify your Sunrise and Sunset Photo Colour

Here’s a summary of these steps:

(View the video for full details and explanations)

1. Load your sunset/sunrise image and then add a new empty layer.
2. Change the Blend mode to Overlay.
3. Select the Brush tool and set the Opacity at 30%.
4. Sample a colour from the sky.
5. While keeping the brush tool selected Press Alt on the keyboard (Option for Mac) , you will notice that the cursor will change into an eyedropper tool.
6. Clicking anywhere on the image and this will allow you to get a sample of that colour.
7. In the sample image what we are looking for is warmer colour that is towards a darker shade.
8. After clicking the colour of your choice you will see it now set as a foreground color.
9. Click on the brush tool again and brush the color to the image where you want colour be blended to.
10. You can still tweak the opacity of the image after you have applied the color.
11. You can also switch the blend mode between Overlay and Soft Light to see which option will yield to a better image.