Photoshop for Photographers: Lighting Effects

Learn to create amazing lighting effects in post-production with Photoshop.

Lighting is central to photography and most of it is captured during a photo shoot. However, you can often create amazing lighting effects after the photo is taken with Adobe Camera Raw and Photoshop. Photographer and teacher Chris Orwig shows you how. First, you'll learn to modify exposure and enhance the color and quality of light with Camera Raw. Then turning to Photoshop, Chris shows how to mask corrections to a specific area of an image and add contrast and color with blending modes. Plus, learn to dodge and burn away shadows and add one or more light sources to your photos with the Lighting Effects filter.

Introduction

• Welcome
• Using the exercise files

1. Using Camera Raw to Improve Lighting

• Using the Basic panel to change the lighting
• Creating a more expressive photograph with Camera Raw
• Correcting under- and overexposure
• Improving the color of light on a group of photos
• Enhancing the quality and color of light
• Using the Radial filter to improve light in certain areas
• Improving larger areas with the Gradient tool

2. Changing the Overall Mood with Adjustments

• Changing the quantity and quality of light with adjustments
• Using multiple adjustment to improve light and color
• Using the Targeted Adjustment tool in Curves
• Improving the color of light
• Using the Shadows and Highlights controls

3. Lighting with Curves and Masking

• Painting in brightness with curves and masking
• Fine-tuning the mask with the Density and Feather controls
• Adding light with an elliptical selection, a mask, and an adjustment layer
• Darkening the sky with Quick Select and Curves
• Using gradient masks to improve large areas of your photo
• Correcting exposure with a gradient mask
• Improving a portrait with curves and masks
• Speeding up your workflow by using a mask on two layers

4. Using Blending Modes to Brighten and Darken

• Increasing visual interest with Soft Light blending
• Soft Light blending: Recovering detail
• Fine-tuning Soft Light blending with advanced Curves adjustments
• Using Screen blending to fix underexposure
• Brightening with blending modes and masking
• Using Multiply blending to fix overexposure
• Combining techniques to achieve the best results
• Changing brightness with Luminosity blending

5. Burning and Dodging

• Working with the Burn and Dodge tools
• Brightening by painting on a new layer
• Darkening by painting on a new layer
• Using a Solid Color adjustment layer to burn and dodge
• Improving a portrait by brightening shadows
• Burning and dodging by painting with color
• Darkening the background and fine-tuning the color in Photoshop

6. Using the Lighting Effects Filter

• Introducing Lighting Effects
• Working with Smart Objects
• Adding light and color
• Using multiple lights with one photograph
• Adding light and multiple colors for a creative effect
• Creating an edgy, illuminated look
• Using Lighting Effects to create a surreal effect

Conclusion

• Next steps