Examples / Darken
This example covers the artistic development of a relatively low dynamic range photo. Lower dynamic range photos can require a pre-darkening (burning in darkroom terms) in order to develop.
The photo started with this stitched un-developed negative built using the batch script and a stitching program.
After opening and inspecting the full size stitched negative. The Image Size was changed to something smaller to quicken the time it takes to develop. Note that the batch script can later be used to apply this development to the full size stitched negative.
Development of the Smaller File
Looking at the negative I knew I wanted the final developed sky to get darker than the negative in certain places. Before correcting this I had to get the contrast setup to get an idea of how much darker I would need to go.
The contrast tool was used to add contrast to the image.
With the contrast set to the best possible initial guess at its final setting, it is even more obvious that the entire sky needs an exposure reduction. Since localized exposure reduction (or burning) doesn't work well in Photoshop in a Linear Colorspace, the exposure of the entire image is going to be first reduced, and later artistically increased to develop the image.
Right above the background layer a Levels Adjustment Layer was added to reduce the overall exposure of the entire photo such that the sky was dark enough to work with.
Artistically Drawing in the Exposure
This shows an example work through using the dodge tool to paint in the exposure.
Use the dodge tool to create the dodge/base and dodge/mask layer construct which will enable development of the image. Then using a white hard edged brush of a large diameter, very roughly paint in the foreground.
Setting the Maximum Exposure Increase
Using a white brush gives the maximum amount of exposure increase. However the default setting of dodge dodge.htm in this case might not allow enough exposure increase in some areas. So double click the dodge/mask color box.
Then use the Color Picker to choose a lighter shade. This will up the max exposure level which can be drawn into the dodge/mask.
Now lets remove the hard light in the Layer Mask of the dodge/mask layer using a Gaussian Blur.
At this point the photo's sky is roughly as dark as it is going to need to be, and the foreground is as light as it is ever going to need to be. With the maximums set, all that needs to be done now is to refine the dodge/mask Layer Mask and paint in the proper exposure across the entire image.
Drawing In Exposure
First apply Levels on the dodge/mask Layer Mask to reduce the output level which will reduce the exposure on the ground (ie the area which was painted white previously).
Then using a large brush with a very soft edge and very low opacity, start darkening and lightening the dodge/mask Layer Mask to refine the exposure across the image.
Then use small brushes and even less opacity to keep on refining the dodge/mask Layer Mask until finished exposing the image.
The red tint displays the darker areas of the dodge/mask Layer Mask. Notice how areas of the sky were not lightened and how even areas of the foreground such as the base of the trees were selectively exposed less the rest of the foreground for dynamic effect.
Finishing Up
Afterwards a Hue/Saturation Adjustment Layer was used to adjust the color, the batch script was used to apply the adjustment layers of the smaller development image to the full size stitched negative, and the result with a final crop is this.