Trick Photoshop

Sometimes for everyday photography or something a bit different the lights and darks in an image can be enhanced with just a couple of layers and a few basic tools to turn the image into something worth a second glance.

Again let me tell you that the image is not important, but the technique. It can be done in any version of photoshop.

This is a free stock image from http://www.deviantart.com/

You will find it here

The same image after the steps I will describe.

You will find plenty of free stock images at http://www.deviantart.com/

Step 1 : Make a new layer by clicking the New Layer button at the bottom of the Layers palette.

Step 2 : Click the Elliptical Marquee Tool. Note that the Feather in the top panel is set to 0.

Step 3 : Draw a selection. It may not be dead centre. Just nudge the selection into place with the arrow keys.

Step 4 : Go to Select>Modify>Feather.

Step 5 : Set a Feather Radius fairly large at say something like 150 pixels. Click OK.

Step 6 : Make sure that the Foreground/Background Colors are set to White/Black. If it is not press x and then d on the keyboard to restore the default setting.

Step 7 : Press CTRL+BACKSPACE to fill with the Background Color which is White.

Step 8 : Pres CTRL+D to deselect. The marching ants go away.

Step 9 : Change the Blend Mode to Soft Light.

Step 10 : Decrease the Opacity of Layer 1 to around 75%.

The image looks like this. There were shadows below the model's eyes. They have been softened considerably.

Step 11 : CTRL+CLICK the Layer thumbnail of Layer1.

Step 12 : The selection reappears.

Step 13 : Press CTRL+SHIFT+I to inverse the selection.

Step 14 : Click the New Layer button. A new Layer 2 forms.

Step 15 : Press ALT+BACKSPACE to fill with the Foreground color or Black. 

Step 16 : Press CTRL+D to deselect.

Step 17 : Change the Blend Mode of Layer 2 to Soft Light. Lower the Opacity to 75%.

Here is the finished image. There is all that there is to it. This should work with most images.

This is another free stock image from http://www.deviantart.com/

You will find it here

The same image after following the same process. 

Other photoshop tutorials are here