Trick Photoshop

Pradip Chowdhury
Tone Mapping means you can use a gradient for your images to give a special effect. In CS6 this is particularly easy as there are quite a number of Presets ready made for you to use. After all Photoshop is made by people who know how to work best with photos. Gradient Map is also found in PS CS5.

This is the effect I will create.

 I will be using this photo for the tutorial. It has been uploaded by me here

Step 1 : Click the Adjustment Layers button at the bottom of the Layers palette,

Step 2 : Click on Gradient Map from the pop up menu.

Step 3 : This window opens.

Step 4 : Click where the arrow points to reveal the default Gradient Preset.

Step 5 : Click where the arrow points. A drop down menu opens at the side. You will find Photographic Toning. Click it. (Remember after finishing your work to reset  it from here  by clicking on Reset Gradients).

Step 6 : This dialogue box pops up, Click OK. 

Step 7 : You can see the Presets now.

Step 8 : If you click the Presets you can find out their names. This one is called Gold-Blue.

This is  the effect.

Step 9 : Reduce the Opacity to 80%.

It looks much better now. Note that the highlights are in yellow and the shadows in blue.

Try the other Gradients. You will have a lot of fun.

Other Photoshop tutorials are here