How to create dramatic lighting with CS2

[monique_evette]

I took this at my last wedding and its missing something. I want to create more window light, a dramatic amount. Enough to where the focus is more on the bride resting her hand at the base of St. Mary's feet. Is that possible? Does anyone have any suggestions?



Arg, I see that I don't know how to spell, but I guess titles can not be edited after posting.

[Laura Minks]

You might try filter-render-lighting effects, in PS, or dodge and burn.

[monique_evette]

Yeah, I did the whole dodge and burn thing, didn't work too well, or atleast it showed how bad I was at it.

I will try the other option though.

[Joe_Lorenzini]

Originally Posted by monique_evette

Arg, I see that I don't know how to spell, but I guess titles can not be edited after posting.

Monique,

Click on the "Edit" button and then click on the "Advanced" button (on the bottom right side of the edit window). You'll be able to change the title there.

_/oe

[monique_evette]

Got it, thanks!

[gpbusa316]

Don't know if this was the specific effect you were looking for, but I used a gradient adjustment layer to do this. Tweaked the contrast a bit as well.

[monique_evette]

Wow, close enough!

[iCe]

I'm definitely not a CS2 wiz but a lot of times you can apply a gaussian blur to a dodge and burn layer and blend it in.

Dang... the gradient layer worked pretty good!

[dsjsws]

I played with "tweaking it" just a bit.
I used several adjustment curves with masks to paint in light and shadows.

Donna

[Clayton Wallace]

The image is grayscale, and if you used that as the way to make it look black and white it can make an image look very flat and lack contrast. (use channels). I took a minute to do a few tweaks in PS (added blur, a second levels adjustment layer, and quite a bit of masking along with a minor bit of dodging):

[monique_evette]

Wow there is alot of ways to do this. I am going to be busy playing with it tonight.

Clayton: I don't know if I read your post right, but I did use channels. I created a layer and used the channel mixer along with some other stuff, but I don't think I ever put it to grayscale .

[Clayton Wallace]

but I don't think I ever put it to grayscale .

my mistake, I think the grayscale was from one of the other images posted above.

[monique_evette]

Arg, ok I have been meaning to mess around with this picture, but school comes first (unfortunately). 3 exams in 1 day! What the heck! Professors can be so greedy.

Anyway, hopefully I will have time to play around with it later this weekend. I will post the results to see what you all think. Thanks again for the help!