Photoshop for Photographers: Lighting Effects

Course details

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.

Learning objectives
Creating a more expressive photograph with Camera Raw
Correcting under- and overexposure
Improving light in certain areas of an image with masks and the Radial Filter
Painting in brightness with Curves and masking
Correcting exposure with a gradient mask
Brightening and darkening with blend modes
Working with the Burn and Dodge tools
Adding light and multiple colors with the Lighting Effects filter
Creating a realistic glow

Concepts

Introduction

Welcome
Using the exercise files

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

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

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

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

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

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