Use a layer mask to lighten foreground?

[Osbornezo]

Hi all,

So i have someone wanting to buy a photo of mine, one that i did when i was less experienced. However i still feel like the foreground is too dark. I was wanting to lighten the foreground by half a stop or so. What is best way of doing so? If you think the foreground is not too dark also let me know. Thanks

Mason Osborne Photography's Photos - Mason Osborne Photography | Facebook

Couldn't attach or embed image so i had to chuck the link in

 

[Mr.Photo]

For me personally, I think the foreground exposure is fine. However the easiest way to correct it I think is to use the adjustment brush in Adobe Lightroom or Camera Raw in Photoshop. This allows you to paint in only the area you want to make adjustments too, and you can adjust several parameters including exposure, brightness, contrast, and sharpness just to name a few.

 

[fotomonkey]

If you can't use the adjustment brush, then a curves adjustment layer has always worked for me.

1. Add a new curves layer (no need to make any adjustments).
2. Change the blend mode to screen.
3. Reduce opacity to get the level you want (33% is about 1/3 stop).
4. Use the brush tool and black/white to paint away/back the areas you want to affect.

 

[Vautrin]

There's A LOT of ways to do what you're asking

Back in film days we'd use something called a graduated ND filter. Basically, they go from dark glass (which takes away light and dims an area of a photo) to clear. This allows you to take pictures like a sunset (where there's a clean break).

Lightroom and other editing programs have a virtual grad nd filter you can click and drag across your image.

Or, in some programs you'll have a slider for "shadows" and one for "highlights". So you can make bright images darker, or darker images brighter.

Or, some programs will provide filters or auto-coloration that might work.

Or, you might take it into photoshop to burn and dodge.

(Should you do it? Well that depends on the composition you want. I could see an argument both for and against.)

Great shot!

 

[Braineack]

a layer mask would work perfectly here. Then use adjustment layers to fix the exposure.

 

[KmH]

ACR's (LR/Camera Raw) adjustment brush lacks precision.

Use Photoshop and your favorite selection tool to select just the land and building.
Use the Refine Edge option to fine tune the selection.
Save the selection.
With the selection active then make an Adjustment layers to edit just the land and building at the top (a local edit and a layer mask).
You can retrieve the saved selection so you can use more than 1 Adjustment layer.

 

[Light Guru]

 

[cynicaster]

Add curves adjustment layer
Pull up the middle of the curve until the foreground lightens to your taste
Hit CTRL-I to invert the adjustment layer. This turns the mask black and makes the layer invisible.
Grab the brush tool, change brush color to white, and "paint on" the adjustment layer with a soft-edged brush as needed