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A: In lieu of third-party filters, there are a few things you can do to add even more depth to a dramatically-lit image in Photoshop.
By Kim Herrera
Adobe Certified Expert, Photoshop
As Photoshoppers, I think the human subject offers us one of the most interesting opportunities to convey mood in an image. As many of you know, I am not a photographer. I do not shoot. I do, however, immensely appreciate the artistic photographer who is not afraid to create and use dramatic light.
It has always been my pleasure to work on those images or offer the photographer pointers on them. Let's take those images a step further in Photoshop. For my example, I will use this fashion image shot by my friend Ben at Studio-91.com.
This model is pouty and sultry and I think we can do more to bring out her blue eyes and porcelain skin. I also want to rein in that red she is wearing to match the saturation level of her eyes. I don't want any colors competing with the eyes and lips, and right now they’re screaming. To achieve the desired look here, I first created a copy of the background layer. To show the Layers Palette: Window>Layers. Layer>Layer via copy.
Start with a dramatically-lit image.
I usually advise practicing non-destructive editing, which would mean making a Selective Color Adjustment Layer next. You can do this by using the shortcut on the bottom of your Layers palette.
Applying Selective Color Adjustment directly to the layer.
Since I know exactly what I want to do, I will apply my Selective Color correction directly to the Background Copy Layer. Go to Image>Adjustments>Selective Color.
Selective Color dialog window.
Here are the percentages I used for this Selective Color change… RED: C+16, M-24, Y-16, K+12; YELLOW: C-10, M-0, Y+4, K-0; GREEN: no change; CYAN: no change; BLUE: no change; MAGENTA: C+6, M-0, Y+3, K+4; WHITE: C-5, M-0, Y-0, K-0; NEUTRALS: C-4, M-0, Y-4, K-10; BLACK: no change.
Next, make a new layer. Layer> New>Layer. Fill it with 100% Normal of Black. Edit>Fill.
Create a layer for editing highlights manually.
Change the layer option to Color Dodge, and the opacity to about 49% or to desired strength.
The Color Dodge layer is more effective than the Dodge tool.
I set the opacity at 49%, but the effect will depend entirely on the pixel values in your image. Next, make sure your default colors are set to black & white as shown. With White as the foreground, select your paintbrush (press B on the keyboard for Brushes).
Hand brushing is recommended to make the highlights pop.
Set your brush as to Normal mode, 5% opacity and brush over the retina of the eyes. Also, brush gently on cheekbones, collar bones, shoulders, nose, lips and whites of the eyes to create soft dodged highlights. This method gives much more control over the highlights than the Dodge Tool and I find it less severe.
Next, we'll do the opposite to affectively burn the shadows. Create a new layer, but this time set the layer mode option to Color Burn at 49% opacity and fill it with WHITE, not black. Again, go to your brushes, but choose black as your foreground color.
Burning in the shadows on a separate layer.
Brush softly over eyebrows, jaw line, nostrils, eyelashes, eyeliner and any areas that you want to pop the shadows. This method has much more control that the Burn Tool. Flatten and save. Viola! Before and after.
Before and after.
Kim Herrera, Adobe Certified Expert, Photoshop, is the color management expert for Logan Photography at Studio Exchange, Santa Ana, Calif., and runs KCH Digital, a digital artistry, education, and consultancy firm.