Graphics Programs Reference
In-Depth Information
crease or decrease the exposure of the
whole
photo. So if the exposure problem doesn't affect
the entire image, try the Smart Brush (
Correcting Part of an Image
) or Shadows/Highlights
command (
The Shadows/Highlights Command
) instead. Or use a layer mask to restrict the
Multiply or Screen layer's changes to only part of the image, as explained in step 4 next.
If the whole photo needs an exposure correction, here's how to use layers to fix it:
1.
Duplicate your image layer
.
Open your photo and press Ctrl+J/
⌘
-J or go to Layer→Duplicate Layer. Check to be
sure the duplicate layer is the active layer.
2.
In the Layers panel, change the new layer's blend mode
.
From the drop-down menu in the panel's upper left, choose Multiply if the photo is
overexposed or Screen if it's underexposed. (Make sure you change the
duplicate
lay-
er's mode, not the original layer's.)
3.
If needed, adjust the layer's opacity
.
If the effect of the new layer is too strong, then at the top of the Layers panel, lower
its Opacity setting.
4.
If you decide that part of the image was better exposed
before
you added the new
layer, mask out the areas where the exposure was OK
.
Follow the instructions on
Layer Masks
to add a mask to the duplicate layer, and then
paint with black over the areas where the original image was properly exposed so that
the Background layer shows through. Remember that you can also paint on the mask
with shades of gray to control how
much
of the original shows through, which can be
very helpful in getting the most realistic results from this technique.
5.
Repeat as necessary
.
You may have to use as many as five or six layers if your photo is in really bad shape.
If you need extra layers, you'll probably want them at 100 percent opacity, so you can
just keep pressing Ctrl+J/
⌘
-J to duplicate the current top layer, including its layer
mask (if you added one).
You're more likely to need several more layers to fix overexposure than underexpos-
ure. And there are limits to what Elements can do for a blindingly overexposed image.
Overexposure is usually tougher to fix than underexposure, especially if the area is
blown out (see the box on
Avoiding Blowouts
).
