Quick-and-dirty emulation of a graduated neutral density filter
This is probably one of the most simple adjustments
you can do in photoshop, but can be extremely handy to better tweak the
balance of the exposure level between the sky and the foreground or
underlying terrain.
- Create a new
brightness/contrast adjustment layer.
Menu: Layer -> New adjustment Layer ->
Brightness/contrast
- Set the
brightness setting via the dialog box up or down to expose the other
portion of the image the way you would like it.
- Select the
gradient tool using the left tool bar.
- Select the type
of gradient pattern that is desired. Typically you would select the
simple dark-to-light gradient pattern.
- On the image
click and drag a line to define the start and end points for the
gradient between the original exposure and the brightness/contrast
adjusted exposure.
- Sometimes when
applying a gradient mask to darken the sky, the overall image result may
now look too dark. For this reason, you may need to counter this by
increasing the overall exposure level. The easiest way to do this
is apply an 'Exposure' adjustment layer, and then using the exposure
slider to bump up the level to suite your liking. Keep your eye on
the histogram to make sure you don't blow out the highlights or undo the
benefit of the gradient mask exposure adjustment if you apply this step.
Alternatively, as opposed to use of the exposure mask on step #6, try a
curve adjustment layer instead. This can provide the added benefit of
increasing the overall image contrast given the application of the
gradient mask to darken the sky in steps 1-5 may provide more dynamic
range. Again, keep an eye on the histogram to avoid blowing out either
the highlights or losing the shadow detail.