Editing Lightning

• Open photo in photoshop

 

• Go to the top of photoshop and click  Layer-  New- Layer

 

Step 3

• You will now be on a new layer called Layer 1
• Click the Gradation icon on the right side.  It is right below the eraser tool
• Make sure it shows only black and white at the top left.  If it doesn’t, just click and change it to the black and white box.

 

Step 4

• Starting on the top left corner of your photo, click and drag your mouse to the bottom right corner.  
• You will see a line go across your photograph
• Your photo will then be completely black and white (see photo under step 5)

 

 

Step 5

• Go to Filter- Render- Difference Clouds
• Your photo will now look like black and white clouds (see photo below)

 

•  Click Control +i
• This will allow the lightening to start to show through

 

• Click Control + L
• This will bring up the layers adjustment
• Drag the middle lever toward the right until the photo is black with white lines
• Click ok

 

Step 8

• On the top of the Layers Pallet change Normal to Screen

 

Step 9

• Click on the Eraser Tool
• Begin to erase any areas of lightening you do not want to show up in your final image

Step 10

• Click Control + T
• Turn your lightening in different directions until you achieve the look you want

• Use the Move tool to move the lightening where you would like it.

 

Step 12

• Right click on your background layer and merge visible (you will NOT be watermarking this as it is not your photograph)
• Click on the Burn tool.  It allows you to darken parts of the photograph
• Make your brush large
• Begin to Burn the outside of your photograph and some of the inside. 

 

• Start by taking a photograph of something tall on campus         (ex. basketball hoop, the tallest part of the school building, lamppost).
• REMEMBER: Lightening always strikes the TALLEST point.  If you have everything in your photograph at the same height it will not be accurate.

 

• Repeat the photoshop steps from above.

 

• You will be doing a final edit after you have completed the lightening steps.
• You do not want your photograph to look to bright.  Click on Curves and move the sliders to get a darker looking setting.  
• Do not go to crazy with this part

FINAL IMAGE