Blending Exposure Shots in Elements

[LarryH]

One of my November projects is getting better at exposure.

I am trying to learn how to combine a couple of shots exposing one for highlights and one for shadows in Elements 8.  Found a neat tutorial but it says to click on Layer Mask and I don't have it   or if I do, I don't know where it is.

So, can anybody give me a simple, quick way of combining two shots in Elements 8 or do I need to upgrade to 9. (assuming I am reading correctly and that is one of the new features in 9)

TIA

[Doc]

Layer masks are part of version 9.  Here's a comparison of the different versions (look in the part "Make Every Photo Look It's Best")
http://www.adobe.com/products/photoshopel/upgrade/?view=compare

However(!), it's pretty easy to combine two pictures using a mask in Elements.  Here's another tutorial that spells it out pretty simply:
http://www.naturephotographers.net/articles0310/rb0310-1.html
(Hope that wasn't the same one you were looking at.)

[LarryH]

Thanks, Doc.

Here is the one I was looking at:  

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/digital-blending.shtml

I did download Grant's tools for PSE 8 (that has a layer mask)and tried one quickie that seemed to work.

Info on how to download and install Grant's Tools :

http://psa63.blogspot.com/2010/05/layer-masks-in-photoshop-elements.html

As fate would have it here in the Sunshine State - I am trying to get some exposures to work with and it is heavy overcast yesterday and so far today:(

Will keep you posted

[LarryH]

Some quickie results on blending with Photoshop Elements 8 using the layer mask technique above after downloading Grant's Tools to give me access to a layer mask (something Adobe has included in v 9). 

Seems much easier than brushing away portions of the layer mask and then blending, etc..

The exposures were somewhat exaggerated since I wanted to see what would happen. 

Took a reading of the sky and then the furniture and then locked the ball head and shot both shots at different exposures.

Manual mode exposing for the sky:  1/400 @f6.3  (furniture detail and shadows pretty subdued)



Manual mode exposing for the patio furniture:  1/50 @f6.3  (sky totally blown)



Here is the blended shot - came out pretty good IMO:



C&C&suggestions welcome and appreciated.

[Doc]

I PM'd you about using Photomerge Exposure in PSE8 (for you others reading this see Help).  Does the same thing.  Sorta like HDR with sliders, and no masks involved.

[LarryH]

Thank you, Sir.  Will give it a try first thing in the AM

[Doc]

Using Photomerge Exposure, with a bit of sharpening and noise reduction.  Probably could increase the contrast, levels, etc. to make it better, but as you can see it works pretty good. 



There's aways more than one way to skin a cat...

[LarryH]

Doc, sorta looks like there is still a mask on the fence in the back and the fields beyond.  Look at the fence on the far right and then how weird it and the field look in back    Would playing with one of the shots prior to merging help that??

[Doc]

Absolutely.

[New England Moments]

  I want to know Two Things ..

  First , is this a Screen or Glass enclosed Porch??  What is the Dark Blue Diagonal type line running down in the image, just to the left of main bar support , starting at top of frame , running down into the purple flowers?? Its also slightly visible in other areas...thats what makes me thing Screen or Glass??

  Second , can't you get a similar effect just using Shadow and Highlight??

  Shadow+Highlight/  + ran thru noise..


    

[LarryH]

Tom, it appears you got an almost identical result with your approach. 

Perhaps my example was not a real good one for what I was trying to do. 

My original thought was if the dynamic range is say 12 stops and the camera will only recognize 5-6 and I don't have my Grad NDs with me, what can I do?

Let's say white puffer clouds and dark rocks with shadow detail.  If I expose for one, I was quite sure it would be a non-recoverable error at the other end.  e.g., if the whites are blown, "Highlight" will not bring them back, if shadow detail is totally blown, "Shadows" will not bring it back.  At least this has been my thinking up to this point. 

Like I mentioned, maybe this was not a good example. Not enough dynamic range to demonstrate a need for blending.  But then again, I am near the bottom of the learning curve on post processing so I might not have any idea what I am doing 

The lanai, veranda, porch or whatever is screened top and sides.  Here in Florida, the enclosure is called a cage.  The bands you are seeing are shadows from the overhead beams.

Maybe like other scenarios, the poor cat can be mutilated in many ways