Fstop12 Loc: Kentucky

As far as I know, the High Pass filter does nothing more that enhance contrast along lines.

Country's Mama Loc: Michigan

That is what I understand it to do, but the way he worded it it sounded like he used the highpass to lighten. Thought maybe he knew something more than I did. :-D

SonyA580 Loc: FL in the winter & MN in the summer

I love the B&W shot! I really like how the light isolates the subject from the rest of the room. I darkened the wall behind him a little more, increased the contrast and applied a little sharpening. I'd hang that one on the wall anytime.

Woodworker re-do

BigDaddy Loc: Pittsburgh, PA

I made an action with that makes a new layer with the high pass filter that lightens the photo a great deal, then, I adjust the opacity of that layer until the brightness is how I like it. Works terrific on all underexposed photo's. My post failed to mention I also put a mask on the high pass layer and used a soft faded brush on that to maintain the shadows of the original photo, which I liked.

The steps in this action I call High Pass are:
Layer via copy
set current layer
rename to HighPass
desaturate
High Pass
Radius 1.6 Pixels
set current layer to layer
mode color dodge

Very important to set the mode of the current layer to color dodge

This will really over lighten up most images, and then you have to adjust the opacity of the highpass layer to get it how you want it.

Hope this helps. Those with PSE cannot make an action, but you probably can still do those few steps manually w/o difficulty.

Hope this helps.

Oh, for the record, I agree with the poster the original was not very good and needed lightened. The picture however is wonderful, and I would spend the time to fix it. I like my rendition if I may say so myself. I'm sure it could be made even better though.

veralisa296 Loc: New Jersey

I'm amazed...with this one quick shot I've learned so much from all of you. Thanks!

veralisa296 Loc: New Jersey

Thank you so much...you understood me!

MtnMan Loc: ID

I think the color dodge blend mode is what is causing the lightening.

MtnMan Loc: ID

I really struggled with the distortion correction. Couldn't make it happen in Lightroom so had to go to free transform in CS6.

Did a little sharpening and noise reduction while there.

I used the radial filter in Lightroom to put the light on your husband. And some noise reduction.

(Download)

Fstop12 Loc: Kentucky

Thanks for the explanation. I knew it had to involve a blend mode on the layer after the high pass. Thanks again for replying back.

BigDaddy Loc: Pittsburgh, PA

Individually, none of the steps do what you want in this case, but combined they work well I think.

BigDaddy Loc: Pittsburgh, PA

Looking at the photos presented, I like the original, but it is too dark. All the B&W photos loose the warmth I associate with wood working, so for *me*, they are all too harsh. The adjustment by Ron was too washed out looking, and lacked color depth and warmth that I liked in the original. Mntman's is ok, but the color is off and too brassy, not warm as I would want. Sony did pretty good with the B&W but too cold for this picture, and I thought the lighting on the guy was too focused, and looked like a photo shop lighting effect to me, although it probably wasn't.

Hope I didn't offend anyone, but woodworking has been my passion for many years, and this picture really sparks my interest.

Vera, I would love this photo in my book, color for sure, but it is a good one regardless of your personal preferences. Good catch.

veralisa296 Loc: New Jersey

Thank you BigDaddy...it is his new passion and I tried to get a candid shot with his hands and concentration on the wood. Thanks for the help!

TH Loc: minnesota

I think your corrected black and white version is moody and has a soulful old-fashioned feel. I like it a lot.

Way to go,

TH

veralisa296 Loc: New Jersey

Thanks for looking!

abc1234 Loc: Elk Grove Village, Illinois

BigDaddy, why the high pass filter rather than another way of sharpening?