This style is just one approach to turning any photograph file into an HDR image in Adobe Photoshop CS5. High Dynamic Range, or HDR, is a style that has become increasingly popular. It can, however, require multiple images, require loads of time or the cost of an additional Photoshop plug-in filter. The tutorial presented here uses a single image to create a faux HDR effect. Typically, an industrial type of photograph is used for an HDR image such as buildings or a machine, but the image content is up to you (and your customers). A lighthouse is the example used here for this step-by-step process.

Open an image file to apply this HDR treatment in Adobe Photoshop CS5 version. Duplicate your image (Image > Duplicate) since this editing needs a flattened image file. Keep your original image open for use with the HDR edited image later on. As always, never work on your only original image file—always save the file under another name to edit. You never know what will happen, so to be on the safe side, always have a backup original version.

The original image to be used in the HDR treatment.

With your duplicate file open, select from the top menu bar, select Image > Adjustments > HDR Toning. In the Method dropdown menu, there are four options. The Highlight Compression and Equalize Histogram have no HDR detailed editing options (they do change the image, though, if applied) to customize but there are also two other listings here: Exposure and Gamma and Local Adaptation. These last two have customizable options but Local Adaptation is where you will find the best single image HDR editing.

Choose Local Adaptation from the Method dropdown menu. Preset options will now become available. There are many presets to try out, and these can be a good jumping-off point for your image editing. I won’t go into the presets too much, but there are a few visual examples displayed here using Photosurrealistic, Surrealistic and Monochromatic Artistic. No further editing was made to the image with presets applied.

Let’s get started with some customized HDR settings. Select from the Preset dropdown menu, Default. Local Adaptation allows you to adjust four sections: Edge Glow, Tone and Detail, Color, and Toning Curve and Histogram. Under Edge Glow, the slider options adjust the Radius and Strength. Tone and Detail allow for editing to Gamma, Exposure, Detail, Shadow, and Highlight, while the Color section will offer Vibrance, Saturation to customize. The Toning Curve and Histogram editing is not set up as a slider but can be adjusted similar to the Curve options under the Image Adjustments.

Be sure the Preview box is checked while you are working. Start by editing the Saturation levels under the Color section, moving the slider to the left for a -20 setting and then also adjusting the Vibrance down to -60. Every image treatment is different; the settings here are suggestions to begin with. Move up to the Tone and Detail section, selecting the Exposure slider. Exposure is very sensitive; try .04 or .15 to find the right amount. Gamma was left alone, while the Shadow amount was increased.

Here we’ve started applying the HDR Toning process. Editing the Toning Curve and Histogram will seem familiar, as it adjusts the same way Curves (under Image > Adjustment) works.

The shadows in the working file become lighter when the slider is moved to the right and darker when moved into the negative side. We’ll want to increase the Detail; start with 150 but you may find that an amount in the 225 range is more ideal depending on the desired final effect. Under Edge Glow, if you want a more surrealistic effect, experiment with the Radius and Strength. The final example shown here did not have a further edited Radius or Strength amount than what was originally shown in those dialog boxes when the file was opened.

If the image appears a bit washed out at this point, it can be further edited in the Toning Curve and Histogram area. Where there is no active black, I selected the corner point and pulled it over till I was satisfied with the visual results. Select OK for the final HDR settings to be applied. At this point, drag the HDR file over on top of the original file. Open the Layers window (Window > Layers) and edit the opacity for the final overall image. At this point, you can choose to do any other editing in Photoshop.
 

The merged and final treated HDR image.

The faux HDR from a single image file can be applied for a variation of images. If you really want to push the presentation and HDR treatment, display a sublimated version onto a metal panel such as a ChromaLuxe Clear Photo Panel. You may open up to a new channel of customers with a unique offering such as that. Take a look at the HDR image you’ve created and ask the question, how can I integrate this artistic option into my customer offerings?

Adobe Photoshop is property of Adobe. For further information on Adobe product, visit www.adobe.com.