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DPChallenge Forums >> Photography Discussion >> contrast map??
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Showing posts 1 - 13 of 13, (reverse)
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 10/31/2006 12:17:54 PM · #1
Once again I would like to thank all of you who have given great advice, or great feedback whenever I have had a question. I have learned so much and now hope to apply more of my knowledge to my photography.

I am wondering about contrast maps. I have used this a few times on landscape pictures. It seems that they really help bring out the detail on evening and night shots. However when I apply them to day time shots, sometimes it doesn't result in a good effect. Am i doing something wrong, or are contast maps only used for certain situations?

Thanks
Brimac
 10/31/2006 12:50:11 PM · #2
Bueller.....Bueller....Bueller..........
 10/31/2006 12:52:11 PM · #3
pops and buzzes my friend .... what's a contrast map?
 10/31/2006 01:04:13 PM · #4
i guess that's what im trying to figure out? I read about it on the Landscape learning thread... Bear Music was teaching how to us it. I guess Im still a bit fuzzy on the whole idea. My understanding is that it brings out detail ( but I guess thats not contrast ??) When I've used it on a night shot it brought out detail on the dark foreground, and detail in the lighter background (shy). Just looks funny on some pics, so i didn't know if I was messin it up!!!

"want a gummy bear?"
 10/31/2006 01:08:25 PM · #5
the experts must be busy working today!

or else everyone is too busy reading the "dirty little secrets" thread ...
 10/31/2006 01:11:07 PM · #6
i guess i will have to PM Bear...... He knows the answer.

"Anyone...........it's called blank .....economics ...... anyone.........anyone..........VooDoo Economics...."
 10/31/2006 01:15:03 PM · #7
There's an article on LuminousLandscape that might help. It's called Understanding Contrast Masking.

The article describes one method, and has links at the bottom to a couple other methods.

10/31/2006 01:15:26 PM · #8
maybe you're talking about contrast masking, which is similar to tone mapping?

i'm not an expert but this tends to be really useful in really contrasty lighting situations where you want to bring detail out of shadows and highlights
 10/31/2006 01:21:59 PM · #9
ahhh CONTRAST MASKING.... that's it! Thanks.
 10/31/2006 01:22:04 PM · #10
I recommend you ask Bear_Music about this. He is experimenting in this area and is always a good source of informatiom.
 10/31/2006 02:18:52 PM · #11
Any examples of what didn't work so well in a daytime shot?

David
 10/31/2006 02:46:14 PM · #12
I would but I think this picture is going into the Free Stusy Challenge!
 10/31/2006 03:00:18 PM · #13
Is this what you were referring to from the Landscape Photography Learning Thread?

Originally posted by Bear_Music:

Contrast Masking

In PS CS2: use the shadow/highlight dialogue box and play with it. Can't help you there, don't have it.

In PS 7.0 (and maybe CS, if no shadow/highlight there) do this:

1. Open image and save-as a psd file.
2. Key "cntrl-alt-tilde" (tilde is ~) to create a feathered highlights selection
3. Key "cntrl-J" to create a new layer with only the selected areas on it. Name this layer "highlights"
4. Click BG layer to make it active again
5. "cntrl-alt-tilde" again, then "cntrl-shift-I" to invert the selection, and "cntrl-J" to make another new layer with the shadow selection loaded; call this layer "shadows".

To decrease contrast to preserve highlight detail and shadow detail both, in the layers dialogue box set the layer mode of the "highlight" layer at "multiply" and of the "shadow" layer at "screen". Adjust the relative opacities of both layers so it looks the way you want it to.

To increase contrast, screen the highlights and multiply the shadows; this isn't something I do very much, this can be best accomplished in levels and curves usually. However, sometimes I multiply BOTH layers and vary the relative opacities. I'm still playing with this. Also, sometimes I will set the shadow mask at "soft light" instead of "multiply". You need to play around with these settings to find what works and what does not work.

Robt.


Are you using CS2 or some other PP editor?
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