Exposure Blending with Blend If in Photoshop
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 10 июл 2024
- The Unrivaled Blend If Panel: f64.co/Blend-If-Panel
So here we are in 2023, and there are so many ways to blend Exposures. Remember 2010 when I had a Blog called everydayHDR, and the only way I would blend my exposures was with Photomatix? Where is that now?
Anyway.
In 2023 you can use ACR and Lightroom to make a pretty darn good HDR merge. You can select the sky in RAW and independently edit the foreground and background. Hopping into Photoshop, you can use Apply Image, Luminosity Masks, hand-painted masks, AI selections, and the list goes on and on.
Today, I want to show you my favorite method. Can you guess? Blend If, of course. Maybe that's how I got the nickname "Blend If Blake" thanks, Heike ;)
In this lesson, I will not only show you how to use Blend If to blend exposures, but I'll also tell you why I prefer it over other methods.
🦆Chapters🦆
00:00 Explanation of Exposure Blending
00:38 ACR processing for Blending
02:54 Aligning the Layers in Ps
04:24 Luminosity Masking Blending
05:31 Blend If Exposure Blending
07:41 Blend If vs. Luminosity Masks
09:43 How to Exposure Blend with Blend If Panel
10:51 Smart Objects with Exposure Blending
11:41 Why Use Photoshop for this?
13:46 Blend If Spotlight
16:44 Dynamic Blend If Masks
_____________________________________
Do you like the videos I make on RUclips?
Want to grow your photography exponentially?
1. Subscribe! subscribers see the content first and are the most likely to succeed in Photoshop
2. Head to the f.64 Academy website and get registered on my subscriber list. I deliver all kinds of extra tips and subscriber-only live events!
f64academy.com/sign-up/
3. Become an Elite Member! I take Photoshop to levels you will never see on RUclips for the members of f.64 Elite with courses, critique sessions, members-only events, a community forum, and big discounts on my most premium courses.
http:/www.f64.co/elite
I just installed it yesterday. The best 47 bucks I ever invested. I emailed all my photographer friends and reminded them not to miss introductory offer. Thanks again, Blessings Rees.
You're the best! Thank you so much 😁
How many portraits editing videos in the packaging? I am hoping to buy tomorrow if I get money early
@@The_Idea_of_Dream_Vision 1 but it's not necessarily about a genre, it's about tones and colors really every image has that so no matter what you are editing you can use it.
A true master class in under 20 minutes! Outstanding!
Wow, thanks! :)
Phenomenal! Your new name is officially Blend-if Blake!
Haha! I love it!
Fantastic video! Ties in nicely with your f64 Academy PSFoundations - Blend Modes tutorials I've been watching - great to see you use what was being taught in additional real-world examples! Really excited to dive into the Blend-If panel training and start using the panel to its fullest potential! 😃 Keep up the awesome work!!
Awesome, thank you Greg! I'll keep on going! I love this stuff :) I appreciate your support.
Great tutorial, Blake. I am thoroughly enjoying the Blend If panel; not only does it make it easy to apply Blend If, but it also helps me to better understand the dynamics of Blend If in a way that Photoshop does not. Thank you.
Glad it was helpful! That's also very true. With it in the forefront you have so many more possibilities that can otherwise be forgotten.
Blake, I did buy this course with the panel to use the blend if features easier to use. THANKS ❣️❣️❣️ I have learned so much from your tutorials !
Thank you so much for your support! 😁
Super helpful demo! And you answer the logical questions that come to mind like why not use this or that instead. Liked and subscribed, cheers from Seattle!
Awesome, thank you! Glad you found it helpful!
Hi Blake. I purchased the blend-if panel and course material shortly after you released it. You have done a great job. I am a long time luminosity mask user. Mostly because I never think to go to the blend-if slider which was hidden. Sometimes it is difficult to teach an old dog new tricks. I will be purposefully making an effort to use the new panel in place of luminosity masking going forward. Your new panel makes blend-if available on the main workspace page. As a result, blend-if options are always easily available and visible. That in itself is a big benefit of the new panel.
Blake's the Blend If King! Blake your term "dynamic masking" really sums it up. But for those of u that still love Luminosity Masks instead, here is something to try with Photoshop that gives u MUCH more flexibility than that awkward Select>Color Range pallette. I don't know if this is a known tip, but it worked GREAT for me...& much more precise to manipulate than creating luminosity masks w/Color Range (but Blend If is still one of the best of all) I'm on a PC):
1. Use the Gradient Map Adjustment Layer of the image u want for it's Highlights or Shadow masking prep. For example if u only want to apply a color shift in your shadows & want more control than using the channels in Curves & are resisting Blend If.
2. Make the points on the Gradient Map slider pure white on one end & pure black on the other. (Or temporarily use bright colors to visually play with areas that will become the mask then change back to black & white sliders.)
3. Slide the points as u watch the shadow & highlight areas in your image on a full screen & with easy to see feathering. AND the beauty is u can add 50% gray values (or any gray value) on the slider bar for even more control.
4. Merge your customized BW Gradient Map onto a copy of your image & go to the Channels & make a new Alpha channel copy of the resulting black & white image. Click on Control (on PC) to activate the "Marching Ants" so you can then use the result as a mask for whatever effect you're applying.
Blend If is still best since it is adjustable at ANY time, but I feel if you prefer Luminosity masking, creating them via The Gradient Map as described is much better with more control than Color Range. I just came up with this but maybe it was already "a Thing".
Very interesting, it seems you are an artist. could you make a little video tutorial with this?
Using blend if to blend two exposure versions is a great way. Seems like a supplemental video to the blend if course. I can make good use of this approach. Thanks for making it. And of course for the amazing blend if panel you and Tonee created.
Totally agree! Thanks, Phil! You are the man!
Muchas gracias.
De nada!
Been going through your website...membership, and premiums...Jesus man take all my money!!!!
I've watched tons of your videos here and love what you do and now I'm just trying to figure out which ones to get first! Well obviously membership first.
Haha, thanks! I kind of love what I do for a living 😁 feel free to email me with any questions blake@f64academy.com
I just want to compliment you as I've subscribed a while back. You caught my attention with your previous discussions on the zone system. I've used the system in photography years ago and applied it to drawing and art as well. I've also had to live off of my art at various stages of my life. My point is out of all the RUclipsr's out there you actually know your art and have wherewithal to use modern tools. I am looking this weekend at your tools because of your skills and depth of knowledge.
Wow! Thank you so much. This is probably the best RUclips comment I've ever read! If you need any help deciding on things out want further clarification, feel free to email me, blake@f64academy.com
Very informative..thanks
Hi Blake, Another great video! I have almost completed your Blend-if course and am already really enjoying your panel. I highly recommend it! Thank you for sharing this video as another example of how to use your Blend-if panel. Now I just need to find images to exposure blend with this technique and submit for critique on f.64 Elite.
Great tutorial..
Thanks 😁
I'm on video 6 of 16 I already got my moneys worth even if I would have paid the full price. I am on my way to start creating art for my creator. Thank You Brother, Lets go get' em.
Yes! That's awesome to hear :) You will love the rest!
Thank you Blake I’d like to see more the blend if for some finesse into some parts and exclude some others …
Then experiment 😁 I mean that in the nicest way possible. I can only do so much and I can't read your mind for your needs. Experiment for your needs, it's your turn 😉
Getting more and more a fan of PS, sh*t load of commands to learn though 😁 great video !
🤣 ain't that the truth! You'll get them 😁 they are definitely worth knowing! Maybe a video is in order for the "hotkeys you need to know in Photoshop"
@@f64AcademyThat could be something 👍👌
I’m a luminosity guy, but this was definitely interesting! Great video
Glad you enjoyed it! I used them exclusively until I started using Blend If more in my workflow. Either method is great!
I have played with both luminosity masks and blend if for years. I still think masking offers way more precision. At face value Blend If should be quicker, but I have always found luminosity masks work best for blending two different exposures seamlessly. When it comes to adjustment layers I think either work great.
I can see that. Funny thing is I used Luminosity Masks for years and find the opposite. But I think that is just because I have gone all in on Blend If. It just shows the unique qualities of techniques in Photoshop and what works best for some may not be best for others :) open mindedness is the key.
Suggestion: a real world reason to do blend-if is if / when you go back to the camera raw settings and tweak them, the blend-if will properly adapt while the luminosity mask would not (or you would need to recompute the mask). To me, tweaking the camera raw settings via the smart object seems much more likely than adding a curves layer -- especially since camera raw can do so much now.
The funny thing is, right now, I'm the type that just lets LR do everything. I might change in the future. I grew up (circa 2001) when you had to do the masking by hand which took essentially days to tweak and adjust just to blend a single image that came from three differently exposed shots. I don't want to go back there.
The other thing that is happening is the dynamic range of the sensors are getting to the point that I am merging images less and less often.
I am finally getting results I wanted with using theBlend If panel. Thank you Blake. However, there is an error in your panel. If you open an image and then show the History Panel and then in the Blend If panel click on Highlights On and then Highlights Off - look at the History Panel and you will see what I mean.
Wow! Who knew?
😁
as a lifetime subscriber is this panel downloadable for free or with discount,thanks Blake love your work
If you are an Elite Member the course is in the Course catalog on f.64 Elite.
Thanks for your swift help, I'll email for correspondence.
@@profsteve7653 please email me so I can sort this out properly blake@f64academy.com
Very interested. Will the panel be available on multiple computers? I've just upgraded from using Gimp to Photoshop, these look like great lessons.
Yes, they will.
Hi Blake i don't have enough knowledge but i certainly do have questions :D
I love the panel but Do you think it would be possible to also use blend if as a tool for better hair selections?
Thank you
Maybe? Experiment! It's your turn 😉
Great stuff Blake! I have a curious question that drives me nuts :) as I have goggled and cannot find the answer!! --What or why is is called "IF"--what does "IF"--mean ? many thanks--:)
Blend If is kind of a statement. Blend If the whites (or darks) are said value.
how do you sharpen for silver highlide printing prints verses ink jet prints. video 8 , same way?
Sure. I guess. I mean I sharpen the same way for every print really. Unless there is something very different about that type of print.
I will ask you in the seminar. It's very difficult. It uses an RGB laser light to expose tribunal darkroom paper. Just like we us to do with an enlarge.
Is it still possible to get the course for an introductory price of $47?
yep, here's the link: f64elite.com/blend-if-yt/
Well, I would like to change the underlying layer to suit the output I want and I don’t want a dynamic mask (!!). That goes against the basic concept of masking.
Second, you chose a very easy exposure. Why don’t you take 5 exposures of New York City at dusk, and try how ‘blend if’ works there.
I can provide you the images if you don’t have.
Uses gradient to create a spotlight and says "this is where BlendIf shines". I would buy all your products right this second if you did that pun on purpose. I may still buy all your products eventually.
While I wouldn't say it was scripted, I am a punny guy! 😁 But them all 🤣🤣🤣
you could have HDRed them
Could have. It didn't produce bad results either. But there is a lot of advantage to doing it in Photoshop.