Photoshop Tutorial: Add Dramatic Lighting to PortraitsAug 31, 2010 | by Bob Nolin | Read | Click here to add your comments

Learn how to use layer masks to get the dramatic side lighting look of the studio shot on the left.

I admit it: I love layer masks. Layer masks rock. For adding darks and lights to an image, nothing beats an Adjustment Layer with a Layer Mask. If you’re a diehard Dodge and Burn addict, I hope to sway you away from, er, the Dark Side. The main advantage of layer masks is they are non-destructive. You can continue to tweak and adjust as much as you like, and the main image pixels are never touched. On the other hand, once you’ve dodged or burned the original pixels, the only way back is via the Undo command. Well, instead of ranting away here on my soapbox, let’s just dive in and take a look at how layer masks can be used.

The photo above, on the left, has dramatic side lighting, created by the lighting setup in the studio. What if you wanted to get the same effect with the photo on the right, which is evenly lit? You guessed it: Layer Masks to the rescue. With the method I’m going to show you, you can add dark shadows to one side of the face, without a single pixel of paint. We will darken the existing pixels (non-destructively, of course) using a Curves adjustment layer. Then, we’ll remove the darkening from the left side of the face with a layer mask. The photo I’m using in this tutorial comes from Deviant Art member Katanaz_Stock.

(more…)