Backlit photos

[billbir]

I have a number of photos where the subject is underexposed and the background is fine. Is there a way, to isolate an area and adjust that specific area, for exposure etc.,? Should I be using HDR for these situations? I have uploaded an example to identify my problem.

[Asha]

HDR in camera is a bit tricky for handheld photos of people--any little movement of the camera or the subject will result in differences in the bracketed photos. This could make it difficult to process the photo as an HDR in image editing software.

 

Having said that, you can use exposure bracketed photos as layers in AP and create masks so that you get the best parts of each exposure. It would essentially be photo-compositing, but with the same source material in all the photos.

 

For the photo you showed in your post, you can also use adjustment layers with masks to correct the different areas of the photo. Since the exposure of the background looks about right, but the people are dark, I would make a mask that allows the foreground to be adjusted with levels or curves. Or, you can duplicate the layer, mask out the background, and use the Dodge tool on the darker areas. Those are just 2 examples...

 

ETA: Here is the link to the AP tutorials--the one titled Stacking: Exposure Merging might be of interest https://affinity.serif.com/en-gb/tutorials/photo/

[billbir]

Thanks for the suggestions. You said, For the photo you showed in your post, you can also use adjustment layers with masks to correct the different areas of the photo. Since the exposure of the background looks about right, but the people are dark, I would make a mask that allows the foreground to be adjusted with levels or curves. Or, you can duplicate the layer, mask out the background, and use the Dodge tool on the darker areas. Those are just 2 examples..." I will need to look at the tutorials to see how I can do this, as I am a complete novice, with Affinity. I did look at the video you suggested but that seems to relate to multiple shots of the same subject which can then be merged and adjusted. That does not seem to apply to my one shot example, I posted. However, I have tried the Dodge brush and that seems to have improved the picture somewhat.

[Asha]

billbr, I was suggesting the Exposure Merging video because it would help you with exposure bracketed photos, if you chose to do that. If you scroll down, there are many helpful videos, including one called Quick Masks that would probably help you with your single photo.

[billbir]

Thanks for pointing that out. I have now viewed the Quick Mask video and understand better, the point that you made.

[barninga]

billbir,

here's a very fast approach.

apply an exposure adjustment and set it how needed by the underexposed part of the image, without worrying about the well-exposed background.

then select the paint tool, black color, hardness 0, and just paint on teh adjustment layer where the adjsutment is not needed.

if you make a mistake, just change the color to white and paint over it to bring the exposure adjustment back.

you can also set the brush opacity to less than 100% in order to hide the adjustment only partially.

 

i have attached your shot, where i applied this fast approach, take a look if you are interested.

click on the adjustment layer while keeping the opt key pressed to view the mask created by painting over it.

 

i added also a shadows/highlights (without masking it): you can set/add adjustments to your taste, masking them where they are not needed. if you add an adjustment that is needed only in a small portion of the image, just invert it (click on it and press cmd-i) and then pain white on it to make the adjustment appear.

 

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