Jump to content
You must now use your email address to sign in [click for more info] ×

Novel image lightening with negation blend mode and curves


Recommended Posts

Here's a novel way of lightening an image.

Start with your image. Here's my wife, making a cup of tea.

kitchen1.thumb.jpg.d3af4788e61ac47e66566d70a6e975bf.jpg

Duplicate the image. Invert the top layer.

kitchen2.thumb.jpg.1dc0d9a891a6975df9e3ce7f4d3e1004.jpg

Now change the blend mode of this to Negation. The result is all white.

Then switch to the bottom layer and add a curves adjustment. Pull right up the left hand node, then grab the middle and start pulling it down.

kitchen3.jpg.75c90dc0756c53a3631a35776b90d4ed.jpg

The picture starts to lighten. Stop when it suits you.

kitchen4.thumb.jpg.59de0ab8a72e9ebcdc49ee53432c6dfb.jpg

The effect is quite pleasing, without losing contrast or blowing out whites.

Dave Straker

Cameras: Sony A7R2, RX100V

Computers: Win10: Chillblast i9 Custom + Philips 40in 4K & Benq 23in; Surface Pro 4 i5; iPad Pro 11"

Favourite word: Aha. For me and for others.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello, dmstraker,
thanks for sharing,  i am always grateful for a good tip in the photo editing.

 

Best Regards

Gnobelix

Affinity Photo 2.4:         Affinity Photo 1.10.6: 

Affinity Designer 2.4:    Affinity Designer 1.10.6:

Affinity Publisher 2.4:   Affinity Publisher 1.10.6:    

Windows 11 Pro  (Version 23H2 Build (22631.3296)

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You can also get the same effect by having both layers non-inverted, top layer still negation blend mode, curves on either layer, with middle pulled up rather than down, as this:

kitchen5jpg.jpg.c9c3354ae94c571c8474003fb98ae755.jpg

 

You can also replace the negation blend with exclusion, for a flatter lightening effect.

Dave Straker

Cameras: Sony A7R2, RX100V

Computers: Win10: Chillblast i9 Custom + Philips 40in 4K & Benq 23in; Surface Pro 4 i5; iPad Pro 11"

Favourite word: Aha. For me and for others.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Easier again. Take the image. Add the Curves adjustment with the pull-up-from-the-bottom tweak, then set the Blend Mode in the Curves box to Negation.

kitchen6.thumb.jpg.7796187869cd5e8cc5c674ead108eac0.jpg

You can also darken shadows a bit by pulling the left node to the right.

Dave Straker

Cameras: Sony A7R2, RX100V

Computers: Win10: Chillblast i9 Custom + Philips 40in 4K & Benq 23in; Surface Pro 4 i5; iPad Pro 11"

Favourite word: Aha. For me and for others.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Guidelines | We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.