PS Application Gradient tool processing landscape photos

For some images, the gradient tool will even defeat the brush tool. Landscape photos are especially good for using the "gradient tool", because the exposure value between the ground and the sky in landscape photos varies very much, and the "gradient tool" is a perfect fit.

The gradient tool is set up similar to the brush tools setting. Start by selecting the "Halve tool" in the Photoshop Toolbox (the location of the red circle in the toolbox shown above). Sometimes the gradient tool is hidden under the paint bucket tool because it is placed under the same tool button. If not, you can press the SHIFT+G key to switch between the paint bucket tool and the gradient tool in the toolbox.

In the toolbox, select the Gradient tool, and the options bar appears in the upper-left corner of the interface with the gradient picker. Click the blue down arrow to open the selector. In most cases, a black to white (or white to black) gradient effect is applied to the layer mask.

The gradient tool creates a smooth transition from white to black on the layer mask. This allows the part of the layer to appear smooth transition to partially hidden.

After you select the Gradient tool, the gradient picker appears to the left of the options bar at the top of the Photoshop window (the same as the Brush Tool picker location). The gradient picker allows you to choose a gradient effect that meets your own masking and blending needs.

In most cases, for photographic applications on a layer mask, users can use a simple gradient effect to select the first black to white (or white to black) mode, which is the default option in the upper-left corner of the gradient picker.

Blend two layers perfectly with the gradient tool

The exposure of this photo (1s continuous exposure) is excellent for the river and rock information, but it is overexposed to the skies.

The picture is just as good as the Sky setting sun (1/20s continues to expose), but the river and the rocks are too dark.

The typical case of using the gradient tool on a layer mask is that there are two exposures that need to be perfectly blended together. For example, shoot Colorado, R. 's Horseshoe Cove at sunset: One picture is accurately exposed to the river and the other is exposed to the sky.

For both photos, each picture is not very good, because one is obviously overexposed and the other is not exposed. However, if the two are combined, the exposure of the sky and the river is accurate, and the synthetic image looks magnificent.

1. In Photoshop, open the two images you want to synthesize. For example, I use Colorado, R. 's photos.

2, select "Move Tool" in the toolbox.

3. Click to select a window that contains an accurate picture of the sky exposure (that is, the river is not exposed), and then select the menu bar "select-All" command.

4. Next, select the edit-Copy command in the menu bar to copy the entire image.

5. Click to select an image window that includes an accurate picture of the river's exposure, and then select Edit-Paste to copy the sky photos to the river Image window. Now there are two layers in the layer stack, for example, I'll name the layers "Sky" and "river" respectively. The "Sky" layer is currently visible in the image window, and the "river" layer is hidden.

6. In the layers panel, make sure the sky layer is selected and add a black "hide all" layer mask.

This black "Hide all" layer mask hides the "sky" layer, while the "river" layer is visible in the image window. At the bottom of the toolbox, the foreground color is automatically converted to white, and the background color turns black.

7, click the Gradient tool in the Toolbox and select it.

8, open the gradient picker, and then select the gradient labeled "Foreground to Background color" in the upper-left corner.

9. Select the layer mask in the sky layer, position the gradient tool at the top of the image window, and then click and drag the gradient effect to the bottom of the image window. This results in a white to black gradient on the layer mask, and the correct sky area in the "Sky" layer is displayed, while the rocks and rivers exposed by the "river" layer are also exposed.

On the plateau of Colorado, R., the thundering Thunder resounded through the endless flat-topped mesa, the cold wind stung the skin, and the storm screamed under the wind, and swept through the empty scene. I was hoping to get a picture at sunset's golden hour, but hopefully it's pretty slim, but no one knows what it's going to be like in the end. So I wrapped my photographic equipment in a waterproof plastic bag and trudged along the edge of the Colorado, R., next to the 1000-foot cliff in Horseshoe Cove.

When I reached the edge of the canyon, the rain had weakened, but the light was dim and the cold wind in winter made it uncomfortable to wait here. To prepare for the end of the day, but say to yourself "never give up"-and just before the darkness falls, the clouds are illuminated to show the magnificent colors shown in the picture.

Focal length 12mm, two exposures (one to Colorado, R. exposure 1s, one to sky exposure 1/20s), aperture F/7.1,iso 200, using a tripod to shoot; using layer masks and gradient synthesis exposures in Photoshop.

At the beginning of the California State of the Owens Valley Volcano Heights in the picture, I stood on the steep edge of the cliff, overlooking the Owens in the distance, the magnificent winter peaks of the Nevada Mountains. It is now clear that the exposure of the valley in the shadow is quite different from the bright peaks that are reflecting the afternoon sun. Fortunately, with a series of layers, layer masks, and gradient tools, I can easily solve this exposure problem.

Focal length 20mm,6 exposure, shutter speed from 1/13s~1.6s, aperture are f/22,iso 100, using a tripod shooting, synthetic exposure in Photoshop.

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