Here’s a video tutorial I created to show you how to make just a subject in an image bright, without raising the brightness of the entire image. This is useful for when you have a close subject against a bright background and/or a strong backlight.
Please leave a comment and let me know what you think. Do you like the video? Should I make a non-video companion post that uses images and text? Is there anything I should do differently?
Tags: brightness, Photoshop, tutorial, Video
My name is Amy, and I've been creating and designing websites for 10 years. I live
in the lowcountry of South Carolina where there is plenty of natural inspiration. 
Hey
Oh wow.. five is like A LOT! HEhe, we only have one.
Comment by Swetlana — June 1, 2009 @ 9:30 am
Oh.. we gave our old computer to my parents friends. We should’ve kept it for my younger siblings.. so they don’t want to go on this computer all the time. .
Comment by Swetlana — June 1, 2009 @ 10:06 am
awesome! i shall have to try this on some of my photos.
Comment by Jenny — June 1, 2009 @ 10:29 am
Thanks, I really need a car, but I don’t think I’m getting one.
I love the tutorial. I think video tutorials are better than image/text tutorials because it’s easier to get around Photoshop or whatever program is being used. Plus for the creator, you don’t have to take 4,000 screenshots, haha. Good job!
Also, the quick selection tool was cool. I’m pretty sure you’re using Photoshop and I’ve never paid attention to that tool. I’m going to have to try it one time!
Comment by Stephine — June 1, 2009 @ 2:13 pm
You make it look so easy, but the last time I tried to select out a section I ended up having to draw around, despite significant differences betweeb what I was selecting and the background.
Comment by Alice Audrey — June 1, 2009 @ 2:20 pm
Alice Audrey, I did pick this photo because it was easier to cut him out. I’ve had some harder ones where I’ve had to go back with the lasso or pen tool, or even sometimes holding down ALT and putting the selection tool where you don’t want it can fix it.
However, I felt like for the tutorial that spending time on something harder would be a waste. The tutorial is about brightening the selection, not selecting. I might make one about selecting and knowing the right tool to use when at a later date. Thank for the input.
Comment by Star — June 1, 2009 @ 2:26 pm
Thanks for posting this video. I’m not great with PS and I have quite a bite of photos i’;d like to brighten like that.
Comment by Shauna — June 3, 2009 @ 7:29 am
Don’t get me wrong. It’s a great tutorial! If my dh hadn’t already taught me to do it I’d have been going “ah hah! So that’s how it is” all over the place.
Comment by Alice Audrey — June 4, 2009 @ 11:19 am
Alice Audrey, I definitely took your comment constructively. I intend to use it to help me give more useful tutorials. I was just saying that the purpose of the tutorial wasn’t about selections, though it’s a good idea to make one.
Comment by Star — June 4, 2009 @ 12:03 pm
LOL nah I’m pretty sure it’s pepto bismo.
Atleast in this country it is.
That was an awesome tutorial, loved it!
Comment by Gillian — June 4, 2009 @ 3:27 pm
I laughed so hard when I watched that video for some reason, HAHA.
Anyways, that’s weird that it’s not spelt Pepto Bismo.
I swear it is here.
Or maybe I’m just stupid, that’s a possibility.
Comment by Gillian — June 4, 2009 @ 7:07 pm
Thanks! I also like your video. So simple but smart.
I just couldn’t see when you were changing layers, etc. as it was off to the side.
I think I might try this sometime, hehe.
Comment by Georgina — June 4, 2009 @ 8:07 pm
Hi, Congratulations to the site owner for this marvelous work you’ve done. It has lots of useful and interesting data.
Comment by Nic — June 5, 2009 @ 10:21 pm