Can't brighten this photo

[useyourhead]

I just can't figure out how to brighten this photo.

I've tried every Photoshop adjustment and I'm not getting anywhere.

How can I turn this photo into a first class image worthy of being the header/banner for the home page of our web site?

Thanks!!!

P.S. the original image is only 180dpi

[jkjohnst]

Attached is a brighter photo for you. This is just an example and a VERY quick edit from the image i pulled off the preview....

Basically 180dpi isn't bad for web-based only photos:

1) I went into Levels and brightened the mid-tones (the middle arrow)

2) I went into curves and brightened the brights and darkened the darks with a simple "S" curve to make it a little more contrasty

3) and I also sharpened it a bit with the filter > unsharp mask

These are all basic techniques to use on every photo you would like to fix up.

Hope this helps!

[tom60634]

With the small file size it's hard to make adjustments without increasing undesirable artifacts.
But I gave it a try with Photoshop's new HDR toning adjustments.

[Panpan]

To get first class results, you need to start with a first class image.

This image doesn't need more pop or brightness, it needs a less cluttered background. You maybe think the company car with its lettering is an important part of the message, but the photo would be much better without it

[Blaise]

When an image is too dark in general try this - very quick fix -
Make a Levels or Curves Adjustment Layer.
Do not make any changes.
Change the Blending Mode to Screen ad adjust the Opacity until it looks right.
Changing the Blending Mode will give you a much more "even" result in tonal info. Its just the way the math works...

Image too light? change the blending mode to Multiply and adjust opacity until right.

[Quantum3]

Panpan is right. You need a better picture. This one is not first class. Of course, who knows what really is first class... at the end there are always better and better images but this one doesn't surpass the threshold of a normal pic. Regarding the luminance, you should try Shadows and Highlights first, then applying levels and masking out the blown highlights (specially the ones in the car).

Hope this help,

Mart

[Flora]

Hi!

Agreed, working on a higher res picture gives better result, but I tried to force the focus in this one ...

What I did is brightened the man and darkened the rest of the picture for greater impact.

[useyourhead]

Thank you all so much. Your comments were encouraging. I thought I just had no talent. But, yes, the original image was just not great.

Attached is what I've done. I still need to tweek a bit.

Bascially, I'm splitting the image up into different layers using magnetic lasso and fixing each individual piece.

Again, many thanks.

[Quantum3]

Originally Posted by useyourhead

Thank you all so much. Your comments were encouraging. I thought I just had no talent. But, yes, the original image was just not great.

Attached is what I've done. I still need to tweek a bit.

Bascially, I'm splitting the image up into different layers using magnetic lasso and fixing each individual piece.

Again, many thanks.

Much, much better. You should fix the blacks on the trousers because is too destroyed there. You can fix the contrast of the image and mask out the areas which are blown, such as the highlights and, in this case, the shadows.