How do I recreate these results? (was Retouching advice - step by step)

[FTLmojo]

Hello everyone,

My first here on this really great board. I was directed here by a fellow POTN member and I am happy to be here and increase my learning of the PP work flow.

I have an image that I took years ago with a small point and shoot. I have attached it as the first image (#1). I asked on the other board for retouch up work and comments. One member really did a bang up job on it bringing the white outs, and increasing the blacks/shadows at the top of the tunnel.
He even provided his step by step method of how he did it. (which I have pasted as well.) Here lies the question. I am not quite sure what program he used. I have PSCS2 and in the hue/saturation option, there is nothing relating to the tools of :

Local Range:
Begin Ramp:
Begin Sustain:
End Sustain:
End Ramp:

So I am wondering if there is another way to accomplish the final product/image like he did. I have an intermediate knowledge of the PS principles and always willing to learn more.

Here is the original image (#1)

Here is the finished result (#2)

Here is the cut and paste of what he did :

Here's my attempt..... Hue/Saturation
Hue/Saturation
Without Colorize
Adjustment: hue/saturation adjustment list
hue/saturation adjustment
Hue: 0
Saturation: -62
Lightness: 0
hue/saturation adjustment
Local Range: 2
Begin Ramp: 15
Begin Sustain: 45
End Sustain: 75
End Ramp: 105
Hue: 0
Saturation: 0
Lightness: 41
hue/saturation adjustment
Local Range: 3
Begin Ramp: 75
Begin Sustain: 105
End Sustain: 135
End Ramp: 165
Hue: 0
Saturation: 0
Lightness: -100
Curves
Curves
Adjustment: curves adjustment list
curves adjustment
Channel: composite channel
Curve: point list
point: 0, 0
point: 19, 15
point: 74, 59
point: 166, 164
point: 236, 238
point: 255, 255
Select sponge
Set current brush
To: brush
master diameter: 29 pixels

Burn Tool
Select previous history state
Set current brush
To: brush
master diameter: 87 pixels
Burn Tool


Dodge Tool
Set current brush
To: brush
master diameter: 62 pixels
Dodge Tool
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Many thanks in advance for my soon to be new friends on here taking time to share some learning.

[DannyRaphael]

The technical details are settings for various Photoshop commands and tools, i.e., Hue/Saturation and Curves adjustments, Dodge and Burn tools, etc.

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Take a look at this attachment, which is my attempt to recreate the effect using Photoshop.

If you think the results I got are "close enough" to what he did, reply to this thread and I will write up the "how to" detail. I do not have time to write them at this moment.

[FTLmojo]

Originally Posted by DannyRaphael

The technical details are settings for various Photoshop commands and tools, i.e., Hue/Saturation and Curves adjustments, Dodge and Burn tools, etc.

-------

Take a look at this attachment, which is my attempt to recreate the effect using Photoshop.

If you think the results I got are "close enough" to what he did, reply to this thread and I will write up the "how to" detail. I do not have time to write them at this moment.

That is awesome, I would love to know the steps there. I could not find the commands and tools for Hue/Saturation regarding the Begin ramp, end ramp, etc.. when I clicked on that option, I only got the three slider controls, two check boxes at the bottom COLORIZE and PREVIEW. I could not find the other commands.

[DannyRaphael]

Originally Posted by FTLmojo

That is awesome, I would love to know the steps there. I could not find the commands and tools for Hue/Saturation regarding the Begin ramp, end ramp, etc.. when I clicked on that option, I only got the three slider controls, two check boxes at the bottom COLORIZE and PREVIEW. I could not find the other commands.

The additional options become available when one chooses colors from the dropdown menu at the top of the dialog. Chosing, say red, causes "slider controls" to appear on the top of the two color scales at the bottom. These enable one to narrow or expand the "definition of "red" to be affected when fiddling with the three main controls.

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OK... recreating your effect. BTW, very interesting photo. Excellent candidate.

The layer progression shown in the snapshot of the Layers Palette represent the "final outcome," not necessarily the sequence of steps I took to get there. It was pretty much a trial/error process, not a straight 1-2-3 process.
* Duplicate Background (keep it unmodified in case needed later)
* Ctrl+1, Ctrl+2, Ctrl+3 to assess the individual color channels. Red looked the best.
* Select > All, Edit > Copy, click on RGB composite channel (so eyeballs for all channels come back on).
* Back to Layers Palette.
* Create new layer
* Edit > Paste to populate new layer, named "red channel"
* Duplicate this layer and experiment with blend modes. I liked "Soft light." Opacity lowered a bit; airbrushed on mask with black in areas where I wanted to suppress the effect.
* Curves adjustment layer. Settings as noted in screenshot of Layers Palette.
* Hue/Sat adjustment layer. Turn on option "colorize." Blend mode and control settings as noted in screenshot of Layers Palette.
* Another Hue/Sat adjustment layer. Turn on option "colorize." Blend mode and control settings as noted in screenshot of Layers Palette. Airbrushed on mask with black in areas where I wanted to suppress the effect.
* Top layer: Airbrushed with black.
* Double click on original Background, applied default name to create a regular layer.
* Create a new layer.
* Press D and X keys to ensure foreground color is black
* Layer > New > Background from layer
* Image > Canvas size -- add some width/height to get the black border

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That said to get this type of look there are other approaches and practically an unlimited number of options, setting values and blend mode combinations one could apply. Which ones to use would depend on things like the nature / characteristics of the original image, personal preferences, etc. In other words the above steps would most likely not work on a different image. Use them as a general guideline.

Hope this helps.

[FTLmojo]

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!

Your step by step version was so much simplier to follow through.

I will be following this tonight to recreate this picture.

Again, many many thanks for your time and patience.

[DannyRaphael]

Originally Posted by FTLmojo

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!

You are most welcome. If you get stuck or have further questions, don't hesitate to ask. I'm glad to help when I can.