How to add a hair light?

[pvcfig_01]

I have a photo where the subject's black hair doesn't really stand out from the dark background. I'd like to add a hair light and have managed to isolate the subject from the background onto a layer of its own.

How can I create the hair light? What I did so far was use lighting effects to create a soft omni behind the subject, but this appears to only lighten the background, and it doesn't give me a halo around the fringes of the subject's hair.

[Vernon]

Hi, there!

Would you be able to post a sample of the image you are attempting to "light up"?

[pvcfig_01]

Here you go:

http://tn3-1.deviantart.com/fs25/300..._Sausage69.jpg

[Nanls]

The image is really too small to do anything with. If you could post a larger image file you it would be helpful.
~Nancy

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www.PhotoArt123.com

[saby]

U can get the mask of lights from the channels and use them as mask of a screen layer and U can change the "color ballance" -masked as well in a layer- at the shadows to eliminate the hair from the bckgnd

[Swampy]

Paint in highlights with a white brush on a layer above. Use an opacity of about 30 for the brush and set the blend mode to Overlay with layer opacity about 12-15 or adjust to taste.

[duwayne]

I used the dodge tool set to highlights on her hair then added a color fill layer filled with a light blue. Used a hide-all layer mask and revealed only the hair. Blending mode set to color. You can use the Hue/Saturation adjustment to change the color if you want it warmer.

[bazza64]

My idea is to isolate her hair from her face and background so that it makes it easy to adjust. Here's how i did it.
1/ Duplicate layer.
2/ Create a levels adjustment layer.
3/ Select middle slider(gamma) on histogram & slide to far left, this will bleach out the image so you can see her hair more clearly then press ok.
4/ Select polygonal lasso ( or pen tool) & set feather to 5 px, trace around the outline of her hair that you want to lighten. With this method you are creating a definate area of adjustment when using brush tool so that it won't bleed onto her face or background. When you have marching ants left click on levels layer and slide the centre slider back to where it was(1.00) press ok.
5/ Create brightness and contrast adjustment layer and adjust brightness to suit.
6/ With brightness layer highlighted select brush tool, use black foreground to darken and white forground to lighten, adjust opacity of brush to suit.

When you are happy with the results you can use a small blur tool to soften hair around her face, also if you select then reselect this will bring back marching ants so that you can make any further adjustments you want.

That's it quick and easy, I hope that helps.

[Daviskw]

Hi there

I used a combination of pwl...brightness/contrast and smudge.

Butch

[bazza64]

Hi Butch,
Good result, that's what I like about photoshop and this group so many differant ways to do things I'm learning all the time.

Bazza.

[Laura_]

I have a tut, maybe this helps
http://everythingsmagic.deviantart.c...orial-82731436
It's not really what you mean, but maybe it helps you.

[bazza64]

Thanks for the tip Laura, every bit helps.

Barry.