Problem : Solution Restore underexposed shadow detail

Problem : Solution Restore underexposed shadow detail

Problem: Image is underexposed.

Solution: Use the Levels command to bring details out of the shadows.

To begin, launch Photoshop and select an image to work with. Our example image features a group of backlit ferns. The late afternoon sun illuminates a few fronds, but part of the stem and the majority of the group are in deep shadow. The image will look better if we lighten the tones in the shadow details without changing the tones in the midrange and highlight areas that are illuminated by sunlight.

The Levels command's settings and options

To get started, choose Image Adjustments Levels, and the Levels dialog box opens. The Levels dialog box contains a number of settings and options that allow you to adjust the highlights, midtones, and shadows of an image.

Above the Input Levels sliders is a histogram that represents the pixel quantity of tonal levels in your image. Above the Output Levels sliders is a grayscale bar that represents the tonal levels to which you can reset your shadow and highlight points.

Working with the Levels command adjustments

To understand the cause-and-effect relationship of adjusting the sliders, let's make a few simple level adjustments and watch what happens to the tones in our images. Since the Input Levels settings allow us to change the individual highlight, midtone, and shadow tonal ranges, we only need to adjust the Input Levels sliders.

To start:

1.	Move the highlight slider to the left until you reach a value of about 155. As you do so, you'll notice that just the highlights and many of the upper midtones in the image become brighter.
2.	Reset the highlight slider to 255.
3.	Move the shadow slider to the right until you reach a value of about 130. You'll notice that the shadows and most of the midtones have become darker.
4.	Reset the shadow slider to 0.
5.	Finally, move the midtone slider first to the right to a value of 0.50, and then to the left to a value of 2.90. As you do so, you'll see that the midtones first become darker, and then lighter. You'll also notice that there's a surprisingly large amount of detail in the shadow areas, which you previously weren't able to see.
6.	Reset the midtone slider to 1.00.

Adjusting the shadow detail

Now that you have a feeling for the results of setting highlight, midtone, and shadow Input Levels with the sliders, let's adjust the underexposed shadow.

1.	Move the highlight slider to the left until it reaches the toe section of the histogram. For our example image, this happens at a value of about 170.
2.	Move the midtone slider to the left until detail in the shadow areas become more visible, at about 1.20 in our example image, or according to your preference.
3.	Click OK when you've finished, and you now have an image you can use however you'd like.

Out of the shadows and into the light

The Levels command is a simple and easy way to adjust the tonal values in an image. It's useful when you want to bring out details in the shadow areas caused by underexposure or low lighting conditions. It's also useful in fine-tuning midtone and highlight values. Whenever you have an image you like, but which lacks detail in a particular tonal area, use the Levels command. You'll be surprised at what comes out of the shadows.