Photoshop Cs4 How do I ?
 

I'll try to explain this as best as I can, I have seen this technique used but don't know how to.

I have a Landscape photo of Buachaille Etive Mor and is unfortunately Backlit
I'd arrived too late and the sun was at the wrong end to lighten the mountain

I'd like to drag a screen down from top to halfway while holding the mouse so
that I can lighten the top half of the image only as the forground is exposed okay

Hope someone knows what I'm talking about.

Hope this helps
 

[QUOTE=PatrickMcCluskey;12472]I'll try to explain this as best as I can, I have seen this technique used but don't know how to.

I have a Landscape photo of Buachaille Etive Mor and is unfortunately Backlit
I'd arrived too late and the sun was at the wrong end to lighten the mountain

I'd like to drag a screen down from top to halfway while holding the mouse so
that I can lighten the top half of the image only as the forground is exposed okay

Hope someone knows what I'm talking about.[/QUOTE]

Lightroom has had a [B]Graduated Filter[/B] and [B]Adjustment Brush[/B] which can each be used in slightly different ways to achieve the effect you seem to require - as far as I know CS4 introduced both tools - so presumeably the technique involved will be - similar - if not the same - to that used in Lightroom - if this is the case - the following link - may help. :)

[B][CENTER][URL="http://tv.adobe.com/watch/photoshopcafe-tv/graduated-filter-in-lightroom-2/"]http://tv.adobe.com/watch/photoshopcafe-tv/graduated-filter-in-lightroom-2/[/URL][/CENTER][/B]

If not - you may find some suitable help linking to the [B][URL="http://www.photoradar.com/forums/showthread.php?t=714"]FREE VIDEO TUTORIALS[/URL][/B] thread. ;):cool:

There is another way , you can duplicate the picture, then using levels lighten the picture paying attention only to the sky area, when it is right, do a layer mask and bring back the picture undernath that is properly exposed.

hope i have explained it ok !! i use that method quite alot

A easier way is to use a levels adjustment layer to lighten the sky and the rest of the image,then use the grad tool on the adjustment layer mask to bring the land back to its original exposure.