How do I "adjust" background shadow in blitz photography?

[jacktar Profile Private message]

When the pros make them photos, they often use lamps that light up the object from diferent angels.
In this way they get the light and shadows as they want.
Amateurs like me have to relay on blitz.
The result is that there is often some " heavy shadows" on the side and behind the object.
I can use "Black point" in Proshow to make the picture "brighter of course,
But I wish I could sometimes brighten up only the heavy shadows, and the part of the object that is to dark.

Is there someone out there who can tell me a little about how this is done? ( In photoshop)

Best regards
jacktar

[gpsmikey Profile Private message]

In Photoshop, try Image -> adjustments -> shadows and highlights, but by far, the better things is to work the lighting issue before shooting - POST is not the answer, but it can certainly help.

mikey

[jacktar Profile Private message]

In Photoshop, try Image -> adjustments -> shadows and highlights, but by far, the better things is to work the lighting issue before shooting - POST is not the answer, but it can certainly help.

mikey

Yes, that took care of some of the shadows,
But not this deep shadow ( I dont know what you call it in english, maybe "cast shadow" It is the deepest shadow that comes close to and behind the object when we use strong light from one dirrection )

How do I brighten up that shadow?

Best regards
jacktar

[briancbb Profile Private message]

jacktar

When performing the 'shadows/highlights' as suggested by Mikey, did you tick the 'Show me more options' box. This brings up additional controls, one of them being 'Tonal width' for shadows. Have you tried changing this?

[jacktar Profile Private message]

jacktar

When performing the 'shadows/highlights' as suggested by Mikey, did you tick the 'Show me more options' box. This brings up additional controls, one of them being 'Tonal width' for shadows. Have you tried changing this?

Yes, I tried this also, it has no special effect on the deep ( Black) sharply defined shadow close to the object.
That part of the object is nearly black in color, and with the very deep ( sharply defined) shadow behind it, it looks like the shadow is a part of the object.

Best regards
jacktar.

[gpsmikey Profile Private message]

You can only "correct" things so much. You typically have a range of 0-255 for the RGB colors of a pixel - if the "deep shadow has a tonal range of 0-3, it is going to be almost impossible to extract information from that to make it a reasonable shot. Shooting RAW will help recover that info ( in bridge or Photoshop ) but by far, the better thing is to avoid that situation in the first place and work the lighting issues. There are a whole bunch of things you can do in Photoshop - shadows and highlights is just one of them, but you can't make details out of data that does not have details in it.

mikey

[jacktar Profile Private message]

Thank you mikey.
Then I guess that "surgery" is the only option left?

Best regards
jacktar