How to Edit Underexposed Photos in Photoshop

Have you ever taken a photo that turned out too dark or underexposed? It’s frustrating when you’ve captured a great moment, but the lighting isn’t proper. Luckily, with the help of Photoshop, you can quickly fix this issue and bring your images to life.

This tutorial will walk you through editing underexposed photos in Photoshop. From adjusting the exposure and brightness levels to using layer masks and curves, we’ll cover everything you need to know to transform your photos from dull to stunning. So grab your favorite photo and follow along – we promise it’s easier than you think!

What is Underexposure?

Underexposure in photography refers to a too-dark image because the camera didn’t capture enough light. This leads to less detail and contrast. It can happen due to low light, wrong settings, or a faulty camera. When this happens, your photos can appear dull or washed out and need more detail.

Identifying Underexposed Photos

1. Assess the overall brightness: To spot an underexposed photo, check if the image looks too dark. If the main subject and background are hard to see, it’s likely underexposed.
2. Check the histogram: A histogram shows how light and dark tones are spread in your photo, with shadows on the left and highlights on the right. If most data is on the left side, the picture has more dark areas and is underexposed.
3. Examine shadow detail: Underexposed photos usually have dark shadows, making it hard to see objects or features in shady parts. Look for areas where details are missing or blend with the background.
4. Look for noise or graininess: Underexposed photos can be noisy or grainy, particularly after trying to brighten them during editing. This can make the image appear less sharp and clean.

Importing Your Photo into Photoshop

Open the Photoshop application on your computer. If you don’t already have it installed, you can download a free trial from Adobe’s website.

To import your underexposed photo, navigate to the top menu bar, and click “File.” In the drop-down menu, select “Open.” A new window will appear, allowing you to locate and choose the desired photo from your computer. Click “Open” to import the image into Photoshop. Alternatively, you can drag and drop the picture directly into Photoshop.

Using the Histogram to Assess Underexposure

Once your photo is open, navigate to the histogram tool by clicking “Window” in the top menu bar and selecting “Histogram.” A small panel will appear, displaying the histogram for your image.

The histogram is a graphical representation of the tonal range of your photo. It shows the distribution of brightness values from black (0) to white (255). To assess the underexposure of your image, you can check the histogram and see if the graph is skewed towards the left (dark) side. If it is, then your photo is likely underexposed.

Adjusting Levels to Correct Exposure

Before editing the image, right-click the chosen layer and select “Duplicate Layer.” A box will pop up for naming the copy and picking where it goes (same or new document). Click “OK” to finish.

Then go to the “Image” menu at the top of your screen, and hover over “Adjustments” in the dropdown menu. Click on “Levels” in the submenu that appears. Alternatively, you can use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+L (Windows) or Cmd+L (Mac) to access this tool quickly.

Adjust the Input Levels: In the Levels adjustment window, you’ll see three sliders under the histogram: black, gray, and white. These sliders represent shadows, mid-tones, and highlights, respectively. You must adjust the black and white sliders to correct the exposure.

• Move the black slider to the right to increase the intensity of the shadows. Be careful not to move it too far, as it can cause a loss of detail in the dark areas of the photo.
• Move the white slider to the left to brighten the highlights. This will help to increase the overall exposure of the image. However, be cautious not to overexpose the highlights, as this can result in a washed-out appearance.

Adjust the Output Levels (Optional): If your photo still appears too dark after adjusting the input levels, you can modify the output levels. In the same Levels adjustment window, you’ll find two sliders at the bottom labeled “Output Levels.” Move the black output slider to the right to brighten the shadows and the white output slider to the left to darken the highlights. Adjust these sliders carefully to avoid losing detail or creating unnatural-looking results.

Once you’re satisfied with the exposure adjustments, click “OK” to apply the changes to your photo.

Fine-tuning with Curves Adjustment

For greater control over the tonal range, use the Curves adjustment layer. Select “Layer”> “New Adjustment Layer”> “Curves.”

By default, the Curve represents the tonal range of your image, with shadows on the left, midtones in the middle, and highlights on the right. Click on the middle of the Curve and drag it upwards to brighten the midtones. You can also create additional points on the Curve to adjust specific tonal ranges, such as shadows and highlights.

Balancing Shadows and Highlights

Click on “Image” in the top menu, navigate to “Adjustments,” and select “Shadows/Highlights.” To fix the underexposed areas, Start by adjusting the Shadows slider. As you increase the slider value, the darker areas of the image will become brighter, revealing more details. Be careful not to overdo it, as this may cause the image to look unnatural. Adjust the slider gradually to find the right balance.

After adjusting the shadows, you may notice that the image’s brighter areas have become too bright. To fix this, adjust the Highlights slider to reduce the brightness of these areas. Again, be cautious not to overdo it and maintain a natural appearance.

Tweak Additional Settings (Optional)

For further control over your image, click this panel’s “Show More Options” checkbox. This will reveal additional sliders for adjustments such as Tonal Width, Radius, and Color Correction. Feel free to experiment with these settings to achieve the desired look for your image.

Tweaking Exposure for Optimal Results

To further refine the exposure, you can use the Exposure adjustment layer. Select “Layer”> “New Adjustment Layer”> “Exposure.”

In the Exposure dialog box, you’ll see three sliders: Exposure, Offset, and Gamma Correction. Start by adjusting the Exposure slider to the right until the image becomes brighter and the details in the shadows become more visible. Be careful to avoid overexposing the photo, as this may result in a loss of detail in the highlights.

Next, use the Offset slider to fine-tune the brightness of the image. Moving the slider to the right will make the image brighter while moving it to the left will darken it. This control affects the midtones of the photo, so use it sparingly to avoid unnatural results.

Finally, adjust the Gamma Correction slider to improve the overall contrast of the image. Moving the slider to the left will increase the contrast while moving it to the right will decrease it. Experiment with different settings until you find a natural and well-balanced image.

Utilizing Dodge and Burn for Localized Adjustments

Step 1: Assess the Image

Before diving into the editing process, take a moment to assess your image. Determine which areas are underexposed and would benefit from Dodge and Burn adjustments.

Step 2: Create a New Layer for Dodging and Burning

To make non-destructive edits, create a new layer by clicking on “Layer”> “New”> “Layer” or use the shortcut Ctrl+Shift+N (Cmd+Shift+N for Mac). Change the layer’s blending mode to “Soft Light” and fill it with 50% gray by clicking on “Edit”> “Fill” and select “50% Gray” from the drop-down menu.

Step 3: Select the Dodge Tool

In the toolbar, click and hold the icon that looks like a hand holding a pin until a menu pops up. Select the Dodge icon, used for lightening underexposed areas of an image.

Step 4: Adjust the Dodge Tool Settings

In the options bar at the top of the screen, choose the following settings for the Dodge:

• Brush size: Choose an appropriate brush size based on the area you want to lighten.
• Range: Choose “Midtones” for a balanced effect or “Shadows” for more targeted adjustments to the darkest areas.
• Exposure: Start with a low value (10-20%) to ensure subtle adjustments and avoid over-processing.

Step 5: Apply the Dodge Effect

Using the Dodge tool, gently paint over the underexposed areas of your image. Take time and gradually build the effect, adjusting the brush size for different areas.

Step 6: Select the Burn Tool

Return to the toolbar and select the Burn icon from the same menu where you found the Dodge icon. The Burn tool is used to darken overexposed areas of an image.

Step 7: Adjust the Burn Tool Settings

In the options bar, choose the following settings for the Burn:

• Brush size: Choose an appropriate brush size based on the area you want to darken.
• Range: Choose “Midtones” for a balanced effect or “Highlights” for more targeted adjustments to the brightest areas.
• Exposure: Start with a low value (10-20%) to ensure subtle adjustments and avoid over-processing.

Step 8: Apply the Burn Effect

Using the Burn tool, gently paint over the overexposed areas of your image. As with the Dodge tool, gradually build up the effect, adjusting the brush size for different areas.

Step 9: Fine-Tune Your Adjustments

After applying the Dodge and Burn effects, examine your image closely. If necessary, adjust the opacity of the new layer to control the overall intensity of the effect.

Step 10: Save Your Work

When you’re satisfied with your photo, Go to File > Save As, and select the format you want to use. Save your image as a PSD file to easily make future changes. You may also want to create a JPEG or TIFF copy of your image on the Web and a small-sized version for emailing or posting online.

Conclusion

Fixing dark pictures in Photoshop may appear complicated, but using proper methods makes it easy. With time, you’ll improve at fixing dark photos and creating amazing images. You can also use the Adobe Camera Raw filter and Lightroom Classic to fix underexposed photos.