Sometimes even a photo that has been composed perfectly needs a little something to really make it pop. Or maybe you just want to jazz it up for use in a text-heavy document. There’s a simple way to give it a pseudo-HDR effect using Adobe Photoshop, or even Pixelmator.
The original image lacks the oomph we're looking for
The original image above is really nice. It’s well-composed, has great depth and color, and would probably be fine as is. To give it some punch, you make a duplicate of the background layer by hitting Command + J, and set the Layer Blending Mode to Overlay using the drop-down menu at the top of the Layers panel.
Adding a few layer copies can boost the overall color & contrast
While the image already shows boosted color and contrast, try duplicating that newly created layer again using Command + J. The Blending Mode should already be set to Overlay, but if it isn’t go ahead and do so. As you can see in the image above, the effect is quite stunning. But if you feel you went too far, adjust the Transparency of the top-most layer until you’re satisfied.
I wouldn’t do this for a stand-alone photo, but in the context of an overall design of a larger piece, I think its great.
Gimme a break, Yuck!
Memo: Artistic license has responsibilities attached.
Unless I’m much mistaken, I thought the HDR method was supposed to bring out detail in highlights and shadows… whereas here you’ve removed it. Looks more like a pseudo-cross process to me??