Digital Photography: Achieve HDR Style Effects Using Photoshop and the Lucis Art Filter

Hey everybody! In this tutorial, I'll show you some great techniques to achieve HDR effects. There are a lot of different techniques out there, but I prefer to use this specific filter called LucisArt. Soon there will be a new and better release called Lucis Pro. Till then we'll use this one. You can buy it from their website or take the 30 days trial to test and see if you like it. Also, the filter is only available for Windows. The new Lucis Pro will also be available for MAC though.

Author: Constantin Potorac

I am a freelance designer living in Romania. I discovered the beauty of design a few years ago. Since then I have dedicated my time to becoming a great designer (work in progress)!

Part I - Applying HDR Styling to a Portrait Image

This tutorial has three parts. We'll review adding HDR styling to multiple types of images using the LucisArtfilter. In this first part, we'll work on adding more interest with HDR styling to a portrait photo.

Final Image Preview for Part I

Before we get started with Part I, let's take a look at the image we'll be creating. Click the screenshot below to view the full-size image. As always, the layered Photoshop file is available via our PSDTUTS Plus membership.

Step 1

Open up your image in Photoshop. I'll start with a portrait image I shot.

Step 2

First thing you need to do is to duplicate the layer (J). Then go to Filter > Lucis > LucisArt. Here you will need to select the Sculpture option and set it to something like 30.

Step 3

Create a Layer Mask for this layer and fill it with black. This will hide all the effect. Then, take the brush (set to white) and draw over the man and the products he was selling. Leave the trees untouched.

Step 4

Next I will add a new adjustment layer. Select the curves from the drop-down menu.

Step 5

Now using a black brush, simply draw over the eyes. But do this into the mask that was automatically created. In a portrait it is important that the eyes are not covered by the shadow. They need to be visible.

Step 6

Next press Command + A to make a selection, go to Edit > Copy Merged, and again go to Edit > Paste. Then go to Filter > Lucis > LucisArt and this time select Exposure and set it to 60. Then set the Opacity to 50%.

Step 7

Press Command + A to make a selection over the entire image. Then again go to Edit > Copy Merged and Edit > Paste.

Step 8

Now that you have all the layers copied go to Image > Adjustments > Black And White and play with the settings there.

Step 9

Set the layer to Multiply and the Opacity to 40%.

Step 10

Now make a Layer Mask for this layer and erase some of this effect from the eyes using the Brush Tool (B), just as we did in Step 5.

Step 11

Next you need to press Command + A to make a selection. Then go to Edit > Copy Merged and Edit > Paste. Then go to Filter > Lucis > LucisArt and this time use Sculpture set to 20.

Step 12

Mask the layer and fill it with black. Now using a white brush, you'll need to make visible only a few parts of the image. You'll also need to decrease the opacity of the brush to create the effect gradually. I will try not to draw with the brush over the old man's skin.

Step 13

Next I want to make the image more detailed. Select the Levels setting from the Create New Fill Or Adjustment Layer and set the right slider to left at 192.

Step 14

Fill the mask that was created automatically with black. Then with a small white brush set to a lower Opacity, draw over the beard, clothes, and some parts of the wood to lighten them up.

Conclusion of Part I

For this particular image you can maybe use some filters that help you smooth the skin, but I personally like it as it is. The final image is below and you can view the larger image here.

Part II - Applying HDR Styling to a Close-Up Image

Next we'll do another personal photograph that I actually love very much. This is macro photography. The image isn't perfect because I shot it very fast, as the ladybug was flying away.

Final Image Preview for Part II

Before we get started with Part II, let's take a look at the image we'll be creating. Click the screenshot below to view the full-size image. As always, the layered Photoshop file is available via our PSDTUTS Plus membership.