Shadow Highlight Tool

Ok today I am going to share my all time favorite new tool in Photoshop CS2, well it is new to me anyway. I stumbled across this late last year and I now use this tool on almost every photo that comes across my desk. It is especially handy when dealing with black dogs. My clients have a very tough time photographing their black coated pups without ending up with a solid black dot. As the owner of 3 black Scotties I know all too well how tough it is to create the perfect lighting situation for dark dogs. With a little photoshop knowledge you can find the best in your every day digital snapshots and squeeze out a little magic in the pixels you end up with.

The shadow highlight tool is very similar to adjusting levels, however it gives you much finer control. I am posting two shots of my boy Ajax. We shot this at the lake in the middle of a bright sunny afternoon. I saw some of that orange safety netting all balled up on the ground and thought it would be a fun backdrop for our boy. The resulting photo was ok, but the facial details on my boy were hiding. By using the shadow highlight filter in Photoshop I was able to find his sweet eyes.
Ajax As Shot:

Ajax with Shadow Highlight Filter:

Click Here to see a quick time tutorial on this fabulous tool. Just click on the pumpkin screenshot when you get to the tutorial page to launch the lesson.