Using Diffuse Glow to Enhance Highlights

While Diffuse Glow is relatively straightforward to use, it's also easy to overdo causing a loss of crucial detail in the highlights. Read on to find out how to get the most out of the filter and your photograph.

• Step 1 - Before you apply the filter, duplicate the image layer so you're not working on the original (Layer > Duplicate Layer) and then select Filter > Convert to Smart Filter and click Ok when the dialogue box appears. Now, to access the filter, go to Filter > Distort > Diffuse Glow...

• Step 2 - Set the sliders so Glow Amount and Graininess are at 0 and Clear Amount is set to 20. Zoom in to the image 100% and then slowly move the Glow Amount slider until you start seeing the highlights bleed. For this image 4 isn't enough but 5 is too much, the Clear slider will allow us to refine it.

• Step 3 - Adjust the Clear Amount to fine-tune the glow. We set it to 15. Be careful not to bleach the highlights too much so that you lose too much detail or you create halos. Don't worry if the glow bleeds in to the shadows or you lose some definition, you can retrieve these in next step.
  • Step 4 - Once you've got the level of glow you want, consider applying a little grain to your picture (Filter > Texture > Grain...) but use it sparingly. Then click Ok. Back at the Layers Palette add a Vector Mask to the filtered image by clicking on the Vector Mask button at the bottom of the Layer Palette.

• Step 5 - You can now paint detail and the shadows back in to the image using the Brush Tool set to its softest and loaded with black paint. With the mask selected, brush on to the areas of your image you want make darker, varying the brushes opacity as you go to control the effect.

• You can also download action script related to this, click here!