Explore Guides
Sign In

Sign In with Facebook or Twitter

Or use your email address

Create an Account Forgot Password?
Like
Liked
How to Add Extra Detail to Your Photos Using Photoshop
Start the Guide ›

by Pj Hutch
433 Likes
6.3k Views
Step 1 of 19

What I will be showing today is a simple yet highly effective technique to add detail and richness to some of your photos. This style is called the Dragan Effect.

Step 2 of 19
First find a photo that you'd like to add a bit more emphasis to. I found this beauty from http://justanotherstock.deviantart.com

First find a photo that you'd like to add a bit more emphasis to. I found this beauty from http://justanotherstock.deviantart.com

Step 3 of 19
Open Photoshop

Open Photoshop

Step 4 of 19
Drag your photo into photoshop (my reflection need not be dragged in though)

Drag your photo into photoshop (my reflection need not be dragged in though)

Step 5 of 19
Now we are going to adjust some lighting and color features. So click the circle with half white and half black and choose hue/saturation. What we are doing is creating a mask of our alterations.

Now we are going to adjust some lighting and color features. So click the circle with half white and half black and choose hue/saturation. What we are doing is creating a mask of our alterations.

Step 6 of 19
Now we are going to alter the saturation aspect of the image mainly. I usually choose anywhere from 20-50 depending on the lighting of the photo. The hue an lightness can be adjusted to your liking.

Now we are going to alter the saturation aspect of the image mainly. I usually choose anywhere from 20-50 depending on the lighting of the photo. The hue an lightness can be adjusted to your liking.

Step 7 of 19
Now we are going add a levels mask to adjust lows, mids, and highs of the shadows in the photo.

Now we are going add a levels mask to adjust lows, mids, and highs of the shadows in the photo.

Step 8 of 19
Now I'm going to set the lows to 15. I leave the others the same. You can set the lows higher depending if your image is lighter or not. Since the cat is black it doesn't need much boost.

Now I'm going to set the lows to 15. I leave the others the same. You can set the lows higher depending if your image is lighter or not. Since the cat is black it doesn't need much boost.

Step 9 of 19
Next add a Curves mask. This will help us define the image using lighting.

Next add a Curves mask. This will help us define the image using lighting.

Step 10 of 19
Next you make your adjustments. Now this is varied depending on your photo. But a good rule of thumb I use is that I create three points like so and just adjust until I get something desired.

Next you make your adjustments. Now this is varied depending on your photo. But a good rule of thumb I use is that I create three points like so and just adjust until I get something desired.

Step 11 of 19
Next duplicate your photo. Highlight your layer and hit CTRL+J (Command+J on Mac) or you can press the little notepad near the trash icon in the layers palette.

Next duplicate your photo. Highlight your layer and hit CTRL+J (Command+J on Mac) or you can press the little notepad near the trash icon in the layers palette.

Step 12 of 19
With your duplicate highlighted, go to Filter>Other>High Pass

With your duplicate highlighted, go to Filter>Other>High Pass

Step 13 of 19
Type in 1.5 for your radius. Now your image should almost look metal. Like so.

Type in 1.5 for your radius. Now your image should almost look metal. Like so.

Step 14 of 19
Then go to Filter>Sharpen.

Then go to Filter>Sharpen.

Step 15 of 19
Then in blending mode...

Then in blending mode...

Step 16 of 19
Choose a blend that will work well. However, overlay or linear light yield best outcomes generally. I used linear light for this tutorial.

Choose a blend that will work well. However, overlay or linear light yield best outcomes generally. I used linear light for this tutorial.

Step 17 of 19
If all went well your image should be much more vivid an stunning. This technique works amazingly well on portraits of people. If you want to see more examples just type Dragan Effect into google

If all went well your image should be much more vivid an stunning. This technique works amazingly well on portraits of people. If you want to see more examples just type Dragan Effect into google

Step 18 of 19
After I added some of my own creativity.

After I added some of my own creativity.

Step 19 of 19
Lastly a comparison side-by-side to see the changes and differences.

Lastly a comparison side-by-side to see the changes and differences.

You're Done!
Start over

This guide was made by:
Pj Hutch
Toronto
Follow
Following
If you need any graphic design work...help a struggling artist out and hire me! All requests to downtobusiness@gmail.com

Explore more great guides:

Technology
Make an Apple With an Orange Inside W/ Photoshop

How to Make an Apple With an Orange Inside W/ Photoshop

by Pj Hutch

143
13
3.9k
Photography
Seamlessly Blend Photos in Photoshop

How to Seamlessly Blend Photos in Photoshop

by Pj Hutch

354
21
5k
Technology
Smooth Skin in Photoshop

How to Smooth Skin in Photoshop

by Pj Hutch

358
14
4.6k
Photography
Create Levitation Photos With iOS

How to Create Levitation Photos With iOS

by Dave Buxton

1.7k
57
34.6k
Photography
Clone Photo on Iphone Using Juxtaposer App for iOS

How to Clone Photo on Iphone Using Juxtaposer App for iOS

by Dedi Triono

388
14
6.8k
Technology
Use Layers in Image Editing Programs and Apps

How to Use Layers in Image Editing Programs and Apps

by Ron Jaxon

118
15
4.8k
Tweet
Share:
Connor Havre

Sick!

Connor Havre 4 months ago

Lydia Bellows

Cool

Lydia Bellows 5 months ago

River Haven

Helpful!! Thank you.

River Haven 5 months ago

v u

i couldnt make it :(

v u 5 months ago

Rebecca Mac Isaac

Great way to enhance black cat photos. They are hard to capture with photos.

Rebecca Mac Isaac 5 months ago

Dawn Owens

Very informative can't wait to try it

Dawn Owens 5 months ago

Pj Hutch

Yeah in my newer guide I did.

Pj Hutch (author) last year

Load More

Photoshop 7 or Above

  • Download
  • Explore Guides
  • Blog
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Contact Us
  • Terms
  • Privacy

©2013 Heavy Bits, Inc. | All guides ©2013 their respective authors

Sign In

Or use your email address

Create an Account Forgot Password?

Create a New Account

Join Snapguide and share what you know. Already have an account? Sign in here.

Why be old fashioned?
It's easier to sign in with:





By submitting this form you agree to Snapguide's
Terms of Service & Privacy Policy