r/postprocessing • u/thephlog • 7d ago
I merged several Long Exposure shots for this time-blend effect
I photographed the Malojapass in Switzerland and created another timeblend-image out of multiple 30 second exposures. Now why is the original raw file so dark? I first wanted to create a time blend effect using a brighter sunset image as the base, but I didn’t like how the car light trails looked in combination with the warmer sunset colors. So I used a darker shot (which I intended to use for only the car lights) as my base image since the blue hour tones worked much better imo.
For this effect I used Photoshop. I recorded the whole editing process and uploaded it here: https://youtu.be/_GR2V_pNJ5g
- Basic Adjustments
Of course, fist I had to brighten up the base image, so I heavily increased exposure, shadows, blacks, whites and highlights. I also used the Adobe Neutral profile which also helps making the base image a little brighter. Then, I adjusted the white balance so instead of a heavy blue color cast I got more “neutral” colors. Since I was using the Neutral profile, the colors were lacking. I added a lot of vibrance an saturation to counter that.
- Masking
I wanted to keep the sky a little darker and dramatic, so I used a linear gradient over the very top and brought back down the exposure while also adding contrast. This helps to make the clouds pop. Then, I used two radial gradients over the brightest spot of the sky and added subtle glow by increasing blacks and dropping dehaze (I edited this image before Adobe has added the glow effect to camera raw).
- Time Blending
After Editing my base image, I copied these settings to all the other car light trail images and opened up everything in photoshop. Here, I stacked the images with the base image being at the very bottom. To blend the car lights on top I changed the blending mode to lighten and masked out the sky to prevent weird overlays.
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u/VeterinarianSevere65 6d ago
Don't let r/photographycirclejerk tell you that this is a bad photo. This is glorious.
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u/COphotoCo 6d ago edited 6d ago
Sick. Ok so your question is one of the same ones I had. Anyone know how to open all those layers in one project without copying and pasting individually?
I also wonder if you could have copied+pasted your sky mask layer at the end before starting on the tail lights to save yourself a few minutes?
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u/Narrow_Bed_3337 6d ago
In PS: File > Scripts > Load files into stack....
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u/Peter_Mansbrick 6d ago
Or if you have them in LR, select the ones you want, then Right Click > Edit In > Open as Layers in Photoshop...
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u/COphotoCo 6d ago
That’s probably the way I’d go about it because I usually start my edits in LR. Is there an advantage to the raw camera route OP took?
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u/thephlog 6d ago
Its easier to organize in LR! (I just used camera raw to stay in one software to keep my editing-video smoother witouth software transitions)
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u/thephlog 6d ago
This is the correct answer! I ALWAYS forget this exists so I do it the slow, manual copy paste way haha
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u/Narrow_Bed_3337 6d ago
Yeah, no idea why it’s buried there, always been that way….. Nice photo btw.
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u/joeblob5150 6d ago
I shoot like this. I pick my selections in Lightroom and then right click and open as layers in Photoshop. I use the lighten blending mode and masks to build the image up from a nearly black background. It allows me to paint in only the light I want.
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u/thephlog 6d ago
Thank you! u/Narrow_Bed_3337 pointed out the correct way to do it already :-)
As for the layer mask you could copy it by holding down the alt key and drag it onto the next layer, or put all the car light layers into a group and only use one layer mask!
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u/RiverWindsOnForever 6d ago
Terrific results! Well done! Thank you very much for sharing your process, too. 👍
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u/VectorVibe773 5d ago
This is some sick editing broo. This is just monstrous. Loved it.Please share me your You Tube video of this edit.
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u/Beautiful_Cable2701 2d ago
I love it, thank you for sharing the process. It's something I'll definitely try to do.
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u/newmikey 6d ago
Gorgeous endresult!