This is what I started with - an image of my love one and her double-second-cousin.

The first thing is to duplicate the image layer (CTRL + ! and run a "igh #ass filter on the duplicated layer. Then choose $.% as filter radius. &'&( )on*t be alarmed+ we will fi, this in a sec...

The ne,t step is to select -vivid light- as the layer blending mode. .ow flatten the layers (CTRL + /"I0T + 1!.

2gain+ duplicate the layer+ and do a "igh #ass filter on the dup. This time select 3.4 as radius and color as blending mode.

.ow choose layer opacity $%5 and flattened again.

.ow again - duplicate the layer. .ow call on the 6aussian 7lur (0ilter-8 7lur-8 6aussian 7lur! filter and set it to 4.9. /till using the dup layer+ call on the noise filter (0ilter -8 .oise -8 2dd .oise! and apply :5 noise.

';+ that loo<s really blurry+ we will do something about it. Li<e remove all the blur from the eyes and .... .ow add a layer mas< (Layer -8 2dd Layer =as< -8 "ide 2ll!+ and select the eyes using the lasso tool (L is the short cut for this!. .ow invert the selection (/hift + Control + I!. .ow ta<e the brush tool (7! set the opacity to :%5 and paint over the entire image. T2)2( 1yes are a bit sharper then the rest of the image. 0latten again.

The final step is to apply some unsharp mas< filter (0ilter -8 /harpen -8 >nsharp =as<!. >se the following values? 2mount @%%5+ Radius :%.% #i,els+ Threshold %. 2nd ....

1) Image Prep & Clean up

'pen your image in #hotoshop+ and duplicate the 7ac<ground layer. Call the duplicate A7B& CopyC. 'n the 7B& Copy layer+ ma<e any adDustments to the core image you li<eE sharpening+ color correction+ dust removal+ etc. Fou want to end up with a technically good e,posure+ but not a final image.

2) Black and White Conversion

2fter you are done with the 7B& Copy cleanup+ itCs time to convert to blac< and white. I used to prefer using the Channel =i,er method+ but you can also use the new 7B& 0ilter in #hotoshop C/:. "owever you get there+ ma<e sure you leave detail in both the blac<s and whites. 3) Duplicate the B&W La er =a<e a new copy of the 7B& Copy and call it 'verlay wG 6radient. 2dd a layer mas<.

!) "ake an overla mask

"ereCs the first tric<y part H creating your overlay mas<. In most situations+ you can simply add a layer mas< to isolate parts of an image. In this case+ however+ we will be setting the blend mode to 'verlay+ so anything that is mas<ed wonCt be affected. &hat we need to do is actually blac<en parts of the layer that we donCt want highlighted. To do this+ we need to use a temporary layer filled with blac< IunderneathI the 'verlay wG 6radient layer.

!a) Create a #lack $ill la er ust below the 'verlay wG 6radient layer+ create a new layer filled with blac<.

!#) Paint the overla mask 'n the 'verlay wG 6radient layer mas<+ begin painting with a soft+ blac< brush on low opacity. /lowly ta<e away the parts that will be dar<ened or hidden layer.

!c) "erge the result 'nce you are happy with the mas<+ select both the 'verlay wG 6radient layer and the blac< filled layer below it and merge JLayer 8 =erge Layers or CtrlGCmd + 1K. This should leave you with a single layer and no mas<.

%) &et 'verla "ask to 'verla "ode

ThatCs pretty straightforwardL change the blend mode of 'verlay wG 6radient to wellL 'verlay. The image should loo< a little more interesting right now. There should be much more dynamic range+ and some nice+ deep shadows. In the ne,t step+ weCll create a little more drama with some additional lighting effects.

() Create a Light Beam la er

Create a new+ blan< layer above the 'verlay wG 6radient layer+ and call it Light 7eam. >sing whatever method you li<e+ create some soft+ white light beams. 0or this e,ample image+ I used the #olygon Lasso tool with about M%p, of feathering to draw a triangle. I then filled with white+ and blurred this a couple of times. .e,t+ I rotated the triangle slightly+ and then duplicated it to a new layer+ which was flipped about the vertical a,is. 0inally+ I merged the two together. "owever+ you may find it much easier to simply paint your light beams+ and then use a transform warp. &hatever wor<s for you( /et the Light 7eam layer blend mode to 'verlay+ and lower the opacity to taste. I used $35.

)) &urve the results* 2t this point+ itCs important to loo< at what you have so far. 0or my e,ample+ the top flower is centered and highlighted+ with other elements lower down the stem fading to dar<ness.

&ummar &e are now done with the basics of the techniNue. O7ut wait+P you say. O&hereCs the paintingQP &ell+ remember when we did the mas<ing and the light beamsQ ThatCs the very beginning of where you can go. &e Dust created the beams to a general shape+ but you could have painted them for specific highlights. In part two+ weCll cover some actual painting on the mas<s to draw out very specific highlights+ flatten the lighting+ and completely rema<e an image Dust by manipulating the lighting.

0or now+ itCs important to see the concepts at wor<. The blend modes are added to push the dynamics+ and we added a light layer to focus and enhance the effect even more. &ith a little playing around+ you can develop your own approaches+ such as building light layers from other images+ or adding filters to get special effects. In this image+ I added a @-pi,el border+ and an additional color layer at the very top to give an aged feel.

To get a nicely toned monochrome image+ simply add a blan< layer at the top of everything else+ and fill with a color of your choosing. /et the blend mode of that layer to Color+ and reduce the opacity or fill to suit your tastes. 0or my version+ I used a <ind of light tobacco color+ and set the opacity at 9%5. 0inally+ I added an oval vignette layer mas< to my 7B& Copy layer+ Dust to give it that old portrait feeling (this also reNuires a blac< filled layer underneath so the original doesnCt show through!.

;eep using this techniNue+ and youCll find all <inds of variations. >se any combination of the steps you li<e. Leave some out+ duplicate others+ and substitute your own. The <ey is to e,periment. In part two+ ICll show you some ways you can Nuic<ly try many different things and still <eep the process fle,ible. ItCs a good way to loo< for candidate images that you want to develop further. ICll also discuss in more detail what to loo< for+ and how to shoot images that lend themselves to this techniNue.

"appy A/hopping(

/tart by duplicating your layer JCtrl + K. Fou donCt "2R1 to duplicate the layer+ but it helps if you ma<e a mista<e. )esaturate your duplicated layer by pressing JCtrl + /hift + >K.

.ow go to J0ilter 8 2rtistic 8 CutoutK. >se settings similar to the following?

.umber of Levels? M 1dge /implicity? : or $ 1dge 0idelity? :

Fou should get an effect similar to this?

#ress JCtrl + LK to bring up the Levels )ialog. )rag your sliders very close to each other+ until your image is only blac<and white.

Four image will probably have some pretty Dagged edges.

To fi, this+ go under J0ilter 8 7lur 8 6aussian 7lurK. 1nter a value of around M.% pi,els+ or whatever loo<s li<e your edges are smoothed.

7ring up the Curves )ialog by pressing JCtrl + =K. 2dDust your Curves so the edge blurriness is gone+ but there is still no Dagged-ness. (Is Dagged-ness a wordQ!.

2nd that should be it.

Fou could get a little more advanced with this by mas<ing your subDect out (cutting out! first+ then running through the steps.

. 2dDust the "ueG/aturation? >GCTRL->

M. 2dDust the brightness and contrast? "enu + Image + ,d-ustments + ./posure0

Depth o$ $ield e$$ect :. )uplicate current active layer by dragging it to the Acreate a new layerC button located at the bottom of La erwindow.

$. 2pply lens blur on the new layer on top? "enu + 1ilter + Blur + Lens Blur0 2dDust according to your own preference.

9. Clic< on the Aadd layer mas<C button at the bottom of La er window. Then clic< and select the ALayer mas< thumbnailC (the white rectangle!.

3. /elect #rush tool(b!+ set the master diameter to !22p/. Then choose the focus point in the photo and clic< on it.

1ilm e$$ect S. Create a new layer by clic<ing the Acreate a new layerC button located at the bottom of La er window. T. 0ill the new layer with blac< colour? reset colour to default blac< B white (d!+ switch blac< colour to bac<ground (,!+ fill the layer (-delGCTRL-bac<space! 4. /et the opacity of the blac< layer to )23 by pressing CSU

@%. >se erase tool(e!+ set the master diameter to !22p/. Then start erase the center of the photo.

@@. 0latten the image? "enu + La er + 1latten Image and add noise? "enu + 1ilter + 4oise + ,dd 4oise0

Cinemascope 5optional) @M. 2dd blac< bars on top and bottom of photo and itCs done( >se 6ectangular "ar7uee 8ool(m! to select (drag! upper part of photo+ hold the shift <ey and select the bottom part+ fill with blac< colour (-delGCTRL-bac<space!