Why an 'Old School' Photoshop Sky Blend Beats HDR - And How to Do It
Modern exposure blending is brilliant—until it isn't. Sometimes a manual sky blend gives you way more control over which elements from your bracketed shots make it into the final image.
In this tutorial, I show you how to blend two exposures in Photoshop, selectively paint back the best details from each frame, and finish with classic dodging and burning in Lightroom. Perfect for seascapes, sunrises, and any scene where you want natural contrast instead of that overcooked HDR look.
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Chapters
00:00 Intro
02:15 Why Use Sky Blend Instead of HDR?
04:47 Transfer to Photoshop
05:03 Blending Technique with Masks
09:22 Finishing Touches
11:20 Outro