Tutorial: Photoshoped GND

What is GND filter?
GND filter or graduated neutral-density filter is the same filter like ND filter
it work like sunglasses for your camera. it reduces the light that came through it and gives you more exposure time.
it allow you to make long exposures during the day or making the city space look more dynamic by blurring the motion of the clouds.

there some kinds of ND
from weak that gives you 1-3 stops of exposure to strong blocking that gives you 10 stops

GND filter is a different from ND filter, only half of the filter is blocking the light
it uses for increase the dynamic range of the photo.
when you take landscape photo usually you get the landscape dark and the sky is OK
or the landscape is good but the sky is burn.
GND filter make it possible to keep the dynamic range in the rich of your sensor


there are many different kinds of GND filters
they are different by there gradual and there strength


the GND filter prevent you from burning the sky and gives you more dynamic range

If you ask why not to use HDR?
well if it posible I prefer making GND photo
it have the same idea of hdr, it increase the dynamic range but overall if you look at the processed HDR photo you noticed that it been processed. the GND make it possible to increase the dynamic range without processing.
it also look more realistic and natural then HDR processed by a program.

the disadvantage of GND is the fact that they are expensive
and need additional equipment to attach to the camera.

so here is what I'm doing to get the same effect without buying the filter
all you need is a tripod and editing program like photoshop.
I simply doing the same thing that GND filter does in photoshop.

here 3 photos that I took for this tutorial. the same like in HDR

EV +2

EV 0

EV -2


next you placing the photos in photoshop
starting with the brighter as base photo


placing the middle photo on top of the base photo


create a mask for the middle exposure


use gradient (G) to create a mask (the place where I place the mask is marked by the red arrow)
the Idea of using gradient is the same idea of GND filter


place the dark exposure on the top


and use use gradient to expose the part you need


that the result


after some level fix and sharpen


here is the same photo that have been processed in HDR program

which photo look more realistic?

there some disadvantage for this technique
it work well only in level horizontal like waterscape
if you have mountain landscape or cityscape it will be harder to create the mask (most of the time you need to make it manual with the brush or fixing it after the gradient)
also if you have moving objects like waves or cars it impotent to pay attention that they are not in the gradient zone
if they are it possible that they transparent.

hope that this tutorial was useful for you
if you have something to say or advice (also spelling mistakes) you will be welcome