Need help adding PS gradient mask

[Boutty]

Hi gangs,

After posted a picture of mine using Mike's PS script I was not happy with the top section of my image as it was over-exposed. I have been reading and trying to add a sort of brown tinted gradient mask like the gradient filter that people used in film photography but still couldn't get the effect I wanted. Your directions or helps would be appreciated! Please feel free to tweak the image attached below.

Warmest regards,
Johnhttp://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/images/smilies/tongue3.gif

[CyberPet]

Now I just made a quicky with Levels, but you can do it with curves etc. Just make an adjustment layer and use the gradient tool to make a mask to affect the area you want to change.

http://the-halls.se/edited/gradientlevel.jpg

[PacAce]

Here's another approach.
I used two layers, both with gradients applied. The first layer is the Photo Filter layer with a sepia tone applied. This layer was set to 80% opacity.

The second layer I used was the curves layer to darken the upper portion of the picture. I used the gradient mask to limit the effect to the top portion of the image.

The opacity of these layers can be varied to get the effect desired. On the right are the windows that show you the settings for the Photo Filter layer and the Curves layer that I used for the image.

[Edit: Oops. I just occurred to me that I used the Warming filter instead of the Sepia filter but you get the drift, right? :o ]
.

[Boutty]

Now I just made a quicky with Levels, but you can do it with curves etc. Just make an adjustment layer and use the gradient tool to make a mask to affect the area you want to change.
Hi CyberPet thanks for your input. Yes I have never comfortable with creating masks. I think the result I tried to make was PacAce's method. But yours will come in handy. Cheers,
Johnhttp://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_wink.gif

[Boutty]

Thanks Leo for your help. I will try your method though somehow I have got similar result like what you have attached. I will try the Sepia filter as stated and see this will improve the gradual tinted effect. Cheers,
Johnhttp://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_wink.gif

[Boutty]

Couldn't get the nice gradient layers with the chains like CyberPet and PacAce working... http://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_redface.gif

Ended up with this... http://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_cry.gifhttp://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_cry.gifhttp://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_cry.gif

PS. Now when I look at CyberPet's picture again. It looked nicer that way!!!http://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/images/smilies/tongue3.gif

[CyberPet]

You make an adjustment layer first. In the Layers palette, click on the black/white round icon and select which type of adjustment you want to use. I did choose Levels for this one, since it was a quick and dirty one, to darken the sky/tree's. Since the water and the stuff below becomes too dark after that adjustment, I then grab the gradient tool (behind the bucket of paint) and selected black to white (it should do that automatically). I then aimed somewhere in the middle of the image (while working on the adjustment layer), where the normal tones were fine, but now too dark, and dragged it to the bottom right-hand corner. I often mix up which does what for background and foreground, so you can re-drag the gradient tool, switch the background to foreground color, etc... it'll come to you.

[Boutty]

You make an adjustment layer first. In the Layers palette, click on the black/white round icon and select which type of adjustment you want to use. I did choose Levels for this one, since it was a quick and dirty one, to darken the sky/tree's. Since the water and the stuff below becomes too dark after that adjustment, I then grab the gradient tool (behind the bucket of paint) and selected black to white (it should do that automatically). I then aimed somewhere in the middle of the image (while working on the adjustment layer), where the normal tones were fine, but now too dark, and dragged it to the bottom right-hand corner. I often mix up which does what for background and foreground, so you can re-drag the gradient tool, switch the background to foreground color, etc... it'll come to you.Okay I promised myself to take on these instructions for the next few practices on PS.
Very much appreciated for your time explaining and sharing your skills Petra!!! Cheers,
John:)

[CyberPet]

You're welcome Boutty. Actually, you could pick up the book by Scott Kelby that's very useful: Photoshop CS2 for digital photographers (the new book is CS2, the old one is CS). You'll learn loads of great tips and ways to enhance images.