Digital image processing is still new enough for most people that no matter how much we read, experiment and work at it, there seems to be an endless amount to learn. This is particularly true as regards Photoshop, that invaluable tool yet also bottomless pit of a time sink. But every now and then a little tidbit comes along that makes ones work either easier or better, and this one, which I callLocal Contrast Enhancement— is one of the best that I've seen in a while.

I learned of it fromThomas Knoll, a member of a couple of my workshops during 2003, and not-incidently, the original author ofAdobe PhotoshopandCamera RAW. Thomas says that he certainly didn't develop the technique, but I haven't yet seen or read about it anywhere else, though it appears to have been around for a while. (Below are links to sites contain this and similar techniques that have been brought to my attention since first publication).

Grasses. Mt. Whitney — May, 2003

Canon 1Ds with 28-70mm f/2...