How did I get the gradient to look like this?

[ajax_andy]

I was messing about with a pic and used a gradient adjustment layer and it automatically comes up with the Foreground to Background gradient.

The pic below is the result of this... now it might not be to every one's taste but personally I like it... the problem is that I can't for the life of me recreate it?!!

You'll see from the pic that the gradient tool is black on the left hand side, yet it isn't like this for any other pic I try and recreate this affect... instead its a kind of greyish colour.

Only other adjustements I made to the image were a cruves adjustment, contrast and levels. I've matched these changes on the same RAW file this pic came from and still even then can't recreate it?!!

Can anyone offer some advice as I'd like to know I managed to do this.

[ajax_andy]

another thing worth noting about this image is that the levels are all over to the left hand side...




Where as when I try and recreate the effect the levels look like this.



Like I say both are from the same RAW file, both have had the same adjustments made, and both are using the same gradient tool, except in the 1st one somehow the left side is black and not in any subsequent attempts.

[sk66]

Change the layer mode...try multiply or hard light...

[ajax_andy]

Originally Posted by sk66

Change the layer mode...try multiply or hard light...

Thanks for the suggestion... I tried this but checking both they are set the same i.e. "normal"... I had initially thought I'd probably changed one and not the other too.

[pwkicker97]

If you look at the image histogram they are quite different… are the levels the same, what about the curves? The dynamic range in the second try is very compressed.

[sk66]

The order of your layers is different...sometimes this can have a significant affect on the results. Not sure why it would matter here, but maybe.

[ajax_andy]

Originally Posted by pwkicker97

If you look at the image histogram they are quite different… are the levels the same, what about the curves? The dynamic range in the second try is very compressed.

Hi,

Yeah I've copied the exact same curves adjustments for the images... the levels are quite different as the 1st pic they are bunched over to the left hand side, but the 2nd and subsequent attempts are more in the middle and there are far less of them.

[ajax_andy]

Originally Posted by sk66

The order of your layers is different...sometimes this can have a significant affect on the results. Not sure why it would matter here, but maybe.

Hi,

I'll give this a try as hadn't considered that it might affect things and report back my findings.