need help combining two photos, problem with tone

hello, please look at this:



these are two photos combined from separate shots to create a panorama. unfortunately, the photographer must have shot the two photos at different times in the day or did some sort of different aperture/shutter speed settings or something, as the exposures are quite different. but it's not just a question of using brightness/contrast... the tone of the two photos are completely off. i've used brightness/contrast and just about when i get the background pretty close, the foreground is wayyyy off, and vice-versa. i also tried using adjustments with a gradient map, and selecting different tones, but it still won't do it just right. i need help figuring out how to match the tone of the two photos perfectly so it looks like they are one photo, obviously. they need to appear completely continuous.

can anyone tell me how i might be able to do this?

Hi Blue,

I looked at your photo (damn photographers!) In about 5 minutes I was able to get good results with the dodge and burn tool...at low strength! I think this is a way to go. You can lighten and darken the areas so they match. I separated the lighter and darker halves into two layers so I could use a large brush and not worry about affecting the "good half." Make sure you use a feathered brush and you can always use the blur tool to smooth out any seams when you merge the layers.

Good Luck
Jason :~}

If you have CS you could try "Match color".

but I would probably keep the two images on different layers, make a levels adjustmentlayer and group it with the darker image, then fiddle with the levels layer until they blend well at the seam. then if there are any areas that got destroyed or blown out I would paint with black in the mask of the levels layer with a soft brush at low opacity until it looks good again.

I hope that made sence, I should stop comming here after work, I'm so incoherent.

Good Luck.