Here's one method.


1. Apply an Exposure adjustment layer, reduce the exposure slider to around -6.3, and adjust the Gamma slider to around 1.07

3. In the layers panel, select the layer mask thumbnail for the Adjustment layer.

4. Choose a large soft edged brush, foreground colour black, set the opacity and flow settings to about 27%.

5. Paint on the image to reveal the areas you wish to lighten. Paint more around the subject or part of the photo you want to focus on.

[![enter image description here][1]][1]

Note: my screen recorder doesn't capture the proper size of the brush tool, in reality it was much larger, around 500px.


  [1]: https://i.sstatic.net/6yUGA.gif