Does anyone recognize this action?

[smoke665]

something wrong somewhere

When lifting blacks and dropping you highlights on the tone curve make sure you're moving the left and right corner points. If you clk & drag the left bottom point right it darkens the blacks. If you clk & drag up it lightens the blacks. If you clk an drag the top right point to the left it brightens highlights, drag down and it darkens. These adjustments have nothing to do with contrast between the points. Here's an example of a tone curve with blacks lifted and highlights dropped. Remember that the tone curve requires a light touch.

 

[JBPhotog]

Have you tried HDR Efex Pro 2? Google bought and sold it from NIK, now DxO own it.

Also Viveza(part of the NIK suite) can mimic this by cranking up the Structure.

 

[tirediron]

Thanks, hadn't thought of that!

 

[Derrel]

in PS unsharp mask, try swapping radius and percentage, but leave threshold low, at 0-5. I stumbled on something similar in 2004/2005/

 

[AceCo55]

I'm certain I've seen an action advertised somewhere that gives this, or a very similar result:

Image Link (Facebook)

But, for the life of me, I can't find it...

See if this is too much:
Pro HDR Photo FX vol.1 - 25 HDR Photoshop Actions

 

[tirediron]

Looks very close - for $6, it's worth a try!