12 essential Editing techniques
Tailor your processing for golden-hour conditions and give your images a competitive edge
Acquiring a balance of highlight and shadow detail and forming a compelling composition are all tasks for the shooting stage of your photography workflow. There are aspects of the image-making process however that can only be conducted at the computer. Many photographers shy away from extensive experimental processing, although experienced or professional shooters tend to have a common set of actions that they apply to the majority of their work. “First and foremost, I shoot RAW and put my images through Lightroom for basic adjustments,” explains Christian Hering. “That gives me a rather flat output file for Photoshop, where I add an Orton Effect and will increase the contrast through the Levels adjustment layer, in combination with luminosity masks. After that, I usually create some depth through dodging and burning and close by adding a vignette.” Many of the following techniques are seen as essentials of landscape photography, but they are especially relevant to images made during the golden hours. They range from basic correctional steps, to more advanced creative options for adding more stylised looks to photos.
3SPOT HEALING This can be applied to RAW files to remove blemishes, such as dust marks, filter scratches, small flares and distracting scene details. RAW work is nondestructive, but working on duplicate layers will make resets easier in Photoshop.
4SHADOWS/HIGHLIGHTS Controlling each extreme of the tonal range individually offers control over dynamic range. It is best performed in RAW editors, but the Photoshop dialogue (Image>Adjustments>Shadows/ Highlights) is a versatile tool.
1TWEAK VIGNETTING Edge darkening can be used to focus attention on the centre of an image, however, if left unchecked, unintentional darkening is a distraction. Use the Lens Correction panel in Lightroom or Camera Raw to brighten the frame periphery.
2HSL CORRECTION Adjust the hues, intensity and brightness of individual colours. This is useful for recovering near-clipped RGB channels and to prevent ‘bleeding’ of colours. Move the sliders for the dominant colours in your image, for a more natural balance.
5LOCAL SATURATION Colours during the golden hours are so intense they can flood a scene, requiring selective control. The Lightroom Adjustment Brush (K) is a great choice for RAW editing, and the Sponge Tool (O) is a Photoshop alternative.