EDIT THE SHOT
1 Add a profile effect Start by importing the cake images into Lightroom and apply some basic image adjustments. On our image, we added a Profile setting called Blue Mist (you will need to download and import this), and turned the Amount slider down to 22 so it brought in a cool hint. You could also play around with the Temperature slider to correct the white balance.
2 Basic adjustments To stylise our image, we tweaked the Exposure to +1.40 stops, and the Contrast slider to 35. We pulled the Highlight slider to -23 to ensure the whites were not too bright and pushed the Shadow slider up to +53 to bring out more detail in the cakes. Finally, we boosted Texture and Clarity sliders for more detail and pushed up the Sharpening slider.
3 Export to photoshop Once you have made your basic adjustments in Lightroom, it’s time to export your image into Photoshop. The best way of doing this quickly is to go to Photo > Edit in > Edit in Photoshop 2021 and your image will be exported directly.
4 Clean up the background In Photoshop, start by duplicating the background layer so you can return to the original image and start again if you go wrong. Next, go to the Spot Healing Brush tool and paint over any unwanted marks in the background. You can also remove any distracting lumps of icing sugar to make your composition more pleasing.
5 Fill in To correct the background further, add a new layer. Go to Edit > Fill… and under the Contents setting select Color from the list. Using the pipette, select a dark black colour from the background. Click OK and OK again to apply the background colour. Now, turn the Opacity of this layer down to 60-70 percent (experiment with this to see what looks best) then go to Layer > Layer Mask > Hide all.
6 Layer mask Now, using a white brush on the layer mask, paint away on the background to reveal the smoother darker effect over the background. We altered the opacity of the brush to blend the background effect for a smoother transition.
Once you are happy with the final effect, save your image out.