We all look forward to those “perfect” days in the field when we’re greeted by beautiful light, eye-catching blue skies with billowing clouds, and an enchanting scene with interesting depth and dimension throughout the frame.
Unfortunately, ideal conditions are a rarity, and sometimes creative post processing can make the difference between an OK shot and something more spectacular. That’s what we’re aiming for in this transformative Lightroom tutorial from German image-editing expert Christian Mohrle whose instructional YouTube channel is a favorite among Shutterbug readers.
The technique involves giving Mother Nature a helping hand by enhancing an image with what Mohrle calls “atmospheric Light” to inject photos with a compelling sense of depth. He does so with an interesting combination of basic global adjustments, selective masking techniques, color grading, and subtle sharpening.
You can give this approach a try while watching the video by first downloading the sample Raw file with a link beneath the video. The basic stuff comes first, as Mohrle changes the profile from Adobe Color to Adobe Standard which immediately lessens contrast and enables him to restore missing details from the darkest shadows.
Other preliminary enhancements includes increasing exposure, bringing down highlights to maintain details in the sky, a quick modification to color temperature, and a slight increase to the blacks for a softer look that facilitates the atmospheric effect that’s next on the agenda.
Now the fun part begins as Mohrle begins his masking by filling the back part of the frame below the horizon with warm natural-looking light. The trick is to do this without affecting the foreground, the large tree in the middle of the frame, and the sky up above. He walks you through every step of the process that’s appropriate for users of all skill levels.
The impressive transformation concludes with a bit more masking and the aforementioned color grading and sharpening. Be sure to check out Mohrle’s globally popular YouTube channel for more post-processing tricks.
We also recommend watching the timely tutorial we posted recently, demonstrating a straightforward Lightroom technique that delivers eye-popping landscape photographs with beautiful fall colors.
Capturing sharp well-composed photos of fast-moving subjects can be a difficult task for seasoned photographers, and if you’re new to the game this challenge may seem particularly daunting. But fear not because we’ll greatly simplify the process with this succinct tutorial from the popular Photo Genius YouTube channel.
Instructor Paul Farris is an Australian pro with over 16 years of experience running photography courses, teaching workshops, and posting online tutorials. Today’s six-minute primer will provide a big confidence boost, whether you’re shooting birds on the wing, racecars, athletes on the track, or jets screaming across the sky at upwards of 1,000 mph.
The discussion includes photographic techniques, the most appropriate camera settings for different situations, and the importance of anticipation. And, naturally, composition and accurate exposure will play a big role in the quality of your results.
Farris illustrates his tips with images from the annual Brisbane Festival where fast-moving subjects abound with a fireworks displays over the river and flyovers from the Royal Australian Airforce—the latter providing the inspiration for this straightforward lesson.
Ideally you’re going to need a DSLR or mirrorless camera with manual functions, along with a telephoto lens in the 200mm-300mm range. An even more powerful lens may be required depending upon camera-to-subject distance.
Farria then moves on to key camera settings, and you’ll learn why he recommends turning the mode dial to Shutter Priority—typically identified as “S” or “TV.” Farris explains that “you can then set the shutter speed to whatever you wish and the camera will choose the appropriate aperture to compensate.”
A flashing f/stop in the viewfinder indicates the faperture of your lens has reached its widest limit because the shutter speed you chose is too fast to handle prevailing light conditions. Farris says that the simple solution for preventing underexposure is to enable Auto ISO. “Now you can continue to raise the shutter speed, with the camera adjust ISO if necessary.”
At this point we’re barely midway through the lesson, and Farris has several more helpful tips to impart. Once you’re done watching be sure to visit his instructional YouTube channel. And don’t miss the earlier tutorial we featured with another popular instructor who demonstrates an obscure metering mode that prevents blowout skies in landscape photographs.
