How to use Lightroom’s Bush Tool for Unique Photo Edits (VIDEO)
Today’s Lightroom tutorial describes how to use the powerful Brush tool to take portrait photos to the next level by creating a soft, dreamy look. Be sure to take check it out, even if people pictures aren’t your thing, because a solid understanding of this versatile technique is important for editing other types of imagery as well.
Instructor Chelsea Nicole kicks of the lesson like this: “Lightroom’s adjustment brushes are one of the most powerful editing tools there is, and most photographers barely scratch the surface.” So sit tight because all that is going to change in the next few minutes, even if you’re an inexperienced Lightroom user.
Nicole is an accomplished photographer and educator whose how-to videos provide no-fluff techniques designed to “inspire, uplift and serve you on your own photography path.” In this comprehensive episode she walks you through Lightroom’s Masking menu and demonstrates how easy it is to unlock the full potential of brushes.
Over the years Nicole has crafted her own set of custom brushes that streamline her workflow, and you can download them for free with a link in the description beneath the video. Here’s why this tool is one of her favorites: “From making specialized color corrections and retouching skin, to creating light and airy backgrounds, this tool can take your photos to the next level in no time.”
Today’s simple, practical, and actionable tips begin with a quick overview of Lightroom’s Brush and Masking menus. She then reveals five main Brush settings that she considers the most essential and demonstrates exactly how they work—using two post-processing examples to illustrates the process.
This is followed with tips for saving Brushes as presets so that you don’t have to start from scratch every time. There’s much more to learn as the video proceeds, including how to use the Brush tool to soften the skin of your subjects with precision.
Chelsea’s instructional YouTube channel contains a variety of straightforward shooting and editing lessons for boosting your game, especially when portrait photography is on the agenda.
And if soft-and-dreamy isn’t want you want, be sure to watch the tutorial we posted with another post-processing expert who demonstrates how to use Photoshop’s Color Dodge tools to embellish dull photographs with more intense colors.
