Ajman is the smallest but somehow still the most authentic of the seven Emirates.

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This tutorial from the internationally popular PiXimperfect YouTube channel begins with a provocative question: “How do you recover blown-out highlights when you have no data to recover from?” It turns out that what was once impossible is now easily within reach, thanks to the latest mind-blowing features in Photoshop.

Instructor Unmesh Dinda is an image-editing impresario who teaches workshops across the globe and has almost five million subscribers to his instructional channel. As you’ll see, recovering highlights is now super easy, even when details are totally missing, thanks to the remarkable capabilities of Photoshop’s Generative Fill.

In less than seven minutes Dinda demonstrates how easy it is to target and precisely select severely clipped highlights and then employ Generative Fill to fill in the blanks. He also explores techniques like Blend modes and Masking to get the job done to perfection. Dinda’s method is so impressive that even AI naysayers will be intrigued.

Dinda begins with a casual portrait of a subject whose white t-shirt is devoid of detail because the shot was intentionally overexposed. He demonstrates how the conventional methods of dropping exposure or decreasing highlights simply doesn’t work for this extreme example—even when working with a Raw file that provides the best chance of success.

Thus, it’s time to go to Plan B and let Generative Fill work its magic. The first step is targeting the specific areas where you want lost details to appear. To do this Dinda clicks on the Select tab atop the screen and chooses Color Range from the dropdown menu. Another window then appears, and in this case Highlights is the option you want.

The next step is choosing Black Matt in the Selection Preview dropdown. By doing this everything selected will be shown (namely the blown-out areas of the shirt), while all other areas will appear black. Dinda explains how to fine tune this result to suit your needs.

The preliminary selection is still very harsh, but you’ll see how to significantly smooth the transitions by dragging the Fuzziness slider. As the video proceeds you’ll notice other imperfections and Dinda makes short work of those too. Along the way he provides helpful keyboard shortcuts to speed up the process.

At this point there’s still four minutes to go for perfecting the transformation, and Dinda carefully walks you through the steps that are necessary for getting the job done. Even a cursory glance at the before/after images reveals the power of this technique. Once the video concludes be sure to take a look at Dinda’s robust YouTube channel where there’s much more to learn.

And don’t miss the tutorial we posted from another image-editing expert who demonstrates how to use Photoshop’s Gradient Map tools for landscape photos with stunning color.

Outdoor photography in winter requires doing things a bit differently, especially when fluffy fresh-fallen snow paints the landscape white. This behind-the-scenes tutorial from the First Man Photography YouTube channel discusses exposure settings, composition and other important considerations that will help you get the job done.

Instructor Adam Karnacz is a professional British pro specializing in landscape and macro photography. In this episode he provides a number of great tips while hiking through stunning snow-covered hills and woodlands with interesting light, sparkling hoarfrost, and other elements we only see in winter.

Karnacz says “I’m almost struggling for words” as he stumbles upon one breathtaking scene after another. His goal is to capture “print-worthy photos,” and you’ll be able to do the same by following his straightforward advice. He hurriedly mounts his camera atop a tripod on the banks of a small lake, fearful that the epic condition will soon fade into the mist.

He’s scouted the location during more inviting weather, something he advises all photographers do so they’ll know what to expect upon their return on a challenging day. Thus, he had a preconceived notion of how to compose his shots to take advantage of ethereal fog, reflections on the water, ducks floating past, and snow-laden trees framing the entire scene.

You’ll see how Karnacz employs both telephoto and wide-angle lenses to capture images with a variety of looks from the same camera position. He also demonstrates the power of negative space for making the most of minimalist locations like this.

After explaining how he captured several amazing photos during this moment of solitude, Karnacz continues his hike and demonstrates his techniques for dealing with different, but equally impressive, winter locations. The clouds begin to clear, revealing a slice of blue in the sky that requires modifying exposure and other camera settings.

There’s a moment of humor during Karnacz’ stroll through the winter wonderland because of his “irrational fear” of a small group of cows that calls for a quick detour as he heads for the next spot. He explains that “I don’t like them because they’re bigger than me.”

Regardless of  how you feel about shivering bovines, you’ll prick up some great tips for photographing the winter landscape wherever you live. Just be sure to dress warmly, protect your gear, and you can’t wrong. And after returning to a warm home, be sure to check out the First Man Photography YouTube channel where there’s much more to learn.

We also recommend watching the time-appropriate tutorial we posted recently from another accomplished pro, explaining how to capture festive Christmas photos at night when sparkling lights and colorful decorations are everywhere you look.