If you’re unfamiliar with the term “ghosting” as pertains to photos, it’s basically a type of flare that occurs when stay light reflects off the surface of a lens and make images look hazy with little contrast. It’s an unsightly artifact that degrades the quality of an image—particularly when shooting into the sun.

There are a number of methods that photographers use in an attempt to fix this problem, and frankly some don’t do a great job. But in the tutorial below from the Parker Photographic YouTube channel you’ll learn how to do it right in less than four minutes.

Instructor Chris Parker is an accomplished pro based in Jacksonville, Texas who knows his way around Lightroom. The simple fix he describes involves Lightroom masks and Healing tools. When done right, as they say in a popular television commercial, “it’s like it never happened.”

Parker jumps into Lightroom with the goal of eliminating an unwanted bird in the sky. His initial approach uses Lightroom’s Content Aware tool to paint over the bird. Unfortunately, while the bird disappears, there’s still an outline or ghost of the bird that remains. The same artifact is there when he makes another attempt with the Healing tool. Same thing with the Stamp tool.

So what to do? Here’s what happens as soon as Parker switches off the masks: both the bird and the ghosting effects are completely gone! Turn the masks back on, and the ghosting effect reappears. The question is what’s responsible for the problem: is the culprit the masks or Lightroom’s retouching tools?

Surprisingly, Parker says “it’s a little bit of both.” He explains that “when you make a selection or create a mask, you’re targeting a specific area in an image.” And then when you go to retouch without taking the mask into consideration, bad things can happen.

Fortunately, there’s a fast and effective method for getting the job done properly, and that’s the topic of the last minute of this lesson. Parker starts the edit over from the beginning and walks you through the simple step-by-step process. And it’s remarkable how well it works.

The trick involves doing things in the correct sequence, and once you get it you’ve got it. Bottom line: by following Parker’s advice they’ll be no more ghosting in your future!

You can find other simple tips like this by visiting Parker’s instructional YouTube channel. We also suggest watching the tutorial we posted earlier, demonstrating five features in Adobe Bridge that you won’t find in Lightroom.

Most of the post-processing tutorials we feature involve editing techniques in Photoshop or Lightroom. Today we’re switching things up with a video for Adobe Photoshop Elements users, with a quick and valuable lesson from the HTG George YouTube channel.

As you probably know, Elements is a more affordable and less cumbersome alternative to Photoshop and Lightroom that still offers a robust set of tools that meet the needs of many serious photographers. Today’s episode explains why and how to use Camera Raw when editing images with Elements.

Instructor George Peirson admits to having a “split personality,” because the videos he posts are devoted to both gaming and imaging editing techniques. Today’s lesson involves the latter and explains why you should consider using Camera Raw in Elements for the best possible results.

As Peirson says, “there are some considerations you should make, and things you should think about, when deciding to use Camera Raw images or the JPEG files when processing your work in Elements.” As he explains, most modern cameras enable you to shoot in Raw, JPEG or both.

The problem with JPEG, notes Peirson, is that it’s a compressed format, “which means that you’re not going to get all the information possible.” The reason for the compression is simple: it saves space on your memory card and storage devices. Hence, you can shoot significantly more images without changing cards.

Raw files, other the other hand, contain all the information available. Another reason many photographers shoot in Raw, despite the larger size of the files, is that they’d rather make adjustments to the resulting “digital negative” themselves, rather than trust their cameras to do the initial work. Peirson explains that by shooting in Raw “you have far more control to achieve a result with much better quality.”

With the “why” out of the way Peirson turns to the “how” and what you need to know. You’ll see how to open files in the Camera Raw Editor and get them into Photoshop Elements. He explains the meaning of “Sidecar Files,” and discusses image-size differences and other important considerations.

The straightforward editing method is easy enough for photographers of all skill levels, particularly the less-experienced users who tend to gravitate to Photoshop Elements. You’ll also learn the proper method of saving your work.

After watching the video pay visit to Peirson’s instructional YouTube channel where there’s much more to learn.

We also recommend checking out the tutorial we posted from another image-editing specialist, revealing what he says are “the best free alternatives to Adobe imaging software in 2023.”

If you’re a regular Shutterbug reader you know that we constantly preach the value of developing a unique photographic style, and this is true for beginners and advanced shooters alike. In the tutorial below from the Street View YouTube channel, you’ll learn how to get started today.

There are two basic reasons why a style all your own is a big advantage: One is that your photos will stand out from the crowd. The other is that, over time, your imagery will become recognizable by others who view your work—and more attention will come your way.

Instructor Rupert Vandervell is a British pro specializing in fine art street photography, but what you’ll learn in this episode is equally helpful for just about any images you shoot. He puts it like this: “Developing a personal style can be one of the most rewarding and exciting elements of learning photography. And the feeling that the pictures you make truly represent who you as a person can be very liberating.”

Vandervell says this is a goal for all serious creatives, whether they’re musicians, writers, artists or filmmakers. “They all strive to create something that represents their way of seeing, thinking or performing.” And in this age of media saturation and AI technology, it’s essential that photographers do the same.

Admittedly, establishing a personal photo identity can be difficult, but Vandervell explains several methods for getting the job done. And don’t worry if you’re just getting started, because Vandervell says, “even the most casual shooter out there has something about them that makes the pictures they take unique to them.”

If you think about it, everyone has a different way of seeing the world, and that’s what makes human beings so fascinating. Or as Vandervell says, “You can give five people a camera and one subject, and you’ll get back five different renderings.” This is the jumping off point for developing your unique style. 

The suggestions that follow pertain how you view the world and using that perception to advantage. In Vandervell’s case, his imagery is known for clean lines, geometric shapes, and a very stark look, because “that’s influenced by aspects of my personality.” The unique style you create by following his advice will undoubtedly be different, but no less important to your growth as a photographer.

There’s much more to see and learn on Vandervell’s YouTube Channel, so take a look after watching this lesson.

And be sure to check out a related tutorial we posted recently, explaining another pro secrets to creative composition beyond the rules of thirds.