We’re all at the mercy of Mother Nature When shooting in the field, and that leaves us three options when arriving at a beautiful location and are faced with flat, uninspiring light. We can sit around and wait until conditions improve, give up and return another day, or capture the best images possible and enhance them during the editing process when we return home.

The tutorial below from the popular PHLOG Photography YouTube channel is dedicated to the latter and walks you through a step-by step Lightroom procedure for transforming a drab photo into an awesome Golden Hour masterpiece. We recommend using the link beneath the video to download the sample Raw file so you can make the adjustments yourself as they’re explained.

Instructor Christian Mohrle is an acclaimed German landscape photographer who’s just as adept sitting at the computer as he is behind the viewfinder. As he explains, the demonstration image is an HDR file, meaning he has plenty of dynamic range to work with during the straightforward rehabilitation process.

Mohrle begins in Lightroom’s Basics panel and adjustment the overall photo to prepare it for the selective enhancements that follow. He changes the profile from Adobe Color to Adobe landscape which automatically adds a bit of base saturation and brightens up the darkest portions in the frame. He then modifies White Balance in keeping with the warm look he has in mind.

He then improves the exposure that suffers from dark shadows and blown highlights. Other preliminary adjustments include dropping Clarity and Dehaze while slightly increasing Texture. He also bumps up Vibrance to further enhance the saturated look he desires.

Now it’s time for the fun part of the process that relies upon masking to create Mohrle’s soft Golden Hour Effect. He places a Linear Gradient over the grass in the foreground and increases exposure, adds some contrast, reintroduces Clarity, and adds more Texture to enhance details in this portion of the scene. This also and improves the appearance of the highlights.  

The sky also needs some work and Mohrle uses a Color Range mask to target and adjust the blue tones and achieve a smooth gradient from the horizon to the very top of the image. He then places a Radial Gradient over the entire width of the image, and add a soft, dreamy glow to the center of the shot.

Mohrle now goes into Lightroom’s HSL panel for some simple color grading, beginning with Saturation. He walks you through other the color modifications, and after some very careful sharpening the transformation is complete.  You can watch more of Mohrle’s quick-and-easy edits by paying a visit to his instructional YouTube channel.

Don’t miss the tutorial we shared from another processing expert recently, demonstrating what he says is “Lightroom’s most powerful tool” for editing landscape, wildlife, and nature photographs.

Many photographers love buying new gear, in part because of all the marketing hype implying that the key to improving one’s photography is a better camera and accessories. We love using great equipment as much as anyone, but this tutorial is all about seven pro hacks to that will significantly up your game when shooting in the field.

Instructor Peter Bredahl Dam is an accomplished landscape and wildlife photographer who frequently posts concise videos designed to help others capture compelling photos with whatever gear they own. By employing the straightforward tips in this eight-minute episode you’ll be on the fast track to improving your wildlife and nature imagery without spend a buck.

Dam’s first tip is to stop wasting time trying to sneak up on your subjects because, “their senses are too sharp, and they’ll likely hear you, see you, or smell you if you get too close.” And that means you’ll often scare them away before you even raise the camera to your eye. Instead, Dam recommends slowly circling a subject from a safe distance until you find an inconspicuous vantage point and wait for them to come closer to you while sitting as still as possible.

Another trick that Dam uses when photographing waterfowl from the shore is to get as low as possible with your elbows in the mud. This eye-level perspective often delivers the most impressive images, and it’s also another effective method for remaining unobtrusive. He also demonstrates how this approach can help you achieve a smooth and out-of-focus background that adds impact to a shot.

Once you’ve established a proper perspective Dam’s next tip can make a significant difference. The trick here involves a different mindset, which is to “look for gestures and actions instead of concentrating on portraits.” This subtle change in strategy will make a huge difference in your visual storytelling skills.

Dam also discusses what he calls the “magic pill for wildlife photography” that he says will make the biggest transformation in your images; namely, waiting for amazing light. This means arising early and staying out late to take advantage of what Blue Hour and Golden Hour have to offer. Doing this will also reduce the frustration of trying to edit a flat photo to create illumination that wasn’t really there.

The lesson contains three more powerful techniques that will deliver superb photographs, so take a close look and put Dam’s suggestions to work the next time you head out into the field. Then pay a visit to his popular YouTube channel for more powerful advice.

We also recommend watching a tutorial we posted earlier from another accomplished pro, explaining how to shoot outdoor photos with perfect balance that immediately grab attention.