We’ve all come upon a beautiful scene only to discover that our images look flat and lifeless. Sometimes that’s because the light wasn’t quite right, while other times the culprit was operator failure, i.e. we used the wrong camera settings or techniques.
Whatever the reason for disappointing results, there’s a straightforward method for dramatically improving uninspiring images in Lightroom by using the three pro techniques that you’ll learn in the tutorial below. By following this advice you’ll be more inclined to rescue bland images than dump them in the trash.
Simon d’Entremont is a professional wildlife photographer based in Nova Scotia, and he’s one of Shutterbug’s most popular instructors. In this episode he demonstrates his three favorite Lightroom tools for turning dull images into those that really command attention.
Simon says that, “even if you don’t use Lightroom, these tricks are applicable to any processing software,” although the controls may be slightly different. He also explains that you can employ his advice in in various ways. You can take a subtle approach for a natural look or go further to create artistic images with extra vibrance.
His first trick has to do with adjustments to the direction of light. What he means by this is to add an effect that indicates the direction from which the light originated, and then enhancing it for extra impact. As you’ll see, this technique provides a 3-D effect and works particularly well for images shot with a long telephoto lens that eliminates much of the area surrounding your subject.
Simon’s second tip has to do with the creative use of White Balance to significantly enhance photos that are interesting but rather lifeless. Here he treats different portions of a scene selectively with Lightroom’s Temperature slider rather than by making global adjustments to the entire image.
He uses a photo of a surfer to demonstrate how this works. In this case there’s a brilliant orange sky in the background, but the foreground with the surfer and waves are really dull and devoid of color because they’re in the shade. Hence, he warms the sky, and adds cool tones to the foreground while pumping up detail.
Simon’s third tip employs what he calls a “sandwich technique.” This involves darkening the top and bottom of an image to create more contrast and focus the viewer’s attention on the subject in the middle. The easiest way to do this is by adding gradients to the top and bottom of the photo and dropping exposure in both areas.
After watching this video head over to d’Entremont’s instructional YouTube channel where there’s much more to learn.
We also suggest checking out a tutorial we posted earlier, explaining the best way to create and refine masks in Lightroom by adding or subtracting objects.
If you’re like most outdoor photographers you often shoot in dirty environments in which dust can enter your camera and wreak havoc on the sensor, especially on windy days. And every time you switch lenses the odds of contamination will increase.
Some cameras include a feature that attempts to shake dust of the sensor whenever you turn it on or off, but sometimes that doesn’t do the trick. So it’s often up to you do the job yourself if you want to keep your camera’s sensor pristine. As you’ll see below, the process is safe and simple with an affordable sensor-cleaning kit and a bit of knowledge.
Instructor Mark Dumbleton knows of which he speaks because he frequently shoots landscape and wildlife photos where dust is a problem. For this demonstration he uses a well-regarded kit from K&F Concept (there’s a link beneath the video), but there are other effective options, and they all work pretty much the same way. He also offers some simple tips for keeping your lenses clean.
Dumbleton demonstrates exactly how avoid sensor damage with the right tools, and later in the lesson he provides several vital tips to minimize the ingress of dust onto the camera’s sensor in the first place. By following his advice you’ll save a bunch of time removing ugly artifacts during the editing process.
You can always send your camera to a technician for a cleaning, but it’s really pretty simple to do the job yourself. As Dumbleton explains, “You’re not technically cleaning the sensor itself, but rather the protective filters in front of it,” and there’s really no reason to feel intimidated when taking on this task.
It’s usually easy to know if a sensor is dirty by observing dust spots on your photos. If your unsure, Dumbleton explains how to gain certainty with a foolproof technique that involves pointing the camara at a white wall or computer screen, using specific settings, and importing the resulting image into Lightroom for a definitive diagnosis on your computer screen.
Dumbleton walks you the foolproof step-by-step cleaning method in just a few minutes. As you’ll see, the requisite tools include a simple blower brush, sensor cleaning swabs, and other simple tools. And everything you need is typically included when you buy a high-quality sensor cleaning kit.
He also discusses the in-camera sensor cleaning function mentioned above and provides a simple explanation for using the tools in your kit to make sure your lenses are as clean as the sensor in your camera.
You can find a variety of other helpful tips and techniques by visiting Dumbleton’s popular YouTube channel.
And if like many of us you’re on a budget, be sure to watch another tutorial we posted earlier, explaining how to shoot impressive photos with a budget camera and lens.
