Lightroom is loaded with sophisticated tools that enable anyone to adjust colors to perfection. Unfortunately, many inexperienced users shy away from these transformational techniques because of a misconception that “advanced” means “too complicated for me.”

This comprehensive post-processing lesson with instructor Austin James Jackson will disabuse you of this common notion by explaining that the only thing advanced about these tools is the remarkable results they provide, and not any difficulty with putting them to use. Today’s 19-minute primer is demonstrated with Lightroom Classic, but Adobe Camera Raw (ACR) offers many of these tools and technique as well.

Jackson is a professional landscape photographer based in Southern, Utah. He’s also an image-editing expert and kicks of the video like this: “This workflow falls outside most of the basic tips you’ve heard elsewhere, and I’m going to explain Point Color and how make selective adjustments with the Masking tool to refine colors in all types of outdoor photos.”

Not all landscape scenes require the same approach, which is why Jackson illustrates his tips with images that have different color-balance problems that need to be resolved. His first example demonstrates why HSL sliders simply aren’t good enough to provide absolutely precise results. This is partly due to the fact that these global enhancement introduce the same tones through the entire frame.

It’s easy to resolve this familiar problem by understanding how Lightroom’s Point Color tool works with selections. In simple terms, this is the process: Click on the Eyedropper and sample from the photo to create a swatch. “Then, that’s the color that will be adjusted whenever you click on similar colors within the frame—even if they’re not adjacent or in close proximity.

You’ll also learn how to control Range, either broader or more restrictive, based upon the swatch you’ve selected. This technique enables you to refine hue, saturation or luminance (or all three). It’s important to remember that “these adjustments only affect the selection, not the entire image.”

The lesson proceeds with step-by-step directions for employing masks for other selective adjustments and culminates with a demonstration of how to employ your newfound knowledge “to make the color in sunsets photos “pop” while retaining a natural-looking result.

Jackson’s popular YouTube channel is full of instructional videos for everyone who shoots in the field and edits their results for optimum results.

We also recommend watching a tutorial we featured recently with another post-processing expert who demonstrates an “essential” preliminary editing step that many shooters ignore, thereby limiting the effectiveness of every adjustment that follows.

If you live in a perpetually pleasant climate, go outside and mow the lawn or something. Save this story for later, like when you take that Alaskan cruise, or when the Earth’s axis shifts 90 degrees. For the other 75% of us who experience cold, often snowy weather from December through March, here’s how to get optimal exposure when the ground is all covered in white.

Snowblind
Here’s the simplified, non-technical explanation we all learned at school—or at the local camera store when there were such things. The meter in your camera sets exposure based on the average brightness of the lightest and darkest areas of a scene. We call that “18% gray” (except in the UK where it’s “18% grey”) and it sits smackdab in the middle of the histogram.

Snow is so bright and reflective that it easily fools most cameras. Basing the exposure on the middle value frequently results in underexposure. Snow scenes have other complications, too; White Balance is often a mess, and the dynamic range of the camera can be taxed worse than a homeowner in New Jersey. And don’t forget that snow can be a silent killer of cameras. More about that later.

Your camera may have a special “Snow Scene” mode. Cool. Try it. But be warned that the tips offered herein will likely do better when the fat flakes are falling.

1. Shoot Raw
Many people think that photos taken in Raw format are automatically better, but that’s not necessarily the case. However, shooting in Raw gives photographers an exceptionally high level of control over the final results.

For instance, you can make White Balance adjustments during post-processing instead of guessing in the field—and that’s a  critical advantage for snow scenes. The list of possible adjustments is very long and includes Color Grading, Vignette correction, Defringe, Clarity and Dehaze tweaks and ACR’s new Adaptive Profiles. Even if you seldom or never shoot Raw, try the Camera Raw Filter in Photoshop to get a taste of what’s possible.

Bonus Cool Benefit of Raw
Many camera manufacturers provide editing/decoding software that works with their Raw image files. In most cases, you can invoke the Special Effects options offered by the camera. It’s much more convenient (and clear-cut) to decide to use a certain creative effect during post-processing instead of being committed to the decision you make in the field—which is what happens when you shoot JPGs.

2. Use Base ISO
Your camera has a Base ISO that is optimized for normally-lit subjects. It’s usually ISO 100 or ISO 200. Instead of following the common advice that recommends you “use a low ISO,” use the Base ISO. A sensitivity setting below base can create images that have objectionably high contrast.

3. Bracket Exposures
Nearly all cameras, including many aging point-and-shoots, have some form of automated bracketing. When set to Bracket, the camera makes consecutive exposures based on the parameters (number of exposures and change in exposure) you select. With one snap you can get -2, -1, 0, +1 and +2 corrections, five in all. Using a tripod is recommended, and it doesn’t work with moving subjects for obvious reasons.

If your camera does cannot bracket by itself, manually bracket by shooting underexposed, normally exposed and overexposed images. That’s how we did it in the old days.

4. Overexpose & Chimp
No time to bracket? Or too lazy? Overexpose and chimp. “Chimping” is the mildly disparaging term photographers apply to people who check the LCD after every shot. If bracketing is not an option, overexpose the scene and examine the results. Trial and error gets you to the right place.

5. Shoot HDR
HDR (High Dynamic Range) photography has a purpose and life of its own, but it also has an application in snow photography—in fact, in any situation where there are strong components of very bright and very dark elements. Many cameras have automated HDR setting; with others you must bracket and compile the HDR in post.

What the Heck is HDR?
Here’s a simple example. Instead of one shot of a scene that has very bright highlights and very dark shadows, the HDR scenario captures one or more images based on the exposure value of the shadows, one or more images based on the highlights, one based on the average, and then combines all of the data to render the best overall exposure. Sometimes. Other times it’s just a goofy looking high contrast image that looks like crap. But no matter, because the camera saves the intermediate images in addition to the one it compiles. So in a very real sense, the automated HDR setting equates to excellent bracketing technique.

6. Use an ND Filter
An ND (Neutral Density) filter limits the amount of light it passes to the sensor without adding color, contrast, saturation or any other bad stuff. An ND filter with a value of 0.3 (sometimes called an “ND2”) reduces exposure by one f/stop, i.e., by 50%. A 0.6 ND (ND4) by two f/stops. Buy both flavors; when you stack them together you have an ND8, 0.9, and that cuts three stops. That’s a pretty good kit.

Aside from snow piles, ND filters are useful any time you want to use a shutter speed slower than the scene permits—catching the full motion of a flowing waterfall, for example. Or at the beach when the camera asks for 1/8000 sec at f/22 at ISO 100.

7. Try a Graduated ND Filter
What if the sky is beautifully blue but the foreground is too bright for a decent shot? Graduated ND filters have a gradient of density that starts very dark at one end and becomes less dark until it reaches transparency at the other end. Often these are rectangular to provide more control, and require a filter holder. Slide the filter up and down in the holder to correctly position the horizon.

If you think this might be for you, check out this Cokin set that’s sold by B&H Photo. It contains 0.3, 0.6 and 0.9 graduated ND filters, three in all, and a Cokin filter holder. Unless you’re already into Cokin you’ll have to buy an adapter ring—but that’s actually a plus. If you own lenses with different filter thread sizes, you can use the same filter set with all of them just by buying the right adapter. Much better than having to buy multiple filters.

If you’re tempted by the Cokin-type knockoff filters sold online for less than the price of a peanut butter sandwich, get over it. I tried them for you. The samples I tested were very inconsistent in density and quality, and many were not plano-parallel (that is, they were thicker at one end than the other) a huge no-no for decent optical performance.

8. Polarizers Cut Exposure by at Least One Stop
The polarizing filter you may already own is by accident an ND filter. Although the specifications change from brand to brand, you can count on at least one f/stop of light reduction (0.3 or ND2 equivalent) and often more. Okay, there are a couple super-expensive polarizers that absorb only 2/3 of a stop, but most are in the 1 to 2 stop range.

DANGER: Fear Precipitation Like its Rabies and You’re a Puppy
Words like “Splashproof” and “Weather Resistant” make us think an electronic device is super safe in any weather, but we might be overthinking it. These vague terms, which are marketing hyperbole, assume that everyone uses their products in a smart way.

I’m not convinced. I’ve seen too many products ruined by poor usage choices. Don’t just believe the advertising hype. Take a closer look at the facts and separate the truth from the exaggeration. Learn the science behind it all.

International Standard IEC 60529 delineates the criterion to measure a device’s resistance to the ingress of solid foreign particles (dust) and water under various conditions. To be certified, a product must be tested by an approved lab. Learn the IP ratings of your cameras and lenses. Call the manufacturers if necessary. You might be surprised in an alarming way, which is way better than a “it’s too late, dammit” disastrous way.

This story more fully explains the meaning behind the IP rating scale: Is Your Weather Resistant, Splashproof, Waterproof Camera Impervious to Water & Dust?

SNOW! How to Capture it Accurately in the Camera (VIDEO)
How To Have Photo Fun In The Winter
BOUDOIR Photos in the Snow? Here’s How (VIDEO)
Is Your Weather Resistant, Splashproof, Waterproof Camera Impervious to Water & Dust?

AI Acknowledgement
Plenae revelationis. All images illustrating this article were created using AI software from Remix, ImageFX and/or Adobe Firefly. Which begs me to say that when accumulated snowfall exceeds your height, and temperatures are in the teens, stay home and make some AI creations instead of venturing outdoors. They’re not photos, and they’re not really even art, but they are fun, and they provide good fodder for post-processing practice.

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—Jon Sienkiewicz

Unless you live on flotsam near Point Nemo in the South Pacific Ocean, you’ve already heard that Adobe Photoshop is now 35 years old. Photographers, graphic artists and other visual creatives—but especially photographers—should by all means celebrate.

A High-Tech Symbiotic Relationship
Photoshop and the digital camera phenomena can thank each other—to a large degree—for their success. Photoshop appeared before consumer-level digital cameras and therefore had a few minutes to mature.

Digital cameras gave photographers—and just as significantly—computer geeks a way to “get images onto our Macs and PCs.” Additionally, digital cameras gave photographers an alternative to analog film photography, and while some resisted the newer tech at first, everyone had a great way to explore new, creative avenues while improving the quality of our images. Photoshop did that.

At the very least, we can say Photoshop and digital cameras principally owe their rapid market velocity to their mutual influence. They have a robust high-tech symbiotic relationship.

Artificial Intelligence is quickly becoming the third leg of this stool, and I’m personally happy and excited that Adobe is at the absolute forefront. Looking back at what’s happened over the past 3.5 decades, it’s impossible to guess what enchanting magic the future holds.

What’s Next?
While digital cameras appear to be shuffling off into the sunset, decimated by the capabilities of smartphones, Photoshop endures and adapts to the changes in the ecosystem. I now edit my iPhone images using Photoshop on my iPad Pro. Oh, sure, I still mostly shoot multi-megapixel images with expensive dedicated cameras and real lenses, but as much as I fight it, I can feel the threshold level of my desire for perfection falling lower and lower.

If Photoshop never existed, another software would have taken its place, but it wouldn’t have been as revolutionary or cutting-edge. It probably would not be as conscientious about protecting the rights and intellectual property of creatives, and it certainly would not be seamlessly integrated with other important tools like Lightroom, Illustrator, Adobe Stock, or the wide selection of Adobe’s web-based and mobile applications.

So grab a mug of coffee (and a cupcake, if you’ve got one) and open an image using Adobe Camera Raw. Create a Layer Mask, experiment with Generative Fill, do some Color Grading or maybe just delete your Ex using the Generative Remove tool. Save the file as a DNG (another Adobe contribution) so you’ll be able to access it no matter how camera makers’ Raw files mutate. Think about all of the things you can do with an image—and think about the software that made them all possible.

Happy birthday, Photoshop.

Join the Shutterbug Community!
Sign up for a free account—it’s easy and free. Subscribe to our newsletter (find the sign-up form on our homepage) and bookmark Shutterbug as a Favorite on your browser to stay updated.

Visit our Gallery section and spend five minutes or less uploading your best shots once a week. You might even become a Shutterbug Photo of the Day photographer!

In the Galleries, you’ll see the incredible work of thousands of photographers from around the world. We encourage you to add your images to our ever-growing collection. It’s an excellent platform to connect with other photographers and share your knowledge and passion for photography.

(If you’re worried that submitting images to the Photo of the Day gallery might be complicated, it’s not. Check out these short 1-2-3 directions.)

—Jon Sienkiewicz

Everyone loves a stunning silhouette, but do you understand how to capture one with precision? If not, stay tuned because that’s what you’ll learn how to do in this tutorial from the experts at C4 Photo Safaris— a group of guides, photographers and workshop instructors based in Botswana, Africa.

Instructor Danielle Carsons is a professional wildlife photographer who designs and leads photo tours in the African outback for shooters of all skill levels. This episode demonstrates how to make eye-popping silhouette photos under a wide variety of lighting conditions throughout the day.

Carsons explains her six tips in the contest of wildlife photography , but everything you’ll learn in the next eight minutes is equally useful for other genres like landscape, street scenes, and unique environmental portraiture. Her simple goal is to help you replace those bland versions of what you saw through the viewfinder with “dramatic well-defined silhouettes.”

The video covers five powerful shooting techniques for exposing backgrounds accurately, subject separation, camera angles, perspective, dealing with strong backlighting, and accentuating interesting shapes. Thoughtful composition is also on the agenda. Be sure to watch until the end when Carson runs you through all the appropriate camera setting that are important to understand.

Carson begins with a sort of obvious note about background brightness; namely, that your key subjects must be significantly brighter that what appears in the distance. And here’s an interesting observation: “Many photographers believe they have to be facing the sun to get a silhouette, but that’s not true.” In other words a bright background can be anything from water and mist, to those featureless white skies that usually avoid.

As the lesson proceeds you’ll learn how to deal with dark background areas, what Carsons means by saying “shape defines subject,” and how a small shift in your vantage point can pay big dividends in terms of composition. There are also tips for attaining impactful subject separation, and those all-powerful  camera setting mentioned above.

Be sure to visit the popular C4 Safaris YouTube channel where you’ll find many more instructional videos for shooting in the great outdoors.

And on a related note, we recommend watching our earlier tutorial with another accomplished pro who demonstrates how to capture perfectly exposed photographs in difficult light by using your camera’s “foolproof” Spot-Metering mode.