Landscape photography can be tricky, especially when your raw files look flat compared to what you see with your naked eye. Understanding how to process these files can take your photos from dull to stunning.
Coming to you from William PatinoThis insightful video provides a simple yet effective workflow for processing raw landscape files in Lightroom and Photoshop. Patino addresses the common frustration of having phone photos look better than those from expensive cameras due to the built-in algorithms that instantly correct the image. By processing raw files manually, you can achieve much more dynamic and detailed results. This workflow is designed to help you bring out the color, detail, and depth in your photos, making them look as vibrant as the scenes you capture.
Patino begins by rendering a recent sunset scene from Milford Sound, emphasizing how dark and flat the raw file is compared to the real scene. The first step involves opening the file in either Camera Raw or Photoshop’s Lightroom. Patino develops a plan to brighten the image, bring out the colors, and create depth by manipulating the highlights and shadows. This approach is essential for creating a sense of three-dimensionality in your photos, making distant elements appear more distant while enhancing the foreground.
Next, Patino demonstrates how to make global exposure adjustments to bring all tones up evenly, followed by local adjustments to refine specific areas. He emphasizes the importance of using the brush tool to make local adjustments, such as darkening the sky to draw the viewer’s eye to the center or brightening specific parts of the image to enhance detail. This approach helps maintain the natural look of atmospheric perspective, which is often lost in raw files.
A key aspect of Patino’s workflow is color grading. He explains how to use the color wheel and grading tools to enhance the natural color contrast in your photos. By warming up the highlights and cooling down the shadows, you can create a more visually appealing image. Patino also discusses the importance of subtle adjustments, using tools like the dehaze slider to enhance mid-tone contrast without affecting the overall exposure too much. Watch the video above for Patino’s full rundown.
And if you really want to dig deeper into landscape photography, check out our latest guide, “Photographing the World: Japan with Elia Locardi!”
