Hey guys! Those of you who are using Lightroom on a regular basis,
have probably noticed the latest update. In this little video,
I quickly wanted to introduce you to the newest updates of our local
adjustment tools, as well as my 10 most favorite applications of local
adjustment masks when editing wildlife images.
What do they often say... better late than never!
When the latest Lightroom update was released towards the end of 2021,
I wasn't initially skeptical.
I mean, as humans, we're often creatures of habit, and suddenly the
layout, and therefore my workflow, was interrupted.
One thing I always enjoyed about Lightroom, aside from its outstanding
organizational skills, has been its ability to easily edit an image without
having to bother about layers and rosters to achieve your desired results.
Suddenly, I felt pressured back into similar patterns. However, after using it
for about four to six weeks, I must say that the given updates are incredibly useful...and I
decided to share my insights, even if you might be accustomed to it yourself by now.
So let's get started with a quick intro on how to use these tools. While they've
always been around in Lightroom, they have gotten a serious facelift.
While the local masking tools were previously all
laid out individually, they have now been clustered, to allow combining
the applications to your liking.
Let's start at the top.
...and probably one of the coolest new tools.
The select subject mask allows you to save time and work accurately, as the computer
simply select the subject on your behalf.
I have found the tool accurate probably about 80% of the time.
...and depending on your processing power of your computer, also
definitely faster, than when I work painstakingly slow with the brush.
You can invert the very same mask to work on the background ,instead.
If you find that the algorithm messed up, you can add, or subtract,
to finely adjust your mask and get it.
I usually use the brush for that, but you could also use any of
the other local adjustment tools.
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The next option is particularly important for landscape photographers.
Or, even for us down here in The Chobe
...when we want to save our spectacular skies, and those
cloud formations. The mask simply selects only the sky, on your behalf.
I find the tool better than the linear gradient,
as you can create a consistent change throughout your sky, rather
than a gradual drop, which often leaves you with an unusual, vignetted look.
More on the use of that, later...
The brush - linear and radial gradient - has remained the same as previously...with the
exception that you can also fine adjust them now, by subtracting and adding to
your mask, using any of the other tools at your fingertips. The luminance
and color range, that could previously be applied as filters to fine the adjustment the mask,
are now separate masking tools that you can choose to apply individually,
or to subtract and add to any existed mask regarding the color range mask.
You can either pin drop one single color, or select a range,
by drag and dropping your cursor.
If the colors you're required to edit do not happen to be neighboring to
each other, on your image, you can select a choice of colors by pressing SHIFT.
Similar selection patterns hold for the luminance range mask, which
you can further adjust on the sliding bar. How many turns of brightness
are supposed to be included, and where exactly on your luminance scale?
Aside from being able to select and shape your mask, much more accurately now,
you can also hide an application to see its overall effect very easily,
or turn it back on for specific users. Rename masks, to be able to find
them again more easily. Duplicate them, or delete them. While these
new applications are structured
similarly to layers in PhotoShop,
I still find them pretty straightforward, and easy to understand.
And if you work on a small computer screen, that doesn't allow for much
space, you can also collapse your masking workspace, to see your image much better.
If you do miss the use of pins like me from former days, that you
can just click, and delete, and drag...and drop around. You can turn them
back on in your overlay preferences.
Just like you can change the color of your mask overlay, or
even work on black and white when masking. For those of you that might
see the world in different colors.
So now that I have taken you through the general application of our new masking
tool. When, and how, does it fit into a workflow of editing wildlife images, exactly?
If this is already a way to advanced for you, don't forget my free Lightroom
course for beginners, which helps you set up a steady workflow to handle
a large number of wildlife shots.
So now, here are my 10 most frequent uses for local adjustment masks...
#1. Clarity, texture, and sharpness in a subject.
While I love adding some extra punch to my subject.
We often try and create smooth
and even the looking images, with a pretty bouquet. Pulling either the clarity, or
texture, throughout your entire image, or increasing dehaze, often has an
adverse effect on your background.
Therefore, I like to use the 'select your subject mask' in
order to make your animals stand out.
Please don't do this on humans.
I promise you, they will not appreciate it.
#2. Noise reduction in your background. While nobody likes noisy
images, reducing overbearing noise in your animal, can result in a plasticky
or almost watercolor looking image.
There's nothing real for your eye to hold on to anymore.
However, everyone appreciates an unobtrusive background.
Reducing the noise in your background
therefore makes your animals stand out more.
You have two options for this: 1. You can use an
inverted subject select mask.
This might give the impression though that your noisy subject has been cut
out, and stuck onto clean non-matching background.
2. Therefore, you might consider a radial gradient, as it allows you to
fade the smoothness in...making your picture look more coherent altogether.
#3. Clarity and sharpness in your background.
Not every one of us can afford an f/2.8 lens, or
travel with one for that matter.
Therefore you can make us
of the power of local adjustment masks to create a smoother bokeh.
If you have an evenly distanced background, you can simply use an
inverted subject select mask, and take down the clarity, texture, or even
shadows...further to smooth your back.
However, if you have different layers of depth of field going through your
image, it will look really weird if the ground by your animal, isn't the same
clarity and sharpness as you subject.
This is simple physics and our brain wouldn't feel at
ease if we don't stick to it.
So once again, I use a radial gradient in an elliptical shape, and invert it.
That way I can create a subtle bokeh, while keeping the relevant
areas clear and crisp.
#4. Create a subtle vignette.
While I am not a big fan about traditional vignettes,
creating a subtle one can sometimes help to adjust your exposure of the background
in order to create a larger contrast between your subject matter, and backdrop,
which again, places a clear focus on your animal.
This can go in both directions, bright or dark, depending on the mood you
would like to create in your image.
And I would use the same tools as described in step number three.
That way you also have the option to adjust the radial gradient off-center
and match it to the composition of your image in the first place.
#5. Half way. Tone down hotspots.
Sometimes one happens to have hotspots, throughout the image, that are much
brighter than the rest of your exposure.
These spots draw the attention of the viewer away from your subject, and
are often worthwhile toning down a bit, with a local adjustment brush.
If this spot is entirely burned, you might not gain back any details, but you can
still bring the exposure down slightly,
so it is not so obvious.
#6. Match shadows and highlights.
If you have unwanted shadows in an otherwise evenly exposed image, and
didn't intend to produce any sort of creative capture, you can try
and match the two luminance tones, by using a local adjustment brush, or
alternatively, the luminance filter.
This often happens in the eyes of cats...
or, certain body parts of animals,
once the sun stands high in the sky.
#7. Make sure your rim light is visible.
If you create a rim lit image, in front of a dark background, and
underexpose significantly, we need to make sure that the golden outline is visible,
in the most relevant places of your animal, such as the face.
Sometimes you lack just a little portion of your outline, because the light was
just too soft, or the angle unfavorable.
We can try and bring it out by increasing your exposure with a local adjustment brush
...in the relevant areas.
#8. Clean-up your high-key and low-key shots.
The local adjustment brush easily helps you clean out the
few spots that might have turned dark, or bright, within your high-key and low-key image.
Simply move your exposure slider all the way up, or
down, to four...to cover the area with white or black, to match the bag.
To create a perfect high-key and low-key image, that doesn't
require such alterations,
you need to make sure your light conditions are even, throughout
your entire subject and background.
#9. Make sure your sky is visible, or any other highlights in the HDR shot.
By masking the sky only, or pulling in a linear gradient, you can easily
turn the highlights more down, in the sky, that might have been overexposed
to make your animal visible.
Unfortunately, we don't have the option to bracket our animals, as they're constantly
moving, but the good dynamic range of our cameras will allow us to pull the
highlights, and the exposure down, in the brights...
and to pull the shadows out in the darks.
It might further allow you to increase saturation in those areas that lost
color. To coax the sunset colors back out, the way that you saw them that evening.
# 10 Last but not least...make sure your eyes are the focal point of your picture.
But using a local adjustment brush, you can bring a bit more light into
your eyes, and a bit more contrast around the eyes where fur and feathers
are often strong in contrast.
Anyway, check out my video on YouTube about editing predator eyes,
to get more details on that. With all of these suggestions, please keep in mind that
subtle changes, are often way more powerful than post-processing, that is immediately
apparent to everyone around you.
Post-production of your images is supposed to bring out the best in your
animal, and help you tell your story.
I personally prefer keeping in touch with reality, though.
What often helps me, is to go back to my edited image, just a few hours later, and
see if anything stands out uncomfortably.
Ask yourself.
Are my highlights too bright, or my contrast too strong...because my shadows
have gotten just too deep to look natural.
Maybe the colors just seem a touch unnatural, or the clarity has been taken
out of the background, so much so, that there's no natural depth of field anymore.
At the end, photography is an art...
And we're all entitled to our own personal taste and opinion.
So, you have fun in the process.
And let me know if you have any more questions regarding the local
adjustment masking tools of Lightroom.
Alrighty, then...cheers!
Bye-bye.