Shutterbug – Ten Tips for Photo Editing
The following image tips show different simple post-processing image adjustments that can be done with Adobe Lightroom or Adobe Photoshop. For all these images, my camera is set to take images in a “Raw” format so that it had the best possibility to be adjusted more successfully with post-processing software on a computer. This doesn’t mean that .JPG images can’t be processed in a similar manner to shown in these tips; it just means that “Raw” images have more adjustability in this format.
Tip-1 – Adjusting image contrast
This image was taken from a light aircraft through its window of Southport Lagoon. The image on the left is the original Raw image and as it can be seen there was quite a bit of atmospheric haze giving this image quite a low contrast. What can be immediately noticed is that the image on the right has a lot more “punch” and most of this purely by simply adjusting the image contrast.
Tip-2 – Converting the image to black and white
This image was also taken from another light aircraft of the mountain ranges in south-western Tasmania. The image on the left is the original Raw image. The internal reflections from the curved Perspex window were unavoidable here. For me having the image converted to black and white produces a much more pleasing image.
Tip-3 – Cropping the image
This image was taken from a slow moving boat in the Takine area of Tasmania. The image on the left is the original Raw image. The sky here is significantly brighter than the forest and therefore is not very pleasing. The image on the right has a simple crop which produces a much more pleasing image allowing you to concentrate on the fog and beautiful clear reflection.
Tip-4 – Major white balance correction
This image was taken with a red light so as to not disturb the Little Penguins at Bruny Island. The image on the left is the Raw image which as you can see has a very pronounced red colour cast. The image on the right had its white balanced corrected to allow the image to look much more natural. Note this is a one-click correction with the post-process software.
Tip-5 – Straighten horizon and highlight recovery
This image was taken from a moving boat off the coast of Bruny Island. As can be seen by the Raw image on the left the camera was level in relation to the boat in moving seas but not level to the horizon. The image on the right has the horizon corrected and also recovered some detail found within the very bright highlights from the reflective surface of the water.
Tip-6 – Correct white balance
This image was taken south of Hounville of some Aurora Australis activity. The Raw image on the left shows my first attempt at Aurora photography and noted that the white balance was not to my liking. The image on the right shows my manually adjusted white balance which shows a better representation of the greens and purples seem from an Aurora.
Tip-7 – Black and white conversion
This image is of native Tasmanian Pepper Berries. The image on the left is the original Raw image. The image on the right I believe looks much more interesting as a black and white.
Tip-8 – Image crop
This image is of an Eastern Quoll. The image on the left was taken of this erratic and skittish creature with the most sensitive auto-focus point on my camera – the central point, hence the central framing of the subject. The image on the right looks much more balanced when it is cropped.
Tip-9 – Highlight and shadow detail recovery
This image was taken from a boat of the entrance to Macquarie Harbour. Because this image was taken towards the sun, the Raw image on the left doesn’t show much detail in the bright sky nor detail in the shadows of the small island. The image on the right has recovered some detail in the sky and from the island.
Tip-10 – Footprints removed
This image was taken at Freycinet Peninsula. Footprints in the sand spoilt the image on the left. The image on the right has had the footprints “cloned” out to remove evidence of their presence. Although this may look difficult it is quite simple to do with the above-mentioned software.
If you would like be taken to some wonderful places to photograph in Tasmania, shown how to get more out of your camera without any classroom sessions, or to learn the techniques on post-processing your own photos please contact Shutterbug Walkabouts. You don’t need a fancy DSLR camera to get more out of your photography – most compact cameras have good functionality and just requires some simple techniques to improve your photography.
For more than 35 years Roy Vieth has captured images from around the world and is known by many for his captivating photographs of the natural environment and diverse landscapes. Roy is now an award-winning photographer and is an Accredited Member of the AIPP (Australian Institute of Professional Photography). The inspiration behind Shutterbug Walkabouts is one of a lifetime passion for photography. This is combined with a vision to share techniques and expertise encouraging others to develop their own style in their photography pursuits.
