Restoring colors in a photograph, especially when dealing with the limitations of ND filters and color casts, is a crucial skill for any photographer. The ability to manipulate and correct these aspects can transform a seemingly lackluster image into a vivid, striking composition. This helpful video tutorial will show you how to do just that.
Coming to you from Christian Möhrle - The Phlog Photography, this insightful video focuses on enhancing the colors of a landscape image that appears almost monochromatic due to the use of a strong ND filter. Möhrle begins with basic adjustments in Lightroom, such as changing the profile to Adobe Landscape and tweaking the white balance to combat a heavy blue color cast. The tutorial underscores the importance of these preliminary steps for setting a solid foundation for further color correction. You will appreciate Möhrle's methodical approach to aligning the histogram's color peaks, which is essential for achieving a balanced and natural look in the final image.
Further, Möhrle demonstrates advanced techniques for refining the image's contrast, detail, and color through targeted adjustments and masking. By selectively adjusting exposure, clarity, and dehaze settings, he skillfully enhances specific areas of the image, such as bringing out cloud details in the sky and introducing a shadow effect in the foreground. The tutorial also covers color grading, showing how to adjust hues, saturation, and luminance for a more polished and vibrant outcome. This portion is particularly valuable for photographers looking to elevate their images' visual impact without over-saturating or creating unnatural color tones.
Möhrle’s comprehensive walkthrough, from basic adjustments to complex color grading and masking techniques, offers photographers a rich set of tools for color restoration. His emphasis on careful adjustment and the creative use of Lightroom's features to tackle common issues like color casts and lack of contrast provides a practical guide that can significantly improve outcomes. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Möhrle.
And if you really want to dive into landscape photography, check out our latest tutorial, "Photographing the World: Japan With Elia Locardi!"
why did you take this image with an ND filter? I am beginning to use them and wouldn't have thought to use one in this situation when nothing is moving
In this scene the clouds were the moving object.
I decided to use long exposure here to reduce the chaos that was going on in the sky. Without long exposure you would have a ton more details in the sky. This helps me to create this minimalistic look.