Editing landscape photos can feel overwhelming with all the tools available, but you don’t need to use most of them. The key is knowing which adjustments actually make a difference. A few simple changes can turn a flat raw file into something that reflects the scene as you remember it.
Coming to you from William Patino, this practical video walks through a Lightroom workflow that focuses on the essential tools for landscape editing. Before making any adjustments, having a clear vision for the final image helps guide the process. The first step is lens corrections—removing chromatic aberration and fixing distortion. While it’s not always necessary, it’s a good habit, especially for images with strong horizon lines. The main work happens in the Basic panel, where global adjustments control exposure, highlights, and shadows. Raising the exposure brightens everything, but pulling back highlights prevents the sky from blowing out. Shadows can be lifted, but not too much—keeping some depth makes the image feel natural.
The video also covers local adjustments, which help refine the image beyond broad exposure changes. The adjustment brush is one of the most useful tools, allowing for targeted edits. For example, darkening the sky slightly draws attention back to the landscape. Lightening the foreground elements can create a stronger sense of depth. Unlike global adjustments, local changes let you enhance specific areas without affecting the entire image. A simple technique is warming up the background while keeping the foreground cooler, which mimics natural contrast.
Another important step is color grading. Rather than pushing saturation too far, using subtle adjustments in the Color Grading panel helps balance highlights, midtones, and shadows. Warming the highlights while slightly cooling the shadows creates a more natural look. The healing tool is also covered, particularly for removing dust spots. A quick scan of the image at full resolution makes it easier to find and remove these distractions.
The final touches involve small refinements—enhancing light in certain areas with the adjustment brush, softening edges where needed, and making sure the overall balance looks right. Before and after comparisons help confirm that edits improve the image without making it look unnatural. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Patino.
And if you really want to dive into landscape photography, check out our latest tutorial, "Photographing the World: Japan II - Discovering Hidden Gems with Elia Locardi!”
