Editing is a critical part of landscape photography, letting you shape images into representations of what you saw—or imagined—in the moment. Whether you aim for realistic refinement or experimental creativity, post-processing helps you discover what matters most in your work.
Coming to you from Gareth Evans with Park Cameras, this helpful video takes you through the editing process for a landscape image. Evans starts by addressing basic adjustments like exposure, white balance, and clarity. The first step involves pulling back highlights to recover detail in bright skies and lifting shadows to bring out texture in darker areas. These corrections ensure the photo has a balanced foundation. Tools like the exposure slider and profile corrections also help address overexposure or lens distortion, providing a more polished starting point.
Next, Evans transitions to advanced techniques, focusing on composition and lighting. He demonstrates how cropping can emphasize the subject, such as a farmhouse in the landscape, while reducing distractions. Choosing a 16:9 aspect ratio creates a cinematic feel, drawing attention to the image’s focal point. He then uses masks to direct light and darken areas, subtly guiding the viewer’s eye to the subject. Radial and linear gradients enhance the scene’s depth, balancing foreground, midground, and background elements.
Advanced color grading adds another layer of refinement. Evans uses masks to manipulate color temperature, adding warmth to areas lit by sunlight while cooling tones in the sky. Adjustments like dehaze and contrast tweaks bring out texture in clouds and enhance the overall atmosphere. Layered masks let him target specific regions with precision, creating dynamic interplay between light and shadow.
Fine details come into focus with selective edits like dodging and burning. Evans highlights how brushing over shadowed areas enhances their depth, while brightening select elements draws attention to key features. The tone curve adds a final polish, with small adjustments to shadows and highlights improving the image's contrast. Subtle tweaks in the blue channel help refine color tones, introducing a warm, golden glow that accentuates the sunset.
Evans concludes by encouraging you to step back from your edits and revisit them later with fresh eyes. This break helps avoid over-processing and ensures the final image feels balanced and intentional. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Evans.
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!”
