Taking compelling photos of popular locations isn't about finding an untouched spot, but about how you see and capture a scene. A few specific editing techniques can significantly elevate your work, even in familiar places.
Coming to you from Glyn Dewis, this practical video walks you through editing a striking photo of the famous low lighthouse in Burnham-on-Sea. Dewis first demonstrates how to adjust the crop and correct distortion, essential techniques if you're working with wide angle lenses. By repositioning the lighthouse and fine-tuning perspective, he immediately improves the visual balance and overall appeal of the photo. Dewis also covers how these simple but effective cropping adjustments can greatly enhance composition, especially when photographing common landmarks.
Dewis further highlights the value of Lightroom’s adaptive profiles, specifically the adaptive black and white conversion, which tailors itself uniquely to each photo. Rather than applying a generic filter, this approach creates richer, more dynamic black and white images. Dewis then moves into masking, detailing how to isolate the sky and lighthouse separately. The video emphasizes the importance of experimenting with masks—demonstrating how choosing the right masking tool, particularly the object mask, saves significant editing time and yields precise results. If you're working on detailed structures, Dewis' method offers a streamlined way to emphasize intricate elements.
The video also addresses how subtle enhancements like texture, clarity, and selective blur can transform an image. Dewis shows how these adjustments, combined with small touches like cleaning up distracting details or adding subtle blur to foreground elements, effectively guide the viewer's attention. His technique of introducing additional details like seagulls provides an easy yet impactful method to add a unique signature to your images. Moreover, Dewis openly discusses the challenge of photographing places that have been captured countless times, inviting you to rethink how familiar locations can still yield unique personal interpretations. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Dewis.
