Using Lightroom to Transform Flat Images

Using masking techniques in Adobe Lightroom, you can guide the viewer’s eye and create a dynamic feel that makes a photo stand out. This tutorial dives into how to enhance depth and contrast in your images, transforming a flat-looking shot into one that feels alive and immersive.

Coming to you from Christian Möhrle of The Phlog Photography, this practical video explores the art of using Lightroom’s masking tools to add layers of depth to an HDR image. Möhrle begins by merging multiple exposures into a single HDR file, setting up the image with foundational adjustments. He simplifies the contrast and brightens darker areas, all to prepare the image for more targeted adjustments later on. The initial changes establish a balanced look without overdoing the contrast, setting a clean canvas for adding selective depth and lighting effects.

Möhrle explains how fine-tuning the white balance and adjusting exposure settings can make subtle yet impactful improvements. Adding a slight blue tint through white balance adjustments helps to cool the image, enhancing a foggy atmosphere. He then shifts focus to clarity, texture, and dehaze settings to control sharpness and soften specific areas. This balance between clarity and softness is a key part of making the image feel atmospheric without losing detail. By reducing contrast in areas where fog or haze should dominate, Möhrle achieves a natural, mysterious look.

The video then gets into more complex techniques for adding depth. Using the masking panel, Möhrle emphasizes specific areas like the foreground and key architectural elements in the scene. He starts with simple linear gradients to darken parts of the image subtly, then moves on to more precise object selection masks for detailed adjustments. Möhrle carefully separates light and shadow on specific elements, making them stand out without affecting the entire image. His approach to masking provides insights into how small adjustments, when thoughtfully applied, can drastically change the feel of a photo.

For viewers looking to elevate their editing skills, the most valuable part of this tutorial is Möhrle’s use of selective color grading and sharpening. By targeting the shadows with cooler tones and selectively increasing the saturation on warm tones, Möhrle enriches the color depth without oversaturating. Sharpening is applied only to the areas that benefit from enhanced detail, leaving other parts soft to maintain focus on the main subject. His technique shows how advanced color grading can add both emotional depth and visual impact. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Möhrle.