Okay, let's dive into a photo editing tutorial using Lightroom and Photoshop. This guide will cover basic workflow and some common techniques. We'll assume you're familiar with the basic interface of each program.

I. Workflow: Lightroom vs. Photoshop

• Lightroom: Primarily for organization, global adjustments, and color correction. It's non-destructive, meaning your original image is always preserved. Think of it as your digital darkroom for developing your raw files.


• Photoshop: Focuses on detailed editing, retouching, compositing, and specialized effects. It's destructive by default (but can be made non-destructive with layers). Think of it as your digital studio for crafting your final masterpiece.

• Import to Lightroom: Import your photos into Lightroom.


• Organize and Cull: Use Lightroom's cataloging features to organize your photos, add keywords, and rate/flag your best images.


• Global Adjustments in Lightroom: Perform basic edits like exposure, contrast, white balance, highlights, shadows, whites, blacks, and clarity.


• Local Adjustments in Lightroom (Optional): Use adjustment brushes, radial filters, and graduated filters for localized corrections like brightening a face or darkening the sky.


• "Edit in Photoshop" (When Needed): If you need more advanced retouching, compositing, or specific effects, right-click on the image in Lightroom and choose "Edit in Photoshop." This creates a TIFF or PSD copy and opens it in Photoshop.


• Photoshop Editing: Perform your detailed edits in Photoshop. Save the image (Photoshop automatically updates the image in your Lightroom catalog).


• Final Tweaks in Lightroom (Optional): You can make small final adjustments to the Photoshop-edited image in Lightroom if needed.

Let's focus on the "Develop" module in Lightroom.

A. Basic Panel - Core Adjustments

• Profile: Start by choosing the correct profile. "Adobe Color" is a good starting point for most scenarios. If shooting RAW, Adobe offers specific camera profiles for better colour rendering.


• White Balance:


• Eyedropper Tool: Click on a neutral gray area in your photo.


• Presets: Try "Auto" or specific presets like "Daylight," "Cloudy," etc.


• Temp/Tint Sliders: Fine-tune the temperature (yellow/blue) and tint (green/magenta) to achieve a pleasing white balance.


• Exposure: Adjust the overall brightness of the image. Use the histogram as a guide to avoid clipping highlights or shadows.


• Contrast: Increases or decreases the difference between the light and dark areas.


• Highlights: Adjust the brightness of the brightest areas. Recover blown-out highlights by moving this slider to the left.


• Shadows: Adjust the brightness of the darkest areas. Bring out details in shadows by moving this slider to the right.


• Whites: Adjust the brightest points that will become pure white. Use with caution to avoid clipping. Hold Alt/Option while adjusting to see clipping.


• Blacks: Adjust the darkest points that will become pure black. Use with caution to avoid blocking up shadows. Hold Alt/Option while adjusting to see clipping.


• Presence:


• Clarity: Adds mid-tone contrast, making details pop. Use sparingly to avoid a harsh look.


• Dehaze: Removes haze or fog. Can also be used creatively to add a misty effect by going negative.


• Vibrance: Increases the saturation of muted colors. Helps make colors pop without over-saturating skin tones.


• Saturation: Increases the saturation of all colors equally. Use with caution to avoid an unnatural look.

• Parametric Curve (default): Adjusts brightness in specific tonal ranges (Highlights, Lights, Darks, Shadows).


• Point Curve: Allows you to create a custom curve by clicking and dragging on the graph. The classic "S-curve" adds contrast.


• Channel Curves (Red, Green, Blue): Create colour shifts and tonal effects, great for stylised looks

• Hue: Shifts colors along the color spectrum.


• Saturation: Adjusts the intensity of specific colors.


• Luminance: Adjusts the brightness of specific colors.

• White Balance: Adjust to achieve natural-looking colors (typically warmer for sunsets, cooler for landscapes).


• Exposure: Adjust to properly expose the scene, avoiding clipping.


• Contrast: Add a touch of contrast for more depth.


• Highlights: Recover details in the sky.


• Shadows: Bring out details in the foreground.


• Clarity: Add a touch of clarity to sharpen details.


• HSL/Color: Boost the saturation of blues in the sky and greens in the foliage.

• Adjustment Brush: Paint adjustments onto specific areas. Common uses include brightening eyes, darkening skin blemishes, or adding sharpness to a subject.


• Radial Filter: Applies adjustments to a circular or elliptical area. Useful for vignetting, brightening a subject in the center of the frame, or simulating depth of field.


• Graduated Filter: Applies adjustments gradually over a linear area. Perfect for darkening the sky, adding contrast to the horizon, or creating a subtle vignette.

• Select the Adjustment Brush tool.


• Set the Exposure and Shadows sliders to a positive value (e.g., +0.3 to +0.5).


• Lower the Flow and Density sliders to control the intensity of the brush.


• Paint over the irises of the eyes. Zoom in for precision.

A. Basic Retouching

• Spot Healing Brush Tool: Removes small blemishes, dust spots, and distractions. Choose "Content-Aware Fill" as the Type for best results.


• Healing Brush Tool: Samples texture from one area and applies it to another. Use for larger blemishes or skin imperfections. Hold Alt/Option to sample.


• Patch Tool: Selects a larger area and replaces it with a similar area. Useful for removing larger objects or imperfections.


• Clone Stamp Tool: Duplicates pixels from one area to another. Use for complex retouching tasks where the other tools aren't effective. Hold Alt/Option to sample.

• Create a new, empty layer above the background layer. This ensures non-destructive editing.


• Select the Spot Healing Brush Tool.


• Make sure "Sample All Layers" is checked in the options bar.


• Click on the blemishes to remove them.


• For larger blemishes, use the Healing Brush Tool or the Patch Tool.

• Dodge Tool: Lightens areas.


• Burn Tool: Darkens areas.

• Create a new, empty layer.


• Change the blend mode of the layer to "Soft Light" or "Overlay."


• Fill the layer with 50% gray (Edit > Fill > Contents: 50% Gray). This makes the layer invisible until you start dodging and burning.


• Select the Dodge or Burn Tool.


• Set the Range to "Midtones" for subtle adjustments.


• Lower the Exposure to a low value (e.g., 5-10%) for gradual changes.


• Paint over the areas you want to lighten or darken.

• Layer Masks allow you to selectively reveal or hide parts of a layer. They are essential for non-destructive editing.

• Select the layer you want to mask.


• Click the "Add Layer Mask" button at the bottom of the Layers panel (looks like a rectangle with a circle inside).


• Paint with black to hide the layer, and paint with white to reveal the layer.


• Use gradients in the mask for smooth transitions.

This technique separates texture from tone, allowing you to smooth skin without losing detail.

• Duplicate the Background Layer twice. Name the top layer "High Frequency" (texture) and the bottom layer "Low Frequency" (tone).


• Hide the "High Frequency" layer.


• Select the "Low Frequency" layer.


• Apply a Gaussian Blur Filter: Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur. Adjust the Radius until the skin appears smooth but details are still visible (typically 4-8 pixels).


• Hide the "Low Frequency" layer.


• Select the "High Frequency" layer.


• Go to Image > Apply Image.


• Layer: Low Frequency


• Blending: Subtract


• Scale: 2


• Offset: 128


• Change the Blend Mode of the "High Frequency" layer to "Linear Light."


• Retouching: Use the Mixer Brush Tool on the "Low Frequency" layer to smooth out tonal variations. Use the Clone Stamp Tool on the "High Frequency" layer to remove blemishes.

• Combining multiple images into one. Requires precise masking and blending. Important to match colours/tonality across images for realistic look.

• Shoot in RAW: RAW files contain more information than JPEGs, giving you more latitude for editing.


• Non-Destructive Editing: Use layers and masks in Photoshop to avoid permanently altering your original image.


• Less is More: Avoid over-editing. Subtle adjustments often produce the best results.


• Practice: The more you practice, the better you'll become at photo editing.


• Learn from Tutorials: There are countless online tutorials available. Explore different techniques and find what works best for you.


• Pay Attention to Detail: Zoom in and examine your work closely to catch any imperfections.


• Save Frequently: Save your work regularly to avoid losing progress.


• Calibrate Your Monitor: Ensure accurate color representation by calibrating your monitor.