Before & After {Lightroom Photo

Editing Tutorial}
MAY 2, 2012
in BEFORE & AFTER ,LIGHTROOM ,TUTORIALS
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We welcome Paige Ewing to our Before & After Photo Editing Tutorial series today. Paige will be
demonstrating her editing workflow using Lightroom 2 on a beautiful hoto of a bride.
Before & After Lightroom Editing Tutorial
!or close"u ortraits# $ kee the icture %ery natural and &ust enhance the beauty that is already
there. This is a beautiful# clean icture taken of one of my brides using only natural light.
STEP 1: $ cro the hoto by clicking the cro tool# and then select si'e ()* from the dro down
menu. $ always cro at a ()* because the dimensions are roortional to the original at this si'e. $
click and hold the corner of the cro bo+# and then drag the bo+ to ensure the focal oint ,her eyes- is
in line with one of the hori'ontal thirds. .nce it is in lace# $ hit E/TE0.
STEP 2: /e+t# $ need to gi%e it a color and contrast boost. $ first ad&ust the TE1P to 23 to add some
warmth. Then# $ lay around with the !$LL L$45T and BLA678 to my liking. 1ost imortantly# $
boost B0$45T/E88 u to 29: and increase 6./T0A8T to 222 in order to make the image ;o<.
STEP 3: The T./E 6=0>E is a hidden trick that can make a huge difference in the balance between
lights and darks. $ reduced the 5$45L$45T8 a little to rid her face of the shar bright sots the sun
was causing. $ brought the L$45T8 u a tad# and really increased the ?A07/E88 to soften the
icture. By going u to 229# the darker arts
in the icture became much lighter.
STEP 4: Time for some color@ The 8AT=0AT$./ tool allows you to target and work with indi%idual
colors. 1y bride had a great tan# but the ad&ustments made her a little too orange. $ reduced
.0A/4E to "9A# along with the BELL.W to a "* to calm down the yellow lea%es behind her. $
boosted to 40EE/ to 2(2 to enhance the green lea%es# and then took the BL=E down to "9:. $ didn<t
like the blue in the sky behind her head# and $ will treat that a little later.
STEP 5: By adding a >$4/ETTE to the icture# $ darkened the edges allowing more attention to be
on the bride<s face. A1.=/T is the first ad&ustment before anything# and then $ work on the
1$?P.$/T. !inding what works for you is best.
STEP 6: /ow that we<%e laid some ground work# it<s time for ;attention to details<@ $ created four
different 1A878 to target secific areas of work. The first 1A87 is to rid the shot of the aCua"blue
behind her head. Bou can create a 1A87 by clicking the B0=85 tool under the 5$8T.40A1. ,This
also works if you hit the ;k< key on the keyboard.- By clicking the dro down menu# $ selected
8AT=0AT$./. $ lowered it to a "(D because $ want to remo%e the 8AT=0AT$./ in the blue.
STEP 7: .ne more ste before working on the icture# you must make sure the !EAT5E0 A/?
!L.W of the B0=85 is 9AA and the ?E/8$TB is at least :A. /ow you are ready to go to work. =se
your mouse to ;aint< with the brush o%er the trouble areas in the shot. While holding down the ;left
click< on your mouse the entire time# ;aint< brush strokes o%er e%ery art of the blue behind her
head. Bou will notice the blue color diminish. >oila<@
STEP 8: $n order to create a new mask# you must 6L.8E the first one# hit ;k< on keyboard# or click
the B0=85 tool to e+it. Any of these will work. /ow it<s time to soften the skin on her face. 8he<s
flawless# but this tool can create a softer touch. .en the B0=85 tool again. When $ clicked the dro
down menu# $ ha%e a sa%ed reset called 8often 8kin that $ selected# but you can create this manually
by ad&usting the 6LA0$TB and 85A0P/E88. 85A0P/E88 is always at "9AA# but 6LA0$TB can
between "9AA to "EA. Be careful not to make her skin look blurry with "9AA 6LA0$TB. /atural is key@
STEP 9: Take your mouse and while holding down the ;left click<# carefully aint o%er her face with
this mask. $ treated her entire forehead# cheeks# and skin on her shoulders and neck. A>.$?
6.>E0$/4 T5E EBE8# L$P8# A/? /.8T0$L8.
STEP 10: /e+t# $ enhanced her eyes with a new mask. 6lose the ;skin< mask by hitting ;k<# and the
oen a new one by hitting ;k< again. $ selected my Eyes reset from the dro down menu# but you can
create this by ad&usting B0$45T/E88 29*# 6./T0A8T 2E3# 8AT=0AT$./ 2EE# A/? 85A0P/E88
29AA. 8harness is always 29AA# but the others will change deending on the need for each icture.
STEP 11: With this mask# $ focused on the iris of the eyes. 8taying within the rim of her iris# $
ainted o%er them using this mask. The eyes sharen and sarkle@
STEP 12: The last ste@@ Whoo hooF- This mask is otional# but its urose is to enhance and darken
her lashes and lash line. 6reate one more mask by closing the last one ,k-# and oening a new one
,k-. $ ad&usted the 6./T0A8T 22*# 6LA0$TB 2(:# A/? 85A0P/E88 29AA. $ made sure to reduce
the 8$GE of my brush to stay within the boundaries of her lash line. Lastly# $ traced o%er her lash line
and eyelashes all the way to the tis. This added the final BA/4 to her already beautiful eyes. Be sure
to close this mask when done.
/ow# after all of that hard work# this bride has a gorgeous ortrait to be roud of for decades to come
that her husband will be eager to show off@
And here are the Before and After side by side for you to comareF
Paige Ewing is a natural light hotograher northeast of Atlanta# 4a who
seciali'es in children# family# and wedding hotograhy. 5er life as a wife and mother hea%ily
influences her assionate style of free'ing recious moments in time on camera. !ollow her
on !acebook# Twitterand Pinterest to %iew more of her beautiful work.