1.3 Edits: Adobe Lightroom Classic

Get a copy of this worksheet for this portion of the unit

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ns5FDpZHWcJv3c_GqMynUbRU0BVRlvK-JDi8xn1TknI/copy

Remember to place this in the proper Google Drive location

Originals: Keep it safe!

It’s important to make a copy of the image you’re working on, firstly as a backup and secondly so you can go back and work on it again if you don’t like your edits or want to try a wholly different approach. Likewise, it’s vital to use layers when making edits while using photo editing software, leaving the underlying image untouched. This way you’ll always have a quick and easy reference point to see what the original looked like before you started tweaking colors, retouching specific areas and playing with contrast.

Crop out what you don’t need

Cropping is one of the most basic tools found within photo editing software, but it’s also one of the most powerful. Learning how to use it properly will ensure you get rid of parts of an image that do not help tell a story, while emphasizing those that do. That can mean dropping large backgrounds from portrait or wildlife photography, or using specific sizes and aspect ratios to make a shot look tightly edited. A 6:5 ratio works well, with an image measuring 600 pixels across. Square crops are a striking alternative.

Subtle Edits: Don't overdo it!

Learning how to retouch skin and other aspects of an image is one of the most fun parts of photo editing. Mastering spot healing and clone tools can quickly clean up pictures and make them look a lot neater. However, such functions should be used sparingly. Overusing retouching techniques in portraits can quickly make subjects appear unrealistic, while too much cloning can make landscapes appear otherworldly, especially if you’re aiming to maintain a natural look. This rule applies to color and saturation too. Overdoing these can make an image look overly edited, leading you to return to the original and start again.