Digital Photographer - UK (2019-12)

Learn when and how to apply software processes

to maximise the impact of detail and colour

Employ essential

processing techniques

In any challenging shooting environment,

some level of post-processing will be

necessary to produce a clean, sharp final

image, free from distractions and with

the level of image quality expected from

today’s technology. Image editing is driven

by personal tastes, but there are several

core actions that should be considered for

coastal images.

Firstly, it will often be necessary to correct

uneven tonality, caused by the high contrast

from the uneven terrain – cliffs often block

sunlight, which casts shadows alongside

bright highlights. Secondly, this high degree

of light variance often results in a wide

spectrum of colour temperatures. RAW

processing offers the ideal solution, as many

applications allow changes in temperature

and tint.

Coastal landscapes are testing

environments for our equipment and our

technique. Dust, water spray and wind all

combine to make it a challenge to capture

images that are free from distractions,

caused by contaminants on the sensor or

lens. A standard procedure is to analyse

images for water spots and then remove

these in software.

When you edit images of coastal scenes,

there are certain aspects you need to be

mindful of. These landscapes often feature

defined edges – foreground rocks, cliff

tops – that are unforgiving of excessive

sharpening. The same is true of high-

frequency foreground detail, such as sand.

Oversharpening will quickly introduce

obvious halos, which may not be as visible

in scenes with more varied textures –

woodland being an example. A less extreme

application of sharpening or localised effects

is a better choice for seaside images.

Generally, global editing is less effective

for these scenes, since there is such a

variety of surface types visible, each with

different reflective properties. An area of

beach may require different treatment to a

pool only several metres away.

To get the best coastal landscapes – more

than for any other landscape type – it’s

critical to align the shooting and processing

methods to preserve highlight detail

throughout your workflow, and faithfully

capture colour in the final shot. DP

1

Adjust tonality In your RAW editor start by

setting the black and white points to introduce

some contrast, without clipping. Next, use the

Highlights and Shadows sliders to compress the

tonal range, drawing back detail in the brightest

and darkest areas.

2

Set a colour theme Work on the

colour in the shadows and highlights

independently. Set the overall temperature

and tint, then use Split Toning to warm or cool

at either end of the range. This is useful for

removing cool casts in the shadows.

3

Apply lens corrections Apply

standard lens corrections, or take manual

control and remove distortion, chromatic

aberration and correct converging verticals. Use

advanced sliders to address edge fringing in high-

contrast lighting.

4

Selective adjustments The amount

of sharpening and noise reduction required

will vary greatly across the frame. In shadow areas,

use the Adjustment brush in Lightroom to reduce

noise where it is most prominent, and compensate

with selective sharpening.

Editing in Lightroom

Learn the stepby step workflow for

genera; coastal landscape images to

balance exposure and colour

All

images

©^

Peter

Fenech

AFTER

Enhanced depth

For the final image, the shadows

were lifted and highlights dialled

down for improved dynamic

range. Increasing the whites has

introduced depth-improving

highlights and better local contrast

TECHNIQUES

Learnwhen and how to apply software processes

tomaximise the impact of detail and colour

Employ essential

processing techniques

Inanychallengingshooting environment,

somelevelofpost-processingwillbe

necessarytoproducea clean,sharpfinal

image,freefromdistractionsandwith

thelevelofimagequality expectedfrom

today’stechnology.Image editingisdriven

bypersonaltastes,but thereareseveral

coreactionsthatshould be consideredfor

coastalimages.

Firstly,it willoftenbe necessarytocorrect

uneventonality,caused by thehighcontrast

fromtheuneventerrain – cliffsoftenblock

sunlight,whichcastsshadowsalongside

brighthighlights.Secondly, thishighdegree

oflightvarianceoftenresultsina wide

spectrumofcolourtemperatures.RAW

processingofferstheideal solution,asmany

applicationsallowchanges intemperature

andtint.

Coastallandscapesare testing

environmentsforourequipmentandour

technique.Dust,water sprayandwindall

combinetomakeit a challengetocapture

imagesthatarefreefrom distractions,

causedbycontaminants on thesensoror

lens.A standardprocedure istoanalyse

imagesforwaterspots and thenremove

theseinsoftware.

Whenyoueditimages of coastalscenes,

therearecertainaspects youneedtobe

mindfulof.Theselandscapesoftenfeature

definededges– foreground rocks,cliff

tops– thatareunforgiving ofexcessive

sharpening.Thesame is trueofhigh-

frequencyforegrounddetail,suchassand.

Oversharpeningwillquickly introduce

obvioushalos,whichmay notbeasvisible

insceneswithmorevaried textures–

woodlandbeinganexample.A lessextreme

applicationofsharpening or localisedeffects

isa betterchoiceforseasideimages.

Generally,globalediting islesseffective

forthesescenes,since thereissucha

varietyofsurfacetypes visible,eachwith

differentreflectiveproperties.Anareaof

beachmayrequiredifferent treatmenttoa

poolonlyseveralmetres away.

Togetthebestcoastal landscapes– more

thanforanyotherlandscapetype– it’s

criticaltoaligntheshooting andprocessing

methodstopreservehighlightdetail

throughoutyourworkflow, andfaithfully

capturecolourinthefinal shot.DP

1

Adjust tonality In your RAW editor start by

setting the black and white points to introduce

some contrast, without clipping. Next, use the

Highlights and Shadows sliders to compress the

tonal range, drawing back detail in the brightest

and darkest areas.

2

Set a colour theme Work on the

colour in the shadows and highlights

independently. Set the overall temperature

and tint, then use Split Toning to warm or cool

at either end of the range. This is useful for

removing cool casts in the shadows.

3

Apply lens corrections Apply

standard lens corrections, or take manual

control and remove distortion, chromatic

aberration and correct converging verticals. Use

advanced sliders to address edge fringing in high-

contrast lighting.

4

Selective adjustments The amount

of sharpening and noise reduction required

will vary greatly across the frame. In shadow areas,

use the Adjustment brush in Lightroom to reduce

noise where it is most prominent, and compensate

with selective sharpening.

Editing in Lightroom

Learn the stepby step workflow for

genera; coastal landscape images to

balance exposure and colour

All

images

©

Peter

Fenech

AFTER

Enhanceddepth

Forthefinalimage,theshadows

wereliftedandhighlightsdialled

downforimproveddynamic

range.Increasingthewhiteshas

introduceddepth-improving

highlightsandbetterlocalcontrast

TECHNIQUES