Amazing Lightroom Transformation

Sometimes you come across a rare opportunity but the light is all wrong. What do you do? The best thing is to get the best shot you can, and then see what magic you can conjure up with Lightroom or other post-production software.

Jack-In-The-Pulpit plants can be elusive and well-hidden, so when I come across one it is a real treat. This large and beautiful one was in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park on a warm spring day. Even though the time of day and the lighting were all wrong, I took my own advice and composed the best shot I could under the circumstances, in hopes of correcting some of the obvious problems in Lightroom.

This transformation required several steps, and some trial-and-error approaches. After doing a little cropping, and then boosting Clarity and Saturation a bit, the real work began. The main problem with this image in my opinion is the lighting. In the Before image you can see how bright the background was in the upper right, and the rock to the left. And the light on the plant itself was flat and dull. I used the Graduated Filter and the Adjustment Brush to darken the areas that needed it. Then I used the Adjustment Brush again, but this time to lighten the plant, making it look like it was lit from within.

I was surprised at how easily the overall look of the image was changed. And the final result still looks natural. And speaking of natural, when making significant changes or adjustments to a nature or wildlife image, you want to be careful not to go overboard. Keep all changes within the bounds of good taste AND do your best to preserve a natural look as much as possible.

Also, these sorts of changes might not be allowed in some competitions, so be sure to read the rules if you plan to enter an image that has been significantly modified.

TECH SPECS 1/125 sec at f/7.1, ISO 400. Canon 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS lens on Canon 5D Mark III body. Handheld.

TODAY’S QUOTE: “Photography shines a light on life.” — Mollie Isaacs