Rescuing an underexposed photo can feel like a tricky balancing act between recovering detail and avoiding noise. Mastering this skill transforms otherwise lost shots into worthwhile images.
Coming to you from Christian Möhrle - The Phlog Photography, this practical video provides straightforward guidance on salvaging severely underexposed images using Lightroom alone. Möhrle emphasizes starting with Lightroom’s AI-powered noise reduction, setting a clean foundation for adjustments without degrading image quality. By switching to the Adobe Landscape profile, you can bring immediate vibrancy to your shot, enabling smoother exposure and contrast adjustments. Möhrle clearly demonstrates the nuanced use of shadows, blacks, and highlights sliders to recover lost details effectively. He explains how strategic manipulation of these basic tools can dramatically enhance your image without introducing unwanted artifacts.
One particularly helpful technique Möhrle covers involves using Lightroom's transformation tools to correct perspective distortion, especially useful if you frequently use wide angle lenses. He shows how adjusting the vertical slider and cropping strategically can significantly improve composition and visual impact. Additionally, Möhrle walks through the application of precise masking techniques, leveraging color range masks and gradients to target specific areas such as skies and foregrounds. His advice on carefully blending exposure and clarity adjustments ensures you can accentuate dramatic skies or enhance subtle foreground details without making the image look over-processed.
An insightful aspect of this video is Möhrle’s detailed approach to local adjustments, specifically applying selective enhancements to particular regions of your photo. Techniques such as using radial gradients to create subtle glow effects or carefully brightening the subject help draw attention exactly where you intend. The tips on using split toning and color calibration to enhance colors subtly without overwhelming the scene add depth to your editing process. Möhrle’s straightforward but nuanced approach helps you refine your ability to rescue challenging photos effectively, making the editing process feel manageable and achievable rather than daunting. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Möhrle.
