Another Simple Example of How Basic Editing Can Improve Your Images

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Building on yesterday's post, I thought I would show you another example of how an image could easily be made much better by using the simple editing tools I mentioned yesterday.

This image is from a trip I took last fall to the American west.  In this case, this is a scene of Horse Creek in Shoshone National Forest.  Nothing spectacular about the scene, just a very pleasant depiction of the western Wyoming.

The image below is a RAW capture straight out of the camera (Nikon D800E) with no adjustments whatsoever applied.  Looking at it, I could have given it a bit more exposure, but that is not critical with the sensor in the Nikon D800E.  I think we all agree that this image doesn't look very good as it came out of the camera.  Remember RAW captures just pixel information and doesn't process them in any way.

 

The final version of this same image shows how much it is improved by using basic editing controls.  Using Lightroom, I brightened the image, added contrast, vibrance, a bit of clarity, darkened the blue sky to get a polarizing effect and sharpened the image.  I spent only a couple of minutes on this image.  Take a few minutes to closely look at the two to compare and contrast the differences.

 

I think you also have to agree it looks like a totally different image.  The lessons learned are a) learn to see the potential an image has when scoping it out by teaching yourself how to visualize how you want the final image to look and b)  learn to use your basic editing software.

 

Thanks for looking.  Enjoy!

 

Dennis Mook

 

 

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