Post Processing Techniques - Matching the Workflow to the Image

Post processing should not be solely be an afterthought, especially not in landscape photography. While out shooting in the field it can be very beneficial to know how different post processing techniques suit different conditions and compositions. This will often help frame up your shot, position yourself according to which direction the light is coming from and get every last bit of value from your shoot. It will also help you be more creative because you know you can focus stack in photoshop to create pin sharp scenes from front to back or capture the entire dynamic range of light in a scene by exposure blending.

In simple terms, I will edit a golden hour shot with beautiful sidelight very differently to how I would edit a balanced blue hour image with an even tonal range. In the video below I discuss my workflow for a drone shot where two fundamental elements are present in the composition; the old ruins of the church in the Glendesan Valley, Co Wicklow and the light coming over the mountain which is hitting these ruins. There is nothing else I am concerned about in this image other than those two things. This was an important point to establish before I begin the edit because I did not want any distracting elements in the scene which may have drawn the viewers eye away. So as a rule of thumb, before you begin any edit ask yourself these questions:

1) What are the main elements in my composition?

2) What post processing techniques can I use in this image which will help make those elements interact and gel together?

For this particular shot I used a workflow which helped to emphasise the light coming over the mountain and draw the viewers eye to the old ruin which is the main subject in the shot. One example from the video was where I used a curves adjustment layer in photoshop to create a slight vignette which darkened the outer parts of the photo i.e the areas I did not want viewers eye to go. You’ll have to check out the video to see what else I did!

Going forward this is something you should consider adopting into your workflow, it can be fun, challenging and also very rewarding. It will also improve your knowledge of composition, the weather conditions and how you can make the most of your time shooting. Hope you enjoy the video and if you have any questions please don’t hesitate to ask.

Stay Safe!

Sean.

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