Creative Editing Finishing Touches

Over the years, I have learned some editing tricks using Lightroom, Photoshop, and Topaz Studio 2 that help to give my images a nice final touch. These simple techniques can help you take your image from good to great.  I have included a video to show these tools in action. 

Let’s start with Lightroom.

Adding a vignette to your image could not be more accessible in Lightroom. A dark vignette can bring attention to your subject or drama to the scene. A lighter vignette can soften an image and add a dreamy quality. I also will use a vignette when I need to soften one corner of an image or darken - it works great and is so quick. 

The clarity slider is not just helpful in adding details to your scene. I use the clarity slider to soften an image. Take the slider to the left to add some softness to the picture. When you use one of the mask options, you can select the clarity to be added. This is a great way to make an ethereal image soft and dreamy. 

Photoshop tools can be scary if you don’t use the program. But, these easy tips can make your image stand out. 

The clone tool in Photoshop is a great way to get rid of unwanted things in your image. I use it often to remove an extra twig or leaf. It can also match a sky or bokeh light from one part of the scene to another. This tool is straightforward to grasp once you give it a try. 

Blur motion is a fun tool to add a creative look to an image, but I like to help clean up dust spots or other mistakes in my image. Adding a blur motion filter, invert it, and then mask it at a low opacity where you need it. This technique sometimes works better than a clone or the heal tool because it is softer. I find it works great with skies or soft scenes. 

Did you know that Photoshop has textures that you can add built into Photoshop? They are located under filters >artistic. They have lots of options; my favorite is adding a canvas texture. Check out the video for tips on how to get this option to show up when editing your image. 

Adding textures into Photoshop is the icing on the cake of your image. It can pull the entire look of your image together. You can create textures or purchase them from online vendors. Adding them to an image is so easy, and from there, you can continue to edit and get the final look you want. 

Topaz Studio 2 is an excellent creative editing tool and one of my new favorite go-to programs. It has so much to offer. 

Recently I learned of a feature that gives you control over your edits in the program. I like to use the impression artistic option, but often the brush strokes do not give me a look that I want. I discovered that you could personalize the impression brush tool. There are extra features located within the impression selection. By scrolling down in that menu, you can edit the texture, light, and many other features. This allows you to customize this fun artistic look.

Editing for me should be quick, simple, and a way to enhance the beauty you captured with your camera. I hope these tips will give you some ideas to help put the finishing touch on your images.