Seven Simple Lightroom Techniques for Stunning Landscape Photography
"Mastering the art of post-processing can truly elevate your landscape photography. With the right techniques in Adobe Lightroom, even beginners can transform raw images into stunning visual masterpieces. Here are 7 simple yet powerful editing tips to help you bring out the best in your photos."
Before and after: Simple Lightroom tweaks for a polished look.
Landscape Photography Editing for Beginners
“I’ll start with this image from The Lake District”
Today, we’ll dive into seven post-processing techniques for beginners in Adobe Lightroom that can really boost your landscape photography - including a step-by-step/how to follow along so you can apply these techniques to your own images.
These are straightforward tips, perfect for beginners looking to get more out of their raw images without getting bogged down in complicated workflows.
As someone who’s been at this for nearly ten years, I’ve picked up some quick and easy methods that help keep the natural feel of a photo whilst giving it that extra pop.
When I first started out, I found post-processing to be a bit overwhelming but, with time, I realised that mastering a few key techniques can make a world of difference.
That’s why I’m excited to share these methods with you. They’re quick, easy, and incredibly effective, making them perfect for anyone looking to improve their landscape photography post processing!
Technique #1: Enhancing Natural Light with Radial Gradients
Using radial gradients to enhance natural light.
One of my favourite tools in Lightroom is the radial gradient. It’s great for enhancing natural light in your photos without making them look over-processed.
I used this technique on a photo from the Lake District. The image already had nice, soft light, but with a radial filter, I was able to make it stand out even more.
I slightly increased the exposure and warmed up the temperature to give the light a more inviting and natural feel. The result? A photo that looks true to life but just a bit more striking.
It’s these subtle adjustments that can take your photos from good to great. And the best part is, once you get the hang of it, applying this effect only takes a few seconds.
Radial gradients are especially useful for landscape photography because they allow you to enhance specific areas of light without affecting the entire image. This way, you can draw attention to the most important parts of your composition, like a sunlit mountain peak or a bright patch of sky.
How to Use Radial Gradients to Enhance Natural Light
Open Lightroom and select the photo you want to edit.
Go to the Develop module by clicking on 'Develop' at the top right.
Select the Masking tool from the right-hand panel (it looks like a circle).
Select ‘Create New Mask’ and click on ‘Radial Gradient’.
Click and drag on your photo to draw a circular or oval shape around the area where you want to enhance the light.
Adjust the Exposure slider in the Radial Gradient panel to increase the light within the selected area.
Fine-tune the Temperature slider to warm up or cool down the light as needed.
Use the Feather slider to soften the edges of the gradient, blending it smoothly into the rest of the image.
Review the changes by toggling the Radial Gradient on and off using the switch (small eye icon) at the top left of the panel.
Technique #2: Balancing Colours with Selective Adjustments
Balancing colour with selective adjustments.
Next up, I worked on a drone shot from the Isle of Mull, where the blues were a bit too intense for my liking. Instead of lowering the saturation across the whole photo, which would affect everything, I used the colour mixer to target just the blue tones.
This let me tone down the blues without losing the vibrancy in the rest of the image. This quick adjustment balanced the photo nicely, keeping it vibrant but not overwhelming.
Using selective colour adjustments is a great way to maintain control over the different elements in your photo. By targeting specific colours, you can fine-tune your images to better reflect the scene as you remember it, rather than how the camera captured it.
I often find that in drone photography, colours can appear more saturated than they actually were. This is especially true for blues and greens, which can dominate the image and detract from other elements.
By adjusting the saturation selectively, you can ensure that all aspects of your photo are balanced and cohesive.
How to Balance Colours with Selective Adjustments
Open Lightroom and select your photo.
Go to the Develop module by clicking on 'Develop' at the top right.
Scroll down to the Color Mixer panel on the right side.
Choose the Sample Point Color tool (a small eyedropper icon) and click on the colour you want to adjust directly in your photo.
Drag the Saturation (‘Sat. Shift’) slider left or right to decrease or increase the intensity of that specific colour.
Repeat for any other colours you want to adjust in the photo.
Review the changes by toggling the Color Mixer on and off using the switch (small eye icon) at the top left of the panel.
Technique #3: Enhancing Skies with AI-Based Masks
Enhancing skies with AI-based masks.
For the third technique, I focused on enhancing the sky in landscape shots, which can sometimes look flat and lifeless straight out of the camera. I used Lightroom’s AI-based sky mask to isolate the sky and make adjustments just to that area.
By lowering the exposure and adding a linear gradient, I was able to add more contrast and depth to the sky, giving it a more dynamic look. This simple tweak completely changed the mood of the photo, adding a sense of drama and making the overall scene more engaging.
Sky enhancement is one of those techniques that can really transform a landscape photo. The sky often plays a crucial role in setting the tone and atmosphere of an image, so it’s important to give it the attention it deserves.
Whether you’re dealing with a bright, cloudless sky or a moody, overcast one, these adjustments can help you bring out the best in your shots. I’ve found that using AI tools like the sky mask in Lightroom makes this process much easier and more efficient.
It allows you to make precise adjustments without having to spend hours manually selecting and editing different parts of the image.
How to Enhance Skies Using AI-Based Masks
Open Lightroom and select the photo with the sky you want to enhance.
Go to the Develop module by clicking on 'Develop' at the top right.
Click on the Masking tool (a circle icon with a dashed line around it).
Select ‘Create New Mask’ and click on 'Select Sky' from the options that appear. Lightroom will automatically detect and select the sky.
Adjust the Exposure slider to darken or brighten the sky.
Fine-tune the settings like Contrast and Highlights to achieve the desired look.
Review the changes by toggling the Sky Mask on and off using the switch (small eye icon) at the top left of the panel.
See how I captured this image behind the scenes HERE
Technique #4: Adding Drama with the Dehaze Tool
Adding depth with the dehaze tool.
Still on the sky, I used the dehaze tool for a bit more drama. This tool is brilliant for adding texture and depth to clouds, especially in landscape photography.
After selecting the sky, I increased the dehaze, which brought out more detail and gave the image a more punchy feel. It’s a quick way to add some drama to your landscapes without making them look overdone.
Dehaze is particularly useful on those misty or hazy days where the sky might appear washed out or lacking in contrast. By using this tool, you can bring back the depth and detail that was present when you took the photo, making your images more true to life.
One thing to keep in mind is not to go overboard with the dehaze slider. It’s easy to get carried away, but subtlety is key here. A little goes a long way in adding the right amount of drama to your photos.
How to Add Drama to Skies with the Dehaze Tool
Open Lightroom and select the photo with the sky you want to enhance.
Go to the Develop module by clicking on 'Develop' at the top right.
Click on the Masking tool and select 'Select Sky.'
Scroll down to the Effects panel on the right side.
Find the Dehaze slider and drag it to the right to increase contrast and bring out details in the sky.
Be cautious not to overdo it; subtle adjustments work best.
Fine-tune other settings like Exposure and Contrast if needed.
Review the changes by toggling the Dehaze effect on and off using the switch (small eye icon) at the top left of the panel.
Technique #5: Focusing Attention with Custom Vignettes
Highlighting the main subject with a custom vignette.
Next, I looked at how to draw attention to the main subject in a photo by using a custom vignette. I applied a radial gradient to darken the areas around a small pink flower, shot on the Isle of Mull.
By inverting the selection, I could control the exposure around the flower, making it stand out without over-editing the image. This method offers more control than using the standard vignette tool, allowing you to focus the viewer's attention exactly where you want it.
Custom vignettes are great for simplifying your composition and eliminating distractions. By darkening the edges of the frame, you can guide the viewer’s eye toward the centre of the image, where your main subject is located.
This is especially useful in landscape photography, where there may be many elements competing for attention. I prefer using a radial gradient for this technique because it gives me more flexibility and precision than a standard vignette.
It allows me to adjust the intensity and shape of the vignette, ensuring that it complements the overall composition of the photo.
How to Focus Attention with Custom Vignettes
Open Lightroom and select the photo you want to edit.
Go to the Develop module by clicking on 'Develop' at the top right.
Click on the Masking tool (a circle icon with a dashed line around it).
Select ‘Create New Mask’ and click on ‘Radial Gradient’.
Click and drag to draw a circular or oval shape around the main subject of your photo.
Invert the mask by checking the 'Invert' box in the Radial Gradient panel.
Lower the Exposure slider to darken the areas outside the subject, creating a vignette effect.
Use the Feather slider to adjust the softness of the vignette.
Review the changes by toggling the Radial Gradient on and off using the switch (small eye icon) at the top left of the panel.
Technique #6: Creating Bokeh Effects with Lens Blur
Creating bokeh effects with Lightroom’s ‘lens blur’ feature.
For close-up shots, I tried out Lightroom’s lens blur feature. It simulates the shallow depth of field you’d get with a wide aperture lens, which is perfect for creating a professional look without needing expensive gear.
I applied this to a close-up of a flower in my local woodland. The tool blurred the background, giving the photo that sought-after bokeh effect, which really made the flower pop.
It’s a handy trick for creating that bokeh effect in your images, especially if you’re working with a lens that doesn’t have a particularly wide aperture.
Lens blur is particularly useful in situations where you want to isolate your subject from the background. It works well for portraits, macro photography, and any other type of photography where you want to draw attention to a specific element of the scene.
The best part is, this tool allows you to achieve that dreamy, soft-focus look without having to invest in an expensive lens. It’s a simple yet effective way to add a professional touch to your photos.
How to Create Bokeh Effects with Lens Blur
Open Lightroom and select the photo you want to apply lens blur to.
Go to the Develop module by clicking on 'Develop' at the top right.
Scroll down to the ‘Lens Blur’ feature on the right hand side.
Click the checkbox marked ‘Apply’.
Use the ‘Blur Amount’ slider to adjust intensity.
Review the changes by toggling the ‘Lens Blur’ panel on and off using the switch (small eye icon) at the top left of the panel.
The lens blur feature allowed me to artificially blur everything behind the flower.
Technique #7: Staying Focused with Lights Out Mode
Staying focused with ‘Lights Out’ mode.
Finally, there’s a simple but effective tool called Lights Out mode. By pressing "L" on your keyboard, Lightroom dims the rest of the screen, letting you focus just on the photo.
It’s a neat way to check your edits without distractions, helping you fine-tune your adjustments and ensure your image looks its best. I’ve found this tool especially useful when working on detailed edits.
It allows me to see the photo as a whole without getting distracted by the Lightroom interface. Lights Out mode is one of those features that might seem small, but it can make a big difference in how you edit your photos.
It’s great for making sure that your adjustments are cohesive and that the overall image looks balanced and polished.
How to Use Lights Out Mode for Focused Editing
Open Lightroom and select any photo you're working on.
Press the 'L' key on your keyboard once to dim the Lightroom interface, focusing on your photo.
Press 'L' again to darken the interface even more, leaving just the photo visible.
Press 'L' a third time to return to the normal Lightroom interface.
Use this mode periodically to check how your edits are coming along without any distractions from the Lightroom interface.
Remember…
Post-processing doesn’t have to be complicated. These seven techniques are easy to use and can make a big difference in your landscape photos.
Remember, sometimes the smallest tweaks can have the biggest impact.
Check out the video below where I explain these techniques in much more detail and in real-time.
Happy editing, and I’ll see you on the next adventure!
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About Me
I'm Henry Turner, a UK-based professional landscape photographer and YouTuber. I share my adventures through in-depth articles, location guides, and photography tips to help you capture stunning landscapes. My journeys span Scotland, The Lake District, Wales, and beyond. Every week, I post new blog content and YouTube videos.
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