Photoshop How To

Like it or not, knowing how to effectively process your images is part of being a photographer and everyone has their own approach. Some of you use Lightroom, others prefer Photoshop, and still others employ a combination of the two.

Regardless of your preference, when one of our favorite pros says, “The Radial Circle is the most powerful tool in Lightroom,” it’s time to pay attention. Serge Ramelli is a French landscape and cityscape photographer and an excellent instructor who really knows his way around Photoshop and Lightroom.

In he episode below, Ramelli explains why he considers Lightroom’s Radial Filter so important, and his method for using it. He demonstrates how this powerful tool simplifies the task of dodging and burning, enables you to make eye-popping sunset photos, and much more.

Ramelli begins with a seaside image he shot in Iceland. It’s a really beautiful scene, but he wants to give the image more impact.  He opens Lightroom’s Radial Filter, gets to work, and in just eight minutes walks you through the process of achieving a few very dramatic results.

The first task is selectively modifying the exposure in certain portions of the scene, and Ramelli illustrates the various options available and the specific settings he recommends. Depending upon the look you’re after, you can use the Radial Filter to create a subtle or a more complex effect.

Ramelli has a few other tricks for making the most of Lightroom’s Radial Filter, including using it to create a day-for-night effect, and how it works with black and white.

If you like this quick editing technique head over to Ramelli’s YouTube channel where you’ll find more of the same.

And check out a tutorial we posted from another expert, demonstrating the easiest way to replace backgrounds in Photoshop.