From Clicking to Creating-Graduated Filter in Lightroom

The graduated filter in lightroom can be an extremely useful tool for your photos. Learning, when and how to use it can make a huge difference between an OK photo, and an exceptional one.

This is an edited image that I took the other night. I went to Schwabacher’s Landing, and took some photos as the sun went down. Sunset in the Tetons is usually only good if there are clouds in the sky to create some color. I really love the reflections that happen in this location though, so I made it work.

This is the image unedited. As you can see the sky is washed out, so I used a graduated filter on that part of the photo.

The graduated filter can be found on the right hand side, where the other tools are located. In this screen shot I have the filter active, and I also hit the “O” key to bring up the red so I can see exactly where the filter is.

(click on images to enlarge)

This is a different photo, and I turned on the mask for the filter, setting it to luminance. If I leave the red filter active, I can see what the adjustment is doing to the sky. Basically, it will adjust the sky and not the trees because they are a different luminance. You can also use the color range mask here instead.

These two screen shots show adjustments you can do to the filter. This first one I have narrowed the filter, which makes the feathering less and is good on a photo like this. I don’t want the trees darkened by the filter, so this gives me more adjustment.

Obviously I don’t want a sideways filter here, but there are times this can be exactly what you need. The filter is great because you can put it anywhere in the image you need. From the top down, or even from the bottom up. Simply “grab” the filter lines and you can move it where you want.

Another useful tool in lightroom, that can really enhance your photos.

This weeks photo challenge prompts were kinda hard for me. First, the Dogwood 52 is Circle in the creative category. Have you ever really looked for circles in nature? It’s impossible. Lol. I ended up shooting this dried flower that looks like a giant dandelion. Actually, it is symbolic for circle too, as the seeds will fly in the wind, create new flowers, and the circle starts again.

The 2 Lil Owls prompt is food. This was even harder. I am not at all into food photography, and I really don’t like to cook. So nothing exciting there. I guess I could have shot my morning cereal. Instead, I decided this robin with a mouth full of food for her little ones was the best.

Have you used the graduated filter before? Let’s see what you create this week.