majiayu000 Photo Editing
Edit and enhance photographs through color correction, retouching, and creative processing using professional tools and workflows.
Overview
Photo editing transforms raw captures into polished final images through color correction, exposure adjustment, retouching, and creative enhancement. This skill covers Lightroom and Photoshop workflows, non-destructive editing techniques, and preparing images for various output formats.
Lightroom Workflow
Import and Organization
Import:
- Copy files to organized folder structure
- Apply import presets for consistency
- Add keywords and metadata
Culling:
- Flag or star best images
- Remove obvious rejects
- Select candidates for editing
Basic Adjustments
Exposure and Tone:
- Exposure: Overall brightness
- Contrast: Tonal separation
- Highlights: Recover blown highlights
- Shadows: Lift blocked shadows
- Whites/Blacks: Set white and black points
Color:
- White Balance: Correct color cast
- Vibrance: Subtle saturation boost
- Saturation: Overall color intensity
Presence:
- Clarity: Midtone contrast
- Texture: Fine detail enhancement
- Dehaze: Atmospheric haze removal
Color Grading
Color Wheels:
- Shadows: Tint shadow tones
- Midtones: Overall color mood
- Highlights: Tint bright areas
HSL Sliders:
- Hue: Shift specific colors
- Saturation: Intensity of specific colors
- Luminance: Brightness of specific colors
Local Adjustments
Tools:
- Graduated Filter: Gradual adjustments (skies)
- Radial Filter: Circular adjustments (vignettes)
- Adjustment Brush: Freehand painting
- Masking: AI-powered selections (sky, subject, background)
Photoshop Workflow
Non-Destructive Editing
Layers:
- Keep original layer intact
- Adjustments on separate layers
- Easy to modify or remove
Adjustment Layers:
- Curves: Tonal and color control
- Levels: Contrast and tonal range
- Hue/Saturation: Color adjustments
- Color Balance: Color correction
Smart Objects:
- Non-destructive transformations
- Editable filters
- Preserve original quality
Retouching
Spot Removal:
- Healing Brush: Blend texture and tone
- Clone Stamp: Copy pixels
- Spot Healing: Quick blemish removal
Skin Retouching:
- Frequency Separation: Separate texture and tone
- Dodge and Burn: Sculpt with light and shadow
- Subtle smoothing (avoid over-smoothing)
Advanced Techniques:
- Content-Aware Fill: Remove objects
- Liquify: Reshape and adjust
- Selective Sharpening: Enhance details
Masking
Layer Masks:
- Non-destructive hiding/revealing
- Paint with black (hide) or white (reveal)
- Feathered edges for smooth transitions
Selection Tools:
- Quick Selection: AI-powered selection
- Select Subject: Automatic subject detection
- Select and Mask: Refine selections
Color Grading
Workflow:
- Correct white balance and exposure
- Apply creative color grade
- Refine with HSL or Color Balance
- Add finishing touches (vignette, grain)
Popular Looks:
- Warm and Faded: Lift blacks, warm highlights
- Cool and Moody: Cool shadows, desaturated
- Cinematic: Teal shadows, orange highlights
- Black and White: Convert, adjust contrast
Export Settings
| Use Case | Format | Resolution | Color Space | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Web/Social | JPEG | 2048px long edge | sRGB | 80-90% |
| TIFF/JPEG | 300 DPI | Adobe RGB | 100% | |
| Client Delivery | JPEG | Full resolution | sRGB | 90-100% |
| Archive | DNG/TIFF | Original | ProPhoto RGB | Lossless |
Using the Reference Files
/references/lightroom-editing-guide.md — Read when learning Lightroom workflows and adjustment techniques.
/references/photoshop-retouching.md — Read when performing advanced retouching and compositing.
/references/color-grading-techniques.md — Read when applying creative color grades and looks.
/references/export-and-delivery.md — Read when preparing images for various output formats and platforms.