Adobe

Of course, when it comes to photo editing, we have to start Adobe, the leader in the industry in terms of the number of users, name recognition, and overall company value.

Adobe is constantly updating its software and adding features based on AI to Photoshop and Lightroom.  For example, they added a Denoise features that automatically removes noise/grain from images shot at high ISOs.  This new feature goes beyond the previous, simple tools, and creates a whole new raw DNG file.  They also added the ability to make precise edits to clothing and facial hair, as well as new AI mask categories (eyes, eyebrows, lips, hair, etc) for automatically generating a mask in any portrait. These are just a few of the features powered by AI in the Adobe ecosystem.

When it comes to photo editing software, the question, for most photographers, is not whether you should use Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop, but, what else should you add on top of Adobe Lightroom to help your workflow? In other words, most photographers’ workflows will begin and end in Lightroom. Beyond that, however, you may add additional apps, extensions, or plugins.

Luminar Neo

Luminar Neo is a standalone photo editing software application developed by Skylum, a Ukrainian company. Luminar NEO is the newest version in their long line of capable software; this one adds the power of AI to almost every feature. Primarily, Luminar Neo includes what they call Enhance AI, which has two components, Sky Enhancer AI and Accent AI.  Accent AI balances hue, saturation, highlights, contrast, and details, while Sky Enhancer AI automatically detects and enhances the skies in a photo.

You might consider Luminar NEO if you’re a landscape photographer, a photographer who edits each image individually, or a photographer with a bold and vibrant style of photo editing.  You could also consider Luminar NEO if you don’t like the pricing structure of Adobe and you’re looking for Adobe alternatives, however, the overall workflow is more convenient in Lightroom.

Impossible Things

Impossible Things is a new AI Photo Editor from the creators of DVLOP and SLR Lounge.  The AI works inside Adobe Lightroom, automatically adjusting 38 different settings for each image to arrive at a final result.

In addition to its advanced capabilities, Impossible Things is the only AI editing solution that natively works with Lightroom Presets, allowing it to adjust itself situationally without requiring extra training or uploading new catalogs to a cloud or server. For photographers who don’t have their own presets, Impossible Things provides an expanding collection of “cloud styles” that offer instant access to a range of popular looks. (DVLOP is known for its world-class development of “looks” that range from vibrant & punchy to muted, pastel colors, as well as accurate film emulation.)

The AI also incorporates camera profiles and features a patent-pending “Lighting Condition Based Development” system that adapts image color, contrast, and dynamic range to specific lighting conditions.

Retouch4me

Retouch4me specializes in creating A.I. powered photo retouching tools, which you can use as standalone apps or also as plug-ins for Photoshop. Portrait photographers, in particular, will appreciate Retouch4me’s current selection of AI plugins. Among the collection, you’ll find specialized plugins for masking and healing skin, dodging and burning, smoothing fabric, cleaning up backdrops, and color matching, among others.

Check out the video below to see how SLR Lounge Co-Founder Pye Jirsa made the plug-ins a regular part of his post-production workflow.

These AI plugins are available for individual purchase (prices range from $124-$149), but they can be stacked together. Retouch4me delivers on quality and the time saved from using their tools adds immediate value. After all, the real benefit of integrating AI tools like this into your workflow is to get professional-quality results and streamline your workflow to make time for other, non-editing tasks. It’s worth noting that you can try each plugin for free before you purchase it (and pick up a free plugin for frequency separation).

Special Offer: 20% Off for the SLR Lounge Community

SLR Lounge community members can save 20% on any or all of Retouch4me’s plugins. Just use the following code during checkout: SLRLounge20

Topaz Studio

Topaz Labs is a software company that creates powerful and easy-to-use editing tools.  Topaz offers three primary pieces of software that use AI for more technical tasks:

• Topaz DeNoise AI – Eliminate noise while recovering detail in high-ISO and low light images.
• Topaz Sharpen AI – Sharpen images without artifacts to help with shake reduction, focus correction, and blur removal.
• Topaz Gigapixel AI – Get better photo quality by enhancing the detail and upscaling for printing, cropping, restoration and more.

You can purchase any of these applications separately and integrate them into your Lightroom workflow, or you can purchase Topaz Photo AI, which offers a combination of all three applications. Topaz Photo AI offers slightly less advanced tools than the individual applications.

Topaz is a great tool to have in your software lineup, as it can help you save photos that might otherwise be discarded. On the one hand, things like noise, sharpening, and enlargement all lend themselves very well to being assisted by AI. On the other hand, of course, these aren’t the artistic aspects of photography itself, so they are definitely meant to just complement your main creative workflow.

Aftershoot

Aftershoot CULL is a feature that enables you to sort through each pose, variation, or group of people in a photo shoot and select the best image. You can set your own preferences and determine the “keepers” based on factors such as image sharpness or the subject’s smile. You can also adjust the number of keepers for each pose, selecting only a few images based on specific criteria.

Aftershoot EDITS is another feature that allows you to apply your own personal style of color correction and artistic editing to your photos. It learns from your existing work and can automatically perform technical corrections such as straightening and cropping. You can also use your own creative profiles to switch up your editing style.

See our full Aftershoot Review here.

ACDSee

ACDSee, which has been in existence since the early days of digital photography, is comparable to Adobe in terms of its longevity. Although it is not as well-known, the company’s Photo Studio Ultimate software for photo workflow and editing has garnered a loyal following among users who prefer it over Lightroom.

ACDSee’s Photo Studio Ultimate 2023 has been updated with an emphasis on artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities, including a fresh Face Edit feature and subject removal, aligning it more closely with rival offerings from Adobe, Capture One, and Skylum.  The latest version of the app, released in 2023, features layer-editing capabilities similar to Photoshop, and some of its tools, such as Light EQ adjusters, are particularly effective.

However, it lags behind top competitors in areas such as initial raw camera file conversion quality, import speed, the effectiveness of some corrections, and interface usability. For these reasons, our Editors’ Choice photo workflow app, Adobe Lightroom Classic, is recommended for those with higher volume workflows.

Spyne

Spyne AI is an app that takes advantage of AI’s powerful ability to identify mechanical things, cars in this case. Entirely dedicated to auto vehicle photo editing, Spyne allows users to create a “Virtual Car Studio”, putting your car on a showroom floor, and making adjustments such as controlling tint on windows.

The app offers over 100 backgrounds, from showrooms to on-location photo scenes, and a scalable (high-volume) workflow. Last but not least, you can use their technology to turn your own car

Remove.bg

With a straightforward interface, Remove.bg allows you to easily eliminate the background of an uploaded image. Within moments, Remove.bg will return the image without the background.

The standard definition image is available for free download, but higher resolutions require credits, which must be purchased.  Remove.bg also provides options to replace the background with a new one. You can choose from the given backgrounds or upload your own. If you prefer, you can blur the background of the image instead of removing it.

While Remove.bg is free to use, there are limitations. The tool allows unlimited low-quality versions of an image for free. Additionally, creating a free account enables you to download one high-quality image for free.  To access further features, payment is required. As you purchase more image credits, the cost per credit decreases. If you plan to use Remove.bg programmatically, you must pay for API calls too.

autoRetouch

This AI-powered retouching software is made for all types of product photographers, it offers a host of features that may be attractive to e-commerce type businesses.

In addition to basic tools such as automatically removing and changing subject backgrounds, autoRetuoch offers tools such as various cropping, alignment, and border padding tools. Also, besides simple portrait retouching and background “cleanup” tools, there are advanced tools  for product photographers such as extracting a fabric swatch from clothing photos, and generating/exporting different vector paths.

Pixlr

Pixlr is a photo editing software that comes in both free and paid versions. The free version includes standard photo editing features such as background removal (with a separate app available), filters, effects, animations, and collage creation.

The paid version provides access to a vast selection of photo overlays, stickers, assets, exclusive editing tools, and tutorials. Additionally, Pixlr allows users to open images from cloud storage platforms like Google Drive and Dropbox, making it a preferred choice for professionals who need to make quick and simple edits.

Capture One

Capture One is the biggest rival to Adobe Lightroom, because it too offers a catalog system. This means Capture One is capable of a start-to-finish workflow, in addition to special editing tools.

Catering primarily to all types of portrait photographers, the software’s Smart Adjustments tool uses AI to apply exposure and white balance corrections to any photo with a face in it. Of course, Capture One also offers some highly useful tools that all types of photographers will appreciate, and is known for film-like colors that portrait and landscape photographers alike appreciate.

Other AI Photo Editing

Below are other AI Photo Editing options to consider and research.  As we explore each of the companies mentioned below, we’ll expand on them and update this article.

• Movavi Picverse
• PortraitPro 23
• Imagen AI
• Leawo PhotoIns
• Lunacy
• Quik.ai
• Claid.ai
• Slazzer
• Prisma
• Lensa

Conclusion – AI Photo Editing Is Getting Even Better!

As artificial intelligence continues to evolve, it is clear that AI photo editing is the future. What is possible now will seem very common in a few years or less! Thanks to its ability to save time and improve results, AI is poised to revolutionize the world of photography. We created this article to help you understand and utilize this powerful tool to your advantage! Be sure to check back regularly for news about improvements and new opportunities.

Common Photo Editing Styles

Let’s discuss the common editing styles that photograph apply to their images.  Most photographers mix and match these general styles to create their own.

Natural Photo Editing Style

The editing style involves subtle adjustments that emphasize the inherent beauty of the image. This approach to wedding and portrait photography produces an authentic, true-to-life feel that accurately captures the moment. This style is particularly effective for editorial portraits where simplicity in editing is favored, allowing the subject’s pose and expression to take center stage and speak directly to the viewer. You can achieve this style with manual adjustments in Lightroom or with with Lightroom Presets like the Pure Presets.  See more examples of this style in the work of the clean and modern photographers on Wedding Maps.

Bold and Vibrant Photo Editing Style

The unique editing style in is known for its warm, lively, and bold colors. By utilizing the camera’s entire dynamic range and image quality, this editing approach showcases the stunning hues in images that capture breathtaking moments such as fiery sunsets, tropical blue waters, or vibrant wedding florals.  You can achieve this style with manual adjustments in Lightroom or with with Lightroom Presets like the Crush Presets.  See more examples of this style in the work of the bold and vibrant photographers on Wedding Maps.

Light and Airy Photo Editing Style

The light and airy style of photography has a distinct charm that is recognized by its soft, pastel colors and dreamy, ethereal ambiance. This popular approach to wedding and portrait photography is often compared to filmic or fine art styles and exudes a romantic and whimsical vibe that is often captured in natural light. You can achieve this style with manual adjustments in Lightroom or with with Lightroom Presets like the Pastel Presets.  See more examples of this style in the work of the light and airy photographers on Wedding Maps.

Dark and Moody Photo Editing Style

The editing style is recognized by its deep, rich colors, and a dramatic, moody aura. Often referred to as boho or earthy, this trendy approach isn’t hesitant to explore the shadows and resides predominantly in the left side of the histogram. You can achieve this style with manual adjustments in Lightroom or with with Lightroom Presets like the Mood Presets.  See more examples of this style from the dark and moody photographers on Wedding Maps.

Film Emulation Photo Editing Style

The Film Emulation Photo Editing Style is an approach that involves mimicking the visual characteristics of traditional film photography film stocks such as Fuji 400, Kodak Portra 400 and others. This editing style is popular in wedding and portrait photography, as it provides a classic and timeless aesthetic to images. The editing process involves adding grain, altering color hues, and adjusting contrast to create a look that resembles different types of film. By emulating the look and feel of traditional film, this editing style creates a sense of nostalgia and timelessness in the images, lending them a unique and distinctive quality.

Black and White Photo Editing Style

The editing style is known for its monochromatic and timeless feel, relying solely on contrast and tonal range to create a striking image. This style is commonly utilized in wedding and portrait photography, lending a classic and elegant aesthetic to the images. Additionally, this approach can eliminate distracting colors and minimize the impact of unsightly elements within the frame, resulting in a cleaner and more polished final image. You can achieve this style with manual adjustments in Lightroom or with with Lightroom Presets like the Black and White Mixer.

Painterly Photo Editing Style

https://www.instagram.com/p/CdGD25ovd9b/

The Painterly Photo Editing Style is an approach to photo editing that is characterized by its resemblance to traditional painting techniques. This style involves using digital tools to manipulate images to resemble a painting, incorporating elements such as brushstrokes, textures, and color blending. This style is often used in fine art photography and portraiture, as it allows photographers to add a creative and distinctive touch to their work.

Cross-Processed photo editing style

The Cross-Processed (or cross processing) Photo Editing Style is an approach to photo editing that emulates the look of film that has been processed using the wrong chemicals. The original technique involves developing color film in chemicals that are meant for another type of film, resulting in unusual and striking color shifts. In digital photography, this effect is achieved by manipulating the color balance and saturation to create a similar look. Cross-processing can create images with bold and unexpected color combinations, high contrast, and a distinctive vintage or retro aesthetic.

HDR Photo Editing Style

The HDR (High Dynamic Range) Photo Editing Style is an approach that involves combining multiple images of the same scene taken at different exposures to produce a final image with a greater range of brightness and detail than is possible with a single exposure. The HDR technique is often used in landscape and architectural photography, where it allows for greater detail in both the bright and dark areas of the image. In the editing process, multiple images are merged and adjusted to create a final image with a high dynamic range, resulting in a photograph that appears more vivid and realistic. The HDR Photo Editing Style is often used in travel and outdoor photography, as it allows photographers to capture and share the beauty of a scene in a more compelling way.

Essential Photo Editing Terminology

Basic Photo Editing or Corrective Photo Editing – Basic photo editing involves the essential adjustments that are necessary to improve an image’s overall appearance. It includes techniques like cropping, resizing, and adjusting exposure, contrast and color temperature, and other basic functions.

Retouching – Retouching involves correcting any imperfections or blemishes in an image, reshaping and liquifying subjects, and other advanced techniques.  This is typically done in Photoshop and other retouching software like Portrait Pro.

Color Grading – Color grading is the process of adjusting and enhancing the colors and tones of a video or image to achieve a desired look or mood. It involves adjusting the brightness, contrast, saturation, and hue of different color channels, as well as applying creative color effects and stylizations. Color grading can be used to correct color imbalances, create a consistent look across a series of shots, or add a cinematic feel.

Advanced Photo Editing Styles – Advanced photo editing involves more complex techniques like compositing, HDR, and frequency separation. These techniques are used to create unique and visually stunning images.

Conclusion

Understanding the different photo editing styles is essential to improve your photo editing skills. From basic styles like cropping and adjusting brightness and contrast to more advanced styles like compositing and HDR, there are countless approaches to photo editing. By exploring the techniques and approaches that define each style, you can develop your own unique style and approach to photo editing. So get out there and start experimenting! Who knows, you may just discover a new photo editing style that defines your work.

Recently, we shared with you the first in a series of posts to further your understanding and implementation of smoke into your images. Part one was 10 Tips On How To Photograph Smoke & Fog, where you learned how to light, shape, and photograph smoke texture.

In this video, we’re going to show you 3 simple steps on how to RAW process that smoke texture to be able to drop it into any image, and get a really nice, clean smoke texture, that you can then use to blend and make a realistic smoke look.

Overview

The whole goal with preparing a texture for later compositing is to neutralize the texture as best as possible, to make the blacks completely black, and to get all the junk out of the image. The reason this is done is so that when the Screen blending mode is selected in Photoshop, the negative space goes completely transparent. This allows for a clean smoke texture that can be moved around and manipulated cleanly, precisely, and easily. If the background is anything other than black, it will not become completely transparent, and the background area would essentially have to be masked out.

So, the idea is to neutralize the color, fix the Blacks and Highlight toning, then do some basic ‘painting’ to remove all the other unwanted artifacts. If, however, you are using the SLR Lounge Smoke Texture Pack, all 400 images are ready to go, and you can drop any of them into any image.

Step 1: Neutralize the Color

With your smoke texture image loaded into, and selected in Lightroom, the first thing to be done is to correct any color shift, and get to the most neutral color possible. Keep in mind the goal is to have your final result be a very neutral smoke texture that be dropped into any type of image, at which point you can make the preferable and necessary adjustments to blend seamlessly into that photo.

If you add color, sharpening, or any other stylistic adjustment to the smoke at this point, it won’t be neutral enough to work in any image. You’ll have colors that don’t match and more, and will make it difficult to blend, so always set a neutral temperature.

Step 2: Adjust Exposure

Once the smoke image has been color corrected, the next step is adjust exposure. Make most of your adjustments with the Highlights and the Whites, and leave the rest alone. Resist the temptation to increase things like ‘Presence’ and ‘Sharpening’ especially, as even though they may look good at this stage, when put into an image and shrunk down, the smoke tends to even be a little too sharp, and we’ll need to do a little bit of blurring to give it a realistic effect. Also, if you sharpen the smoke here, it’s not something that can easily be undone later.

With the clipping alert turned on (J key), mainly the aim is to drop the Shadows a little, but we are looking to drop the Blacks significantly. Be mindful when lowering the Blacks, however, that you don’t lower it too much to the point where you begin to clip the details within the smoke itself. The goal here is to get the background/negative space around the smoke completely blue, so that when the image is dropped into another, there will be no flecks or any other unwanted detractors such as dust.

In order to achieve the result we are going for, you’re going to want to zoom in to give a good inspection. From the full image view, it can be deceivingly clean, but upon zooming in, you may see particles you want to get rid of that otherwise would’ve been missed.

Step 3: Black Out Background w/ Local Area Adjustement

Now we’ll want to bring up the adjustment brushes and select -4 Stops if using the SLR Preset System, though if you’re not using it, not to worry, you can use the image below as a reference to set your brush to precisely the same settings being used here. All that it’s doing here is sending everything to pitch black that we want to paint over, and don’t want revealed.

Find your preferred brush size and paint around the smoke, being careful not to get too close, unless there are parts of the smoke you’d like to get rid of. You can hit the ‘O’ key to engage the Overlay Mask (below) so you can see exactly where you’re painting over, and if you want to bring any areas back that you may have painted over, just hold down ALT/OPT on a Mac, and paint over those areas you want to recover.

Conclusion

At this point, you should be at your final image, with more neutral color tones, negative space that’s completely black, and polished Highlights and Mid-tones. You can compare your finished product to where you started by creating a virtual copy of this by hitting Ctrl+’ (PC) or Cmnd+’ (Mac) and then resetting this image completely. It’s always a good idea to test it out by dropping it into an image in Photoshop, shrink it down as needed, then select the Screen blend mode as a final check to ensure your smoke texture image is primed for future compositing use whenever you need it.

As you can see, creating good smoke textures can be a bit time intensive, but the rewards are worth it. Of course, if you are interested in the Smoke Texture pack with over 400 smoke and fog textures.

In the next video, we’ll get down to the nitty gritty with resizing and adjusting to create a realistic smoke effect onto an image, and a fine art smoke effect. We hope you’ve enjoyed this video and tutorial. Be sure to subscribe to our Youtube Channel for all the latest updates!

Video: 5 Steps for Editing Clean Backgrounds in Photoshop

Sometimes, the background might not be perfect for the shot that you have in mind. For example, the cyc wall might not extend far enough. The air conditioning unit might show. The last people might have left the backdrop a little messy. Don’t worry though, this is where we’ll lean on Photoshop to help us arrive at our final image.

Before we start, check out How to Freeze Motion With Flash for the behind-the-scenes on how this image was shot. Let’s dive in.

Step #1: Apply the Look/Preset

We’re starting off in Lightroom by applying the desired look. I used Visual Flow’s Pure Pack and made some adjustments to the settings to get this look.

An important tip is to remove all grain before taking the image into Photoshop. This will prevent unusual texture and artifacts in the upcoming steps.

Step #2: Remove Background Elements

Create a new layer and use the lasso tool to select out the elements you want to remove. Hit Shift + Del/Back for the fill tool and choose Content Aware with Color Adaptation checked. Repeat for all elements you want to remove.

Sometimes, content aware will fill in spots with strange textures. This is completely normal. Repeat the content aware fill or use the patch tool until the background is smoothed out.

You can also pull down the exposure using the curves adjustment layer to reveal any other spots you may have missed.

Extend the background using the crop tool and Content Aware checked at the top. This will automatically fill in the missing space.

Step #3: Retouch

Use the Spot Healing Brush to remove any dirt or stains, particularly on the floor. You can also use gaussian blur on a separate layer to mask over rough spots.

Step #4: Liquify

It’s common for editors to use  Liquify to exaggerate the action in images like ours. Just hop over to Filter > Liquify and make your adjustments.

Step #5: Dodge Using Blend-If

This technique is great for applying a dodge effect over the entire image. Raise the brightness using a curves adjustment layer. Then, right click the layer and open the Blending Options. This blend-if tool tells the layer to “blend if the underlying layer” is within this selected range.

We’re going to affect the highlights but feather the blend all the way down to the shadows. This creates a nice and gradual dodge effect. Then, adjust the overall intensity using the layer opacity.

Conclusion

Here’s the final before and after comparison. As you can see, the process of editing clean backgrounds in Photoshop is incredibly simple!

I hope you enjoyed this article/video! Head over to SLR Lounge Premium to find complete courses designed to help you build your dream photography business as well as mastering many aspects of photography such as Lightroom editing and working with flash. You can also find a full library of Lightroom presets and retouching tools over at Visual Flow!

Don’t miss our next episode of Mastering Your Craft on Adorama’s YouTube channel next week! If you want to catch up on all the episodes, make sure you check out our playlist!

Video: How To Replace Your Sky in Photoshop AI in Minutes

If you’re an SLR Lounge Premium member, go ahead and download the exercise file. Otherwise, you can load up your own image and follow along the edit.

After applying your basic look in Lightroom, hop into Photoshop.

Photoshop AI Sky Replacement Tool

First, select the sky that best fits the scene. If it’s a sunset scene, be sure to pick a sunset sky.

Next, match the lighting direction. The light in this shot is coming from the left. Use the “Flip” box to flip the sky to match. You can also move the sky around to find the best position.

Now, adjust the brightness and temperature to feel more fitting in the scene.

Once we hit “Done,” the sky replacement gets put into its own folder in the layers. Here, pull back the overall opacity of the new sky until it looks natural and realistic. A sky that’s too vivid will feel Photoshopped.

Lastly, create a shallow gradient mask where the sky meets the surface. This will help clean up the horizon and blend the overall effect with the rest of the image.

Before & After

Conclusion

I hope you enjoyed this article/video! Adobe has been adding incredible Photoshop AI tools to make the editing process more efficient. For an entire course on Lightroom editing, visit SLR Lounge Premium. You can also visit Visual Flow for intuitive Lightroom presets and retouching tools to maximize your workflow and editing needs.

Don’t miss our next episode of Mastering Your Craft on Adorama’s YouTube channel next week! If you want to catch up on all the episodes, make sure you check out our playlist!

Video: Photoshop AI vs. Pro Retoucher: Which is Better??

We’ll be comparing various Photoshop AI tools and plugins and seeing the results side by side. Be sure to download the exercise file here and try out Photoshop’s tools as you follow along.

Before we jump in, start off by dialing in a look in Lightroom or Camera Raw. I used Visual Flow’s Pure Presets. Let’s get started!

1. Retouch4Me Clean Backdrop
2. Content Aware Fill
3. Neural Filters
4. Portrait Volumes
5. Skin Tones
6. Comparison

Related Reading: Quick & Easy Headshot Portrait Editing in Lightroom & Photoshop AI

Tool #1: Retouch4Me Clean Backdrop

A messy backdrop is a common thing photographers have to deal with that would usually be manually fixed. Doing so manually can take a long time, especially when working with high volumes of images. Instead, I tried the Clean Backdrop plugin from Retouch4Me and instantly got great, though not perfect, results.

While the plugin got most of the marks on the backdrop and retained the grain texture, it did leave behind some artifacts that had to be manually fixed. However, this method can still save considerable time when working editing a large volume of photos.

Tool #2: Content Aware Fill

The content aware fill is a tool directly built into Photoshop. Using the lasso, I selected the unwanted elements in the photo including the ceiling and the v-flat to the right. Then, I hit Shift + Backspace/Delete to open the Fill dialogue and selected Content Aware with Color Adaptation checked. Use the patch tool to fix up what may have been missed.

I even widened the crop and used Content Aware to naturally fill in the empty spaces.

Tool #3: Neural Filters

Next, I used the “Skin Smoothing” feature from the new Neural Filters. I max out the settings on the feature, set it in a new layer, and use that layer opacity to adjust the intensity.

Tool #4: Portrait Volumes

Retouch4Me also includes “Portrait Volumes” which handles a bulk of the finer retouches such as dodge & burn, lift, heal, and smooth. I applied this to a new layer and used the layer opacity to adjust the overall intensity of the effect.

Tool #5: Skin Tones

Lastly, I used the “Skin Tones” plugin by Retouch4Me, which evened out much of the skin tones and removed some unwanted yellow tones from the entire image. We’ll compare the colors below.

Comparing Photoshop AI vs. Professional Retouch

Let’s compare the results. Note that all of my adjustments were done using Photoshop AI and not any manual retouching tools. This also means that I didn’t clone in or out any wardrobe parts on my model.

The Color

I personally prefer the skin color done using AI due to the extra yellow tones that were removed.

Skin Retouching & Smoothing

The professional retoucher did a much thorough job retouching the skin which is critical for commercial type jobs. She did a great job evening out the skin tones and smoothing out the overall detail.

The Floor & Backdrop

Lastly, in my opinion, the AI did a much better job cleaning up the floors, especially in the shadows.

The Verdict

For most cases where the photos are viewed at a smaller scale or you’re handling high volume work, Photoshop AI may be the way to go. The high level of detail that a professional retoucher is able to accomplish is best for commercial type work. However, many regular portrait clients may not be able to tell the difference between Photoshop AI and the professional retouch, which goes to show just how far AI based technology has come.

Conclusion

I hope you enjoyed this article/video. Photoshop AI provides a reliable and efficient way to edit photos which can be useful when running a photography business or streamlining your editing workflow. Be sure to visit SLR Lounge Premium for complete courses designed to help expand your photography toolset! You can also visit Visual Flow for intuitive Lightroom presets and retouching tools.

Don’t miss our next episode of Mastering Your Craft on Adorama’s YouTube channel next week! If you want to catch up on all the episodes, make sure you check out our playlist!

Video: How to Create a Convincing Tilt Shift Effect in Photoshop

Shooting for the Tilt Shift Effect

1. Capture a wide scene. It’s ideal to shoot on a wide angle lens or zoomed in while stepped back. The key is to capture a scene that contains a lot of detail.
2. Shoot from a high perspective. Getting your shot from a higher perspective will help create a more realistic miniature effect.
3. Shoot for depth. Use an aperture that captures as much depth in your image as possible.

Applying a Look/Preset

Before we head into Photoshop, I’m going to apply a look to the image using Visual Flow’s Crush Preset.

Creating the Tilt Shift Effect in Photoshop

In Photoshop, go to Filter > Blur Gallery and select Tilt Shift.

This will drop a pin in the image with adjustable lines that approximate where the effect will be applied. Go ahead and move the pin to the focus of the image. From there, you can rotate the direction of the blur and adjust the feathering.

Once you decide on the shape of the blur, increase the blur amount until the effect appears convincing.

Before & After

Conclusion

I hope you enjoyed this article/video. Give this effect a try and see what great scenes you can capture! For more tutorials and guides on photography-related topics, check out SLR Lounge Premium. There, you’ll find full courses on Wedding Photography, Creative iPhone Photography, Lightroom Editing, and more. In addition, you can visit Visual Flow for the full library of intuitive Lightroom presets and retouching tools.

Don’t miss our next episode of Mastering Your Craft on Adorama’s YouTube channel next week! If you want to catch up on all the episodes, make sure you check out our playlist!

What is Composite Photography?

Composite photography is a genre of photography in which the artist combines two or more images to create a new, final image.

Simple Composite Photography – On one side of the spectrum, composite photography can be as simple and subtle.  For example, a photographer might combine images to remove undesired objects in a scene as you see in the example below.  (See the full tutorial on simple composite photography for more information).

Digital Art Composite Photography – On the other side of the spectrum is are complex, mutli-layer composites that cross into digital art.  Below is an example from an article on Photoshop Composite Photography by Arthur Ward.

My Beginnings in Composite Photography

I began dabbling in composites. I turned to resources such as Phlearn  to soak in as much information as I could on the craft. I looked for inspiration from the some of the “greats” – Adrian Sommeling, Robin Chavez, and Joel Robinson. There was something about taking multiple images and blending them into one creative art piece that really fascinated me!

I began doing research on stock images; where to find them, rights of usage (very important), etc. Some of my favorite sites so far are: DeviantArt, MorgueFile, and Shutterstock.

I needed to test the waters, per se. I began posting the images on my Facebook page around Christmas time to see if local potential clients had the same appreciation for them as I did. The response was wonderful! Comments and messages started pouring in.  Parents were really interested to know how we could make something like this happen for their children! I chose to get more practice in before offering them to clients, but made note of all who were interested so that I could contact them when the time came. 

This particular image is what sparked the interest amongst my Facebook followers:

I also shared the images in several photographer’s groups on Facebook. I quickly realized that some photographers viewed composites as making you less of a photographer, or cheating. I disagree with this opinion, and here is why.

As photographers, whether working with natural light or artificial lighting, we have to know how to see/manipulate the light. We need a deep understanding of depth of field and things like composition. When creating composite photographs, these are a few important things to keep in mind.

What Makes A Composite Believable? .

• Perspective:  Whether you are combining two images or ten, the perspective must match throughout the image.
• Depth of Field:  Placing just the right amount of blur in just right the right places is crucial to keeping the depth of field accurate when combining multiple stock images.
• Lighting and Highlights/Shadows:  The direction of your source light, whether it be the sun, the moon, a lantern, or a combination of light sources, needs to be spot on. It can make or break a composite, and it was something I spent a lot of time trying to master.  Highlights and shadows must also match your light source.
• Tones: The tones in a composite should be fluent throughout the image. If the background is warm, your foreground should be as well. I have learned several tips on blending tones that I will share in future articles.

I can honestly say that without my experience as a photographer and an understanding of the basic fundamentals of photography, I would be lost with my composites. Composites are tedious, time consuming, and require skill. Is it digital art? Sure it is. Does that make me less of a photographer? Absolutely not.

Below is my latest composite. And you best believe I will be doing many more, whether for personal use, or for my clients. 

How to Do Composite Photography

Now that we’ve discussed the usage and the capabilities of composite photography, let’s walk through a full example to teach you how to do it.

It’s important to remember that we don’t need awe-inspiring backdrops to create amazing images. More often than not, the beauty of our surroundings needs only to be recognized. It’s up to us to visualize what’s possible and then make it happen rather than focus on our surroundings as is and limit our own potential.

Step 1: Scout locations inside & out

We suggest getting to know your location before the shoot begins. Search for the venue online to see how others have captured it before you, and then show up early on the day of the shoot to look for great scenes, both indoors and out (if possible). Even if you’ve already shot at the location, it’s worth exploring the space again to find angles you might’ve previously missed.

Step 2: visualize the final image

Michelangelo once said, “Every block of stone has a statue inside it, and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it.” This concept transcends sculpture, really, and is applicable to other art forms, including photography. The image we see in our mind is there before us. We just have to use the tools available to us to bring it to life.

Step 3: Set up camera angle on tripod

After you’ve chosen your location, set your camera up on a tripod, and use the appropriate lens for your desired focal length. The tripod will provide the stability you need to capture multiple images for the final composite, which you’ll create in post.

Step 4: Dial in ambient exposure

Before adding lights, dial in the ambient exposure on your camera. The overall exposure for silhouette portraits tends to be on the darker side, so set your aperture, lower your ISO, and adjust your shutter speed to taste.

Note: We chose to stop down the ambient light to minimize location details and draw focus to the subjects as silhouettes and the wall art that framed them.

Step 5: Set up lighting

Here is a list of gear you can use to create amazing composite portraits:

LIGHTING GEAR options:

• Profoto B2 250 Air TTL To-Go Kit
• On-Camera Flash with Focus Assist or Speedlite Transmitter
• Off-Camera Flash with Built-In Radios
• Flash Grid/Snoot
• Flash Gels/CTO/CTB
• Flash Stand

Position the flash so that it is concealed behind your subject(s). It should be somewhat low, and the direction you face the flash will vary depending on the background and look you’re going for. For this image, the subjects stood fairly close to an art wall we wanted to highlight, so we directed the light away from the subjects. The spill of light on the wall also helped define our subjects as silhouettes.

Step 6: Pose couple as individuals & as a couple

Begin by posing each subject on his or her respective side. Because you’re photographing the subjects one at a time, be sure they’re facing the correct direction, which should be toward the center of the image. Also, as this particular image involves silhouettes, position the subjects so that their profile and features are clearly defined with separation between the arm and waist for the female subject, and a shoulder-width stance to add depth to the male figure’s pose (see image above). Without clear separation, the subjects will appear wider and less defined.

Step 7: Edit as composite in photoshop

From there, take your images into Photoshop and layer them on top of each other.  Then, it’s a simple as masking in or out the desired parts of each image.  You can find a full tutorial on simple compositing here for more information.

Conclusion

Despite our best intentions for creating amazing images, however, circumstances beyond our control sometimes get in the way. Whether it’s rainy weather or timelines gone awry, many factors can throw us off course and cause us to blank out creatively. The truth is, shiz happens, but we can overcome.

If we truly prepare, which involves studying the work of others, practicing our technique, communicating with our clients to know their needs, and taking the time to scout the locations at which we shoot, then we can create amazing images regardless of the circumstances. Remember, stunning scenes may be hiding right before our eyes; we need only to recognize and then reveal their potential.

We offer a number of tutorials for SLR Lounge Premium Members that cover topics like OCF techniques and creating composite images in Photoshop. These tutorials range in difficulty from beginner to advanced so that you can expand your skillset with our workshops and grow at your own pace.