Editing Dappled Shade Bird Photos

Summary

Editing bird photos captured in dappled shade presents challenges like tricky exposure and color casts from foliage. This Lightroom Classic tutorial by Gareth Evans demonstrates a full edit of a robin image taken with a Nikon Z 70-200mm lens. The process involves initial adjustments, extensive masking to shape light directionally, and careful color work in the HSL panel to counteract green casts and enhance the scene's mood. The tutorial highlights how these combined techniques transform the raw file into a polished final image.

Key points

• Dappled shade bird photos are difficult due to exposure issues and green foliage color casts.
• The tutorial uses Lightroom Classic to edit a robin photo, focusing on masking and color adjustments.
• Techniques include directional lighting with linear gradients and brightening the subject with radial gradients.
• HSL panel adjustments are used to manage colors and counter green casts for a natural look.