focal length: 29 mm
shutter speed: 1/320
aperture: f/3.2
ISO: 400
flash: none
I’ve been trying out Lightroom 2.0 for a couple weeks and there are a few new tools in Develop Mode worth mentioning. Last week, I showed you the convenience of the new Adjustment brush and today I would like to share with you the other tool I really love: the Graduated Filter.
Sure, you can slap an optical graduated filter onto your lens to help prevent blown out highlights when you take the actual shot, but this new digital tool in Lightroom 2.0 allows you to take it a few steps further. The graduated filter in Lightroom 2.0 is a digital post processing tool that gives you control over exposure, brightness, contrast, saturation, clarity, sharpness and colour using a gradient. It’s fast, easy and the changes are seamless thanks to the soft edge of the gradient.
Like the Adjustment Brush, the Graduated Filter is non-destructive, allowing you to change your settings, reposition and alter the effect size at anytime.
*click to enlarge any of the following images
You can click on the centre point of your filter and reposition it anywhere on your image. You can also adjust the height of the gradient by dragging the top or bottom guidelines.
Hover over the middle guideline until a curved double-sided arrow appears to adjust the angle of your gradient.
To add an additional filter, simply click on “new” and introduce a new gradient with different settings.
Et voila! A much nicer photo with a more defined sky and brighter foliage, which took all of 30 seconds or less to do.
I use the Graduated Filter to do quick adjustments to large areas in my photos and the Adjustment Brush to do more localized touch ups, all without opening up Photoshop. For me, these have been a real time saver with great results. Try these two new tools out and let me know what you think.
Bonus link: I was going to create a video tutorial for this, because you really have to see it in action. However, I found this great tutorial of the new Develop Mode tools in Lightroom 2.0 by Julieanne Kost who is the Digital Imaging Evangelist for Adobe Systems. The videos are a bit long but very informative.
Laura is a Vancouver wedding and portrait photographer. Visit laurahana.com.
[n.] a resource for beginners who wish to take sweeter pics.
Edit by Laura : http://michellelkentphotography.blogspot.com/2010/03/whats-your-play-86.html...
And Tamara, as long as travel expenses...
Copyright © 2010 Dolce Pics. All rights reserved.
Jonni
Aug 25, 2008 at 5:23 am
This is so cool Laura, great info and I love the way your screenshots made it so easy to understand. What a difference the Graduated Filter makes.
Hugs,
Jonni
Jody
Aug 25, 2008 at 6:15 am
Hey Laura! I keep hearing about this Lightroom. Do I need it? I have Paint Shop Pro which I’ve used for over 10 years. I am comfy with using it lol. Should I get Lightroom?
Using Lightroom 2’s Graduated FIlter at Imaging Insider
Aug 25, 2008 at 6:20 am
[...] Read More… [...]
The Way I See It » Lightroom® 2: Graduated Filter
Aug 25, 2008 at 11:20 am
[...] I saw an article at dolcepics.com covering the use of this handy tool. Pretty good stuff. August 25th, [...]
Laura
Aug 25, 2008 at 12:15 pm
Me likes the graduated filter. Stupid question: Can it be done on clothes too?
The Adjustment Brush in Lightroom 2.0 | Dolce Pics - Digital Photography Tips for Beginners and Parents
Aug 25, 2008 at 2:09 pm
[...] Next up… the Graduated Filter! [...]
laura
Aug 25, 2008 at 2:20 pm
@Jonni: Give it a try if you have 2.0 and let me know what you think.
@Jody: Lightroom is a real gem when it comes to processing many photos at a time. I can process 100 photos in about 30 minutes.. or less. If you don’t have to do that kind of processing on a day-to-day basis, then I think you’re fine with PSP. Hope that helps!
@Laura: Hi! Glad you like the filter. I like it too! You can use it on clothes too of course as long as it fills the frame. You might want to use the adjustment brush for more localized adjustments if the clothing does not fill the frame.
Seating For Two | Dolce Pics - Digital Photography Tips for Beginners and Parents
Aug 25, 2008 at 2:22 pm
[...] promise you that I will do a tutorial on the graduated filter soon! It is just the coolest thing [...]
Jonni
Aug 25, 2008 at 9:50 pm
Laura,
I do have 2.0 and I will try this on a landscape photo. Will let you know when I do it and will post the photo. I am really digging this.
Hugs,
Jonni
Christina
Aug 27, 2008 at 6:45 pm
Wow, this is an impressive tool! It motivates me to learn LR better. Thank you, Laura!
Mark Martin
Sep 16, 2008 at 2:31 pm
Thanks, I was in production on a job and had an issue with rotating the grad filter! You saved my deadline, very well done!
Thanks again,
Mark
Graduated filter at Tom Brinckman
Jan 10, 2009 at 2:29 pm
[...] Buiten de standaard correcties dus ook gebruik gemaakt van de graduated filter… Meer uitleg en een kleine tutorial over de graduated filter kan je vinden bij dolcepics. [...]
The Handy Dandy Grad Filter | Dolce Pics - Digital Photography Tips for Beginners and Parents
Mar 13, 2009 at 12:34 am
[...] I set the grad filter’s exposure just slightly in the positive and decreased the contrast by quite a bit until I liked the balance of shadows and highlights in that area. I kept it fairly dark and shadowy for effect so the change was subtle but enough for me. If you haven’t tried the graduated filter out yet in Lightroom 2, check out my tutorial on it. [...]
Wonderland « karims fotoblog
Mar 19, 2009 at 4:25 pm
[...] in lightroom, weather Graduated filters in Lightroom 2. Ongetwijfeld meer hierover in Lightroom 2 ontmaskerd ,vanaf 30 [...]
Mark
Mar 29, 2009 at 7:41 am
Great tool, but very poorly shown in it’s capabilities in the above photos - it’s very obvious for anybody that has even one eye, that there was digital manipulation to the photo - simply because you can see that the bottom 2/3’s of the trees are green and the top 1/3 of the trees are gold/yellow coloured, with a line going across the whole bunch. LR’s gradient tool is a wonderful addition, but it can be used more adeptly than in this example.
laura
Mar 29, 2009 at 12:25 pm
Hi Mark,
Thanks for coming by Dolce Pics and for your comment. The simple image above was used purely to demonstrate the effect of the gradient for increased exposure and decreased exposure. I do believe you are mistaken about the line going across to separate the green and yellow. If you looked at the SOOC image, you will see that the “line” already exists. I simply lightened up the greens, which may have enhanced the natural “line” between the colours.
Instead of posting negative comments about the use of the grad filter in this image, I would have loved it if you had also posted a link, perhaps, of your own image where you feel the grad filter was used “more adeptly”. That way, we all learn and instead of posting a comment with negative undertones, you would have been facilitating a more effective learning experience. We’re all about learning and sharing here.
Cheers!
laura
Ric
May 8, 2009 at 12:22 pm
Thanks for the tut and the link. My biggest question on this hasn’t been answered nor have I seen a tut on it. The photo you used for the tut is a great example of my problem. As you bring the filter down to the horizon, and there is something in the way, like the trees, that you don’t want touched is there a way to erase it? I would want the sky between the trees, but I don’t want the trees themselves touched. Any ideas?
Thank you!
Ric
laura
May 8, 2009 at 8:46 pm
Hi Ric,
Thanks for your comment and question. As far as I know, you can’t do what you described using Lightroom. You’d have to use a program such as Photoshop where you can have layers and masks.
I worked around that by letting the gradient fade before it reached the trees but this might not be the solution you are seeking.
Hope that at least clears up the mystery for you. If you’re not familiar with layer masks, do a quick search on you tube to see some video tutorials on the subject.
Good luck!