Barbara Gore  

Bridging the Stream by Barbara Gore

July 2025 - Bridging the Stream

About the Image(s)



Greens have always been my BIGGEST challenge when editing, especially when they dominate the frame. With so many hues, I constantly question whether the color is accurate and if the WB truly reflects a natural tone consistent with the scene. For me I find it hard to get it right. Anyway, this photo was taken recently in the Smoky Mountains. I aimed for smooth water with a hint of movement and since the area was already dark when the clouds covered the sun, I didn’t use any filters. Editing was done in LR starting with basic adjustments to highlights, shadows, WB and HSL panel. I also used multiple masks for dodging/burning and added a glow in OnOne. I’d love to hear any suggestions or tips for editing greens more effectively. My usual workflow is basic edits, tweaks in HSL panel and selective masking. Still, I always second guess whether the greens look natural. Looking forward to your feedback and any tips on editing greens.

Canon 5D Mark IV, ISO 100, 24-70mm lens at 28mm, f/8.0, 1/5 sec exposure, tripod mounted

6 comments posted

Larry Treadwell   Larry Treadwell
For sure greens are always an issue in landscape images as they seem to always be too vibrant.First greens and how YOU like them is a personal matter and may vary with each image.

Generally in Lightroom I start with the camera profile. When you click on that scroll down to where you find Camera Match. There you can pick your camera model, if it is supported by Lightroom, there yuou canfind a starting point. You can also be a bit lazy and just select one of the examples they show you.

Next I go the HSL panel. I separate the three parts of the HSL rather than use all together. Starting with Luminance and using the little drag button with the arrows in the upper left corner I just drag in down until the greens begin to look better to my eye. Then I repeat the process with the Saturation. As a last resort I may try adjusting the Hue, but Ifind that the least helpful.   Posted: 07/04/2025 19:42:11
Barbara Gore   Barbara Gore
Thanks Larry. I agree that the different shades of green come down to personal preference, and I'm still exploring which ones I like best. Using a seasonal reference is a great start to help me choose more natural green tones. In LR, I also work with HSL panel to fine tune though I don't always start with adjusting the camera profile. Thanks for that tip. I plan to experiment with various green shades and maybe develop a few presets along the way.   Posted: 07/12/2025 15:36:03
Michael Jack   Michael Jack
I swear I already commented on this image, but it is not here. In general I think you did a good job processing, the image is sharp and the shutter speed for the water appeals to my taste. Larry is on point in using the HSL sliders to target luminance and saturation - and hue - of the different greens. You likely know there is a lot of yellow in this image. I think adding clarity would help. Using the High Pass filter is PS gives more depth (setting 35, overlay blend, 60% opacity for example). For my eye, including more of the bridge in the composition would work better.   Posted: 07/13/2025 23:48:44
Barbara Gore   Barbara Gore
Thanks for your helpful tips.
  Posted: 07/26/2025 14:54:37
Grace Cohen   Grace Cohen
Hi Barbara - Wow - What a lovely spot! I can just hear that stream and feel the humid air on my face! Your stream is velvety-smooth and your forest is sharp and clear. Your moss and spring-green trees look right to me - except along the upper edge of the bridge where the color looks somewhat cool compared to the rest of the forest greens. For your consideration, I've suggested a slight adjustment of the TEMP slider with a little tug to the right. Also, I slightly toned down the right-hand side of the bridge, removed the log on the far right shore, and suggested a higher bottom crop for a more intimate look at at your scene.   Posted: 07/22/2025 20:05:09
Comment Image
Barbara Gore   Barbara Gore
Thanks for your feedback Grace. I am still working on finding the right "green" tone and will hopefully create a preset as a starting point. I like your idea about the removal of the log.   Posted: 07/26/2025 14:57:00

 

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