Ever wondered how I create vibrant, dreamy edits with Lightroom and Photoshop? In this post, I reveal exactly how I transform RAW photos into stunning final images I share in my Instagram feed, using my favorite editing tools. You’ll get a side-by-side look at the before and after shots, so you can see the difference for yourself.
I’ll share my personal editing steps for each image, plus a few of my secret tips so you can create similar edits. No time to waste – scroll to see the magic happen!
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Edit #1: Lucky Mushroom Couple
This lovely mushroom duo was such a wonderful find when on a forest photo walk. I knew I wanted it to look dreamy, and it turned out exactly like that!
Lightroom edits
I applied my preset to introduce warm tones in the lower half of the image.
Photoshop edits
I changed the background color to cooler tones, added blurred foreground elements, more bokeh, and dreamy light in the corner. These are techniques you can learn from my tutorials on Patreon.
Lightroom Final Touches
To finish up the edit, I loaded the photo back into Lightroom and made the colors more vibrant and the background – cooler.
I always finish my edits in Lightroom on my phone ensuring they look perfect on mobile, from where they’ll be posted and viewed.
Edit #2: Moody Butterfly
This edit had a drastic color transformation, thanks to using two presets in Lightroom.
Secret Technique: Lightroom only lets you apply one preset at a time, so I exported the photo and reapplied another preset after re-importing it. 🤫
Here are my editing steps for this photo:
- “Ocean” Lightroom preset from my Creative Mood preset pack
- Expanding and filling the top and bottom
- “Blueberry” preset from my Creative Mood preset pack
- Additional Lightroom adjustments
- Softening the background color transitions behind the antennae with Photoshop
- Removing distractions
- Adding light and soft foreground elements
- Selective color adjustments
- Adding bokeh
- Final adjustments in Lightroom
Want to see each editing step in action? I’ve got a video for you — just tap here.
Edit #3: Siberian squills
1. I started with the “Gorgeous Red” Lightroom preset from my Summer preset pack. I applied it to 8 photos in total.
2. The next step was loading all the photos in Photoshop, aligning and focus stacking them. Tap to open a focus stacking tutorial on my blog.
Focus stacking allowed me to combine multiple photos to get more of the subject in focus as well as to get a wider scenery compared to just one photo.
3. Once aligned, I combined them and expanded the surrounding area with Photoshop
4. I continued by color grading using the Selective Color adjustment layers
5. Adding dreamy light in the corner was my next step
6. The finishing touch was adding bokeh overlays to add some detail to the background
For in-depth focus bracketing and stacking techniques, check out my Patreon!
Edit #4: African Daisy
Lightroom: Started with “Once Upon a Forest” preset from my Summer preset pack.
My steps for editing this photo in Photoshop:
- Rotating the photo horizontally (90 clockwise)
- Blurring parts of the background (tutorial here)
- Moving the lower right flower closer to the main flower so that it fits into the frame
- Adding blurred flowers in the opposite corners to accentuate the depth
- Adding light in the corner (tutorial here)
- Selective Color adjustments to turn the background blue and introduce cooler tones
- Adding bokeh bubbles using a brush (tutorial here)
- Adding a Curves adjustment layer with the Image->Apply Image used on the mask to make the photo pop more
Edit #5: Freezing bubble
Lat Winter I spent a few hours photographing freezing bubbles during the setting Sun. As I captured this photo, the golden tone from the Sun was not yet visible, and as you can see, it was quite bright. But nothing that I could fix with a few settings.
Adobe Lightroom edits
1. Applied “Blackout” preset from my Creative Mood VOL1.1 preset pack as a base.
2. By masking the bubble, I was able to control the brightness on it.
3. I also masked the top area to brighten it and ensure it did not stand out as much from the rest of the photo.
Adobe Photoshop edits
Let’s walk you through my Photoshop steps:
1. Expanding the left side and filling the bottom-right area
2. Softening the background
Both the top as well as the mid-left area. I used a brush with reduced opacity and picked a color from a nearby area to soften an area and expand the color further. This way I got rid of any imperfections and dark patches on the background.
3. Adding light
Since the Sun is shining in the bubble from the right side, it was the correct location for some dreamy light. Find a step-by-step tutorial for adding light here.
4. Selective Coloring
The colors were more or less how I wanted them. I only made the foreground more pink and the bubble – lighter blue.
5. Adding bokeh
Just like in the previous edits, I used a brush to add back details to the background.
6. Adding snow
With just one overlay, I was able to get the perfect snowfall effect.
Conclusion
Editing can transform a good photo into a showstopper, and these five before-and-after examples illustrate just how much difference Lightroom and Photoshop can make. By using my presets, focus stacking, selective color adjustments, and adding dreamy light and bokeh, I’m able to create the magical, vibrant scenes you see on my feed. Whether you’re using my presets or taking tips from this post, remember – your editing journey is all about making the image feel like you. Experiment, explore, and have fun with the creative process!
I hope this post inspires you to bring your edits to the next level. If you want more detailed tutorials, be sure to check out my Patreon for exclusive content. Happy editing!