Photoshop highlight control editing and post processing tutorial – create a perfect exposed image from a very difficult exposed RAW file. Learn how to find a good balance between maintaining a bright subject in the frame and having everything well exposed in your landscape image.

More editing and post processing techniques in this Photoshop tutorial include: color painting, HSL advanced, color balance, water contrast and color and editing for Instagram.

• Recover the Highlights: Learn how to edit a high contrast image without overexposing
• Detailed water: Create incredible detail on long exposure water
• Warm Cold Color: Make an incredible mix of warm and cooler color tones.
• Make the water more detailed. If you simply increase the contrast, it will look unnatural compared to the other parts of the image. The saturation and brightness need to be adjusted. The light from the mountain should also be enhanced for that special effect.
• Painting – Use the Paint technique to increase small details, such as the small yellow flowers. Also use this to enhance certain colors in the image and to create more depth. No layer masks are required for this Photoshop editing technique.
• Highlight Control – Sometimes the mountain landscape makes it very difficult to come with a well exposed image. Such was the case on this particular sunrise in Peru – a snow caped mountain catching the first light – and very dark parts on the for-and midground covered in the shade. Max is combining one photo with CPL and one without CPL to achieve a better exposed image. During the editing, details in the snow and the darkest grass will be recovered.

Make the water more detailed. If you simply increase the contrast, it will look unnatural compared to the other parts of the image. The saturation and brightness need to be adjusted. The light from the mountain should also be enhanced for that special effect.