File Management — The Unsexy Necessity
The 3-2-1 Backup Rule
Three copies of every image, on two different media types, with one copy off-site. Primary NVMe working drive, local external HDD backup, and cloud (Backblaze, Dropbox). Professional photographers lose careers when drives fail. Automate backups. Verify monthly by restoring a test file.
Cataloguing in Lightroom Classic or Capture One
A correct import: copy files into Year/Month/Event folder structure, apply a metadata preset (copyright, contact info), and apply basic keywords at import. Culling means reducing ruthlessly: from 300 frames to 30 selects to 10 keepers using flags or star ratings. Time spent on import saves ten minutes every time you search.
RAW Development
Global Adjustments
Correct order: exposure first, white balance second, contrast third, clarity/texture last. Expose to the right (ETTR): a slightly overexposed RAW contains more usable data than an underexposed one pushed in post — pushed shadows show colour noise; recovered highlights stay clean. Trust the histogram, not your screen.
Colour Grading
The HSL panel gives per-colour control: shift skin tones orange-red, desaturate greens in backgrounds, reduce blue luminance for deeper skies. The Colour Grading wheels add independent tints to shadows, midtones, and highlights — teal in shadows and orange in highlights is the classic cinematic look.
Masking & Local Adjustments
Dodging (lightening) and burning (darkening) specific areas guides the viewer's eye. Lighten the subject's face and eyes. Darken distracting backgrounds. Modern RAW software uses AI masking — "Select Subject", "Select Sky" — in seconds. The viewer's eye travels to the brightest point in the frame. Use local adjustments to control exactly where that is.
Retouching Basics
Healing Brush & Clone Stamp
The healing brush samples clean areas and blends over blemishes. The clone stamp copies pixels exactly — better for repeating textures where healing smears. Professional rule: remove temporary marks (spots, creases); preserve permanent features (moles, freckles) unless the subject requests otherwise.
Frequency Separation
Frequency separation divides skin into colour/tone (low frequency) and texture (high frequency) layers. Work on the colour layer to smooth blotchy skin without touching pores. Work on the texture layer for specific blemishes. The result: naturally smooth skin that retains every pore — the difference between professional retouching and the plastic-mannequin look.
The Edit Breakdown
Start with a deliberately challenging RAW: 1.5 stops underexposed, harsh midday colour, and a distracting background element. Process to professional print-ready standard. Submit before/after plus a 200-word written breakdown of every significant decision.
Success criteria: Before and after are dramatically different. Written breakdown shows genuine understanding. Final image could appear in a magazine. The edit is not over-processed.
Phase 4 Practice Exercises
12 exercises to build skill through direct application.
Backup System Setup
Implement 3-2-1 backup. Document folder structure and verify a restore.
- Implementation
- Automation
- Restore verification
Import Workflow
Import 100 images: folder structure, metadata preset, keywords.
- Import protocol
- Metadata discipline
- Keyword strategy
Culling Speed
Cull 200 images to 20 selects in under 30 minutes.
- Rapid culling
- Decision speed
- Ruthless selection
Exposure Recovery
Fix five underexposed RAW files. Push shadows without colour noise.
- Shadow recovery
- Noise management
- ETTR understanding
Highlight Recovery
Fix five overexposed RAW files. Recover highlights, maintain colour.
- Highlight recovery
- Overexposure headroom
- Sky recovery
Colour Grade a Series
Apply a consistent grade to 10 images from one session using HSL and Colour Grading wheels.
- Grade consistency
- Series look
- HSL mastery
Dodge and Burn
Dodge subject eyes and skin, burn background on three portraits.
- Dodge/burn technique
- Eye-path control
- Local adjustment discipline
Healing Brush Practice
Remove five distracting elements from five different images.
- Healing brush accuracy
- Sample point selection
- Seamless removal
Frequency Separation
Apply to a close-up portrait. Smooth tone layer without affecting texture.
- Layer separation
- Colour layer smoothing
- Texture preservation
Before/After Comparison
Export before/after for 10 edits. Evaluate your progress.
- Progress assessment
- Quality benchmarking
- Critical evaluation
Preset Creation
Build three Lightroom/Capture One presets representing your emerging edit style.
- Preset construction
- Style codification
- Batch efficiency
Full Retouch Workflow
Import → cull → grade → dodge/burn → frequency separate → export.
- End-to-end workflow
- Delivery specs
- Complete mastery