HOW TO

Edit part of a photo

Tap to learn about selective editing in Adobe Lightroom.

Adobe Lightroom is a powerful image editor easy enough for amateurs to use. But what pros love about the app is how it lets you edit specific parts of a photo while leaving the rest untouched. The process, called “selective editing,” can solve a slew of common photo headaches.

To get started, open a photo in Lightroom and tap Selective from the menu at the bottom of the screen. Your specialised editing tools can be found by tapping the plus sign at the top left.

Adjustment Brushes let you selectively tweak exposure, clarity and brightness by “painting” onto a photo. Radial Gradients and Linear Gradients apply adjustments gradually across an area of a photo.

Here are three common issues and how to fix them. If you’re new to this, don’t worry: all edits are nondestructive and can be undone.

Don’t worry: You’re not turning your photo red, you’re just selecting the area to be edited.

Problem: Your image is heavily backlit or over- or underexposed in some parts (pretty much any sunset photo).
Solution: Adjust exposure and contrast for only the offending area. Here’s how:

1. Create a linear gradient by tapping the plus sign, then selecting the square box on the right.
2. Select the area of the photo you want to adjust by dragging over it (indicated by a red wash effect). Don’t worry, you’re not turning your photo crimson; the app is just showing you the soon-to-be-affected section.
3. Tap the Light menu to adjust the exposure or contrast to your liking.

Adjust the color slider to get skin tones just right.

Problem: Your subject’s skin tone looks just a bit off.
Solution: Apply precise colour adjustments!
1. Tap the plus sign, then the brush.
2. “Paint” the section right onto the image itself.
3. Tap Color in the menu below to adjust to your liking.

Use the Sharpness tool to give your photo more pop (and make watermelon look more
delicious).

Problem: The crisp, real-world lines of your picnic spread aren’t popping.
Solution: Adjust sharpness or increase detail in three steps...
1. Tap the plus sign and select the Radial Gradient (the middle option).
2. Place the gradient on your image by positioning the blue dot in the center of the area you want to affect, then drag the borders.
3. Tap Detail from the bottom menu and play with noise and sharpness.