Editing photos on mobile devices has come a long way, and it’s now possible to create professional-quality images without touching a desktop. Here’s how to do it on the iPad.
coming to you from Glyn DavisThis practical video walks through the entire Lightroom Mobile workflow for retouching an ocean scene. The process starts with dealing with distractions, like the chain-link fence in the foreground, using Lightroom’s Generative AI feature. This tool seamlessly removes objects, recreates missing details, and gives you options to refine the results. This is a straightforward way to fix the elements that are ruining your image. Davis also demonstrates how he flattens the horizon using cropping and straightening tools, and emphasizes why a balanced composition matters, especially in landscapes. Adjusting the position of the horizon away from center helps guide the viewer’s eyes naturally through the scene.
Davis explains how presets can be a powerful starting point but not the final step. Using his custom presets, he adjusts the shadows and highlights to recover lost details and ensure the image will print well. By carefully monitoring the histogram, he avoids excessively dark or bright areas that can flatten the image. These changes are necessary to create depth and contrast, especially in complex scenes such as sea scenes with a variety of tones.
The use of masks is another highlight in Lightroom Mobile. Masks let you work on specific parts of the image without affecting the entire image. For example, Davis increases contrast in the ocean by selectively applying adjustments to certain areas. He also adjusts the sky using gradients and brushes, ensuring a seamless blend without disrupting other elements. While Lightroom Mobile lacks some advanced features available on the desktop versions, such as intersecting masks, these workarounds demonstrate the app’s flexibility.
For the finishing touch, Davis creatively uses lens blur to mimic the tilt-shift effect, adding subtle focus to the central subject while softening other areas. He also creates a vignette using a radial gradient for controlled darkness around the edges, which draws attention to the focal point of the image. These small enhancements make the final photo more polished and attractive. Watch the video above for Davis’ full breakdown.
