Adobe Lightroom: My FAVORITE HIDDEN Tools and Features

[@TheSmartWoodshop]

Great tips Brian. I like that in LR, I can do two things in the develop module for efficiency: 1. Reorganized the modules from top to bottom in the order I process. 2. Put the develop module in Solo mode so that only one panel is open at a time. When I finish with one and click on the next it both opens the one I want and closes the other with one click.

[@brianmatiash]

Solid additions, Ron! I’m 100% with you. Solo mode is such an underrated option for truly focused editing. Hope you guys are doing well! Miss ya both!

[@danpatton4080]

I use the solo mode but how do I reorganize the modules? That seems like it would be helpful. Thanks!

[@TheSmartWoodshop]

@@danpatton4080 When in the Develop Module right-click on one of the panel headers and in the drop-down menu, you will see an option to "Customize Develop Panel." Click on it and then drag the module titles into the order you prefer. You can also restore default if need be.

[@danpatton4080]

@@TheSmartWoodshop Thanks Ron!

[@mcia05m]

I had no idea about any of these tools. I am pretty new to Lightroom and basically learning through trial and error, and KZbin. You taught me so much in this one video! Thank you!

[@carolineforest1334]

Wow!! I knew about the toning tools but had no idea the option key could also be used so effectively for split toning and sharpening. Thanks - this will definitely change my workflow!

[@jmacdono]

The masking feature for sharpening is brilliant! I didn't know about that functionality. And the ALT key use is really useful. Thank you!

[@rsingh4668]

Thank you so much Brian for the best LR tutorial I have seen so far. It is crisp, quick with a slow pace to follow you. It will save me time. I submitted my college assignment recently which took me a very long time to edit. An Excellent Tutorial.

[@LucasPitcher13]

Thanks for a great reminder on the overall toning, and totally new tip for split toning! One point - if you double click on the name of the slider whilst holding Shift, LR will do the hard work for you, at least in Exposure, Shadow/Black and Highlight/Whites. The settings are automatically put at the minimum level for zero clipping.

[@JarnovanWerkhoven]

Wow, did not know that one! Thanks!

[@danapentland1968]

I wasn't sure how split toning worked, Thankyou for showing us. I will use on my landscape shots now.

[@vicfil1]

Brian, Great. Did not know about the split toning thing. And it's good to know you're thinking on highlights and black point. Thanks.

[@markkirwan8695]

as a beginner , this video is absolute gold for me , thank you

[@sakritone]

Great video, learned what the split toning was about. Used Alt key for sharpening but did not know about the toning use. Thank you ! You are very clear and explain it well.

[@toxiqrox]

I really like the last hint the best on sharpening. That is really going to make my photos better and more to my liking. Thank you for sharing.

[@timosiivonen1417]

I already knew the option-sharpening tool but didn't knew that it's the same way with those other sliders. Thank you!

[@bradmack8953]

I enjoy the way you explain each step and the considered way you present. Well done.

[@RichardMcL]

Option key on sharping almost a must and was not in my work flow. For highlights and shadows just as useful. especially to prevent graying of the highlights which in effect reduces contrast. More importantly your style of presentation made it easy to understand for a non-professional hobbyist with above average Lightroom skills. Thanks for sharing warmest regards from Northern California Richard.

[@Cellestial10]

Thank for the tips - I did know about the key for the black & white point - but not the others - very helpful info!!

[@Bloggerky]

I am a multi-year, amateur user of Lightroom, and this is very clear and highly useful. Count me in as a new subscriber. Thanks!

[@brianmatiash]

Thank you and great to have you! Are there any other Lightroom topics that you’d be interested in seeing more of?

[@Bloggerky]

@@brianmatiash The more I use LR, the more I realize that the main adjustments need to be understood better. I think the power of the tone curve is under appreciated and many of us would benefit from a great understanding, both in the RGB use and in the color channels.

[@brianmatiash]

Jim Moyer happy to build videos that dive deeper into those areas. Stay tuned!

[@rogermorgan5007]

Really helpful. I knew about sharpening but I learned some things that will really help me. Good clear and simple explanations.

[@raymethomson5946]

In split toning if your option hold while sliding the balance slider it will show you 100% saturation view to see where highlight and shadows are being effected as well.

[@Rudy339]

I watched a tutorial on sharpening and masking but the image being worked on was a portrait. Your landscape image really helped to bring this concept into focus! Thank you

[@messybench]

Great tips. I stopped using PS years ago and made a decision to streamline my workflow to just LR5. This is a function I had no idea existed. I recently added LRC so I'm here to learn what I've been missing.

[@1stites]

Great tips, I had no idea that existed. And your teaching method, the building up from one to two three techniques as you go forward, is terrific. It makes remembering these tips so much easier. Thanks!

[@Tuomimaki]

Very useful tips, thanks very much! I had used alt only on the sharpening mask but now I'll make sure make use of it in toning as well. Split toning example was great too.

[@jamescho3171]

Thanks for the good tips. I am learning the program and it is really helpful. Thanks.

[@sherrylkluver3110]

WOW!! Thank you for the tips. I cannot believe how much easier that is going to make things. I used sharpening very little as I didn't want to over sharpen and like you said it was sharpening the whole image. The split toning and the highlight and shadow adjustment - you have just opened up a whole new way of editing for me. Thank you.

[@kernpageau132]

Great tips that I will be sure to use. The other tool I find very helpful is the luminosity mask!

[@JB19504]

Just discovered your channel yesterday. Very nice tutorials for LR and PS. I am fairly experienced, but you kind of refresh what I might have forgotten, as well as new things I hadn't thought of. Subscribed and like.

[@PastoraliaGarden]

Brian, thank you for the excellent presentation of the split-toning tool. I never used emphasized the complementary colours using the colour wheel in my image processing. It really changed how I process images.

[@davidrussell7183]

Superb info here Brian. I have been messing about with photography for a year or so, but until now have only been doing basic editing using Paint Shop Pro 7.04...don't laugh! Finally took the plunge and started shooting RAW in the last week and started my Lightroom and Photoshop subscription only 2 days ago. Have edited only about 20 pictures so far but that has made me able to totally get what you are showing in this vlog, and it is amazing. I know I have very much to learn but you've made me more excited about learning. I'll plough through all your vids as soon as I can, thanks again. Subscribed of course. Cheers from Scotland.

[@dave_diy]

Great demo of the sharpening mask; that makes it so much easier! No more sharpened blue skies, huzzah!!!

[@tonyd5463]

Excellent, Brian - clear and well demonstrated. Thank you!

[@jeriann3]

Great helpful video. Thanks for good thorough explanations

[@debraanderson8359]

Wow, love these. Will add to my editing process. I was using the sharpening mask but the exposure modifiyer key is game changing!

[@pumamycat]

Thanks Brian, I knew about the option key with the highlights etc but the sharpening mask, well, I was like "that's not doing anything" so I left it alone. Now I understand what it means when you get the darkness in the sketch effect, I'm so pleased you've informed me now about that function. I'm now gonna subscribe to your channel, I like your style of presentation too. Much Peace to you.

[@familytravels9686]

This was fantastic. This is what I have been missing. I really appreciate you.

[@shadowshapers]

This was a super useful demonstration and I really appreciate you taking the time to put it together and walk us through it! I would have wanted the video to be a bit shorter than 18 minutes. The intro takes about 3 minutes before we get into the first tip. I also appreciate that you're using a professional microphone and not just talking into your computer mic to explain the tools. Cheers to you Brian!

[@enonurb]

Thank you Brian, these is the best and most useful LR tutorial I have never seen.

[@keithdsylva5393]

Great Tutorial. Simple and concise explanation. Will be putting this into practice right away.

[@amitruheladdn]

Really good and informative.. especially the use of sharpening and masking tools is very useful.

[@olivecrew]

Fantastic...mask and split tome was very useful. Thanks.

[@hurleygreen927]

I just found you, and I really appreciate this Lightroom video..THANKS!

[@CeriousProductions]

I always knew about the option key for Sharpening but I didnt know I could use it for Split Toning or The highlight and shadows. Thanks for a very clear and concise video showing these tips!

[@keys549]

I use the option key a lot, but not with the shadows. Learned something. One thing though, I always understood I should get rid of all the spots in the whites and leave some in the blacks. You seem to just the opposite. Have to try that. Thanks for the video, Peter

[@stanleylippman7007]

I’ve been using Lightroom since its first release, but unlike you, i haven’t really learned it. Thank you. I’ve learned more in these 18 minutes that would never would have become visible to me. I’m dismayed, on one level. So … thanks … great job. Cheers.

[@brianmatiash]

Did you know about these hidden tools in Adobe Lightroom? Are there others that you rely on?

[@KennethSchh]

I've used it for the basic and detail panel for years, but never thought of using it with split toning - so that's a great trick I'll take with me from here. And after this revelation, I tried pressing the alt button when adjusting the roundness and midpoint of the vignette and voila - the vignette immediately turns to 100 % while alt is pressed for better preview of the adjustment. Thank you for the video - it's high quality and very usable content.

[@cc.4fun]

For the split toning I usually click on the rectangle with the color, then you can pick the color and saturation from there and see how is really affecting the image.

[@towee70]

Great tips and a really nice presentation. Thanks very much, this is the first of your videos i have watched and i hit that subscribe button !

[@aengus1948]

Really well presented and useful material. Keep them coming !!! Especially like the explanation for split toning, usually skip over that one :)

[@photog1529]

Thanks...lots of good information and presented very well. I've always used the Option key when setting the black and white points, but never thought about using it on Shadows and Highlights. Ditto for Sharpening...I simply set it to zero in LR6 and use a third party plug-in sharpener (Photokit Sharpener) in Photoshop. I'll have to give the LR sharpening filter a go now.

[@kevinhayden1]

Probably the best LR tutorial I've had the privilege of watching! Thank you!

[@VanessaMontanoPhotography]

Amazing video!!! Thank you for making this. Please record more!

[@YvesGirard51]

Brian, can you pls tell me what is the equivalent option button and hidden tools techniques video for the iPad (mine is a Pro 12.9 M2) and in particular as it concerns sharpening? I remember seeing something similar for the iPad once but don’t seem to be able to locate it anymore.

[@mblasavage]

Thank you for a nice clear explanation. Knowledge is never wasted! Can't wait to use

[@seantempleton2290]

The way you describe the final tool, masking sharpness, created a subscriber. Good stuff man, keep it up.

[@sma4billie]

I didn't know anything about the masking slider in sharpening. Wow. So useful. Thank you.

[@brianmatiash]

You're most welcome, Billie!

[@leerose9436]

Excellent ! Really enjoyed the video ! Will definitely use these from now on ! Thanks from the UK !

[@robynaldridge8304]

Thanks for another informative tutorial, Brian. I have several courses I haven't watched yet so this video worked for me.

[@bowtieboy31akajerryimpola22]

I have 2 more hidden tricks using the control and the alt key When you are doing curves. If you hold down the alt key, it will go a lot slower and you have more control over the curves. Another trick I've found is if you hold down the control key and you go to move a slider. It goes a lot slower and you have more control over it. Just thought I would share something I found

[@marcosny2010]

Hi Brian As always , concise and direct to the point . I have been following and using your presets for years . Thank you from photo community

[@obayedh]

Hidden tools indeed until you have showed us Brian! Much thanks for sharing - very helpful tools indeed :)

[@wendywhyte7635]

Great video Brian, many thanks.

[@hagenhenke1]

When you use the Whites control you say you change the white point but the white point is something different. When you shift the white point, the colors in your image change a lot. Use the pipette to shift the white point.

[@philshepherd6098]

Thank you Brian! Super informative. Heard a bit about these but never really understood them. Until Now!!

[@charleskuhn8304]

Thank you for the excellent video and great information you shared.

[@felixcomms]

Excellent Info ... Seen another Lightroom Guru use the Shift Key and double tap the Whites Text and Blacks Text in the Basic Editor. This I assume auto sets the Whites and Blacks to the correct setting. But does it ??

[@benngerry4872]

This was very well explained, and put together with what you're doing as well has how. Thank you

[@chavakano54]

Excellent content and presentation, loved it !!!!

[@karunnaidu5060]

Thanks for given the wonderful information 👍

[@shapke]

Thank you for this informative video. It gives me a lot of ideas on how I can improve my workflow.

[@JulesMoyaert_photo]

Very helpful! You have removed a lot of my frustration within LR! Thank you! (I subscribed).

[@obscur_yoann]

Thanks for the tips ! Very well explained. Will use that alt key more often now 😜

[@brianmatiash]

My pleasure! I’m so glad you found the video helpful. That Alt/Option key is sooooo powerful!

[@scottabergermd]

HI Brian. Great video!! I love these what my mentor and good friend, Scott Kelby calls, “the secret handshakes” on so man individual LR and PS tricks that only be accomplished by knowing the “secret handshake”. I’ve asked Scott why Adobe didn’t put an additional button on that area of sharpening, or some others, that you had left out - such as: “SHIFT, DOUBLE CLICK WHITE, OR SHIFT, DOUBLE CLICK BLACK” which will actually set the perfect white or black point in any photo to that perfect shot where the whites or blacks are beginning to peek through and become visible. So there are even a couple more than you showed us in your video!! But I loved the video immensely. May I ask - WHERE DID YOU GET YOUR MICROPHONE WITH THE STABILIZER AND SCREEN FOR THE “P POPPING?”

[@marymoskal3530]

Just loved this info I use those keys in Lightroom all the time but this Ault in windows I can deepen the quality of my work. Can't wait to work this info, Thanks

[@jahbeanz9942]

GREAT TUTORIAL, THANXX!!!

[@phendo]

Wonderful explanations,calmly and clearly expressed. Thank you for doing these videos.

[@RoseKerin]

Enjoyed the Split toning for my Autumn Photos in Particular.

[@redheadwondering423]

I didn't know about this hidden tool, but I'm glad I do now!! I can't wait to try it out. Thank you!

[@brianmatiash]

You’re most welcome, Lizzie!

[@mattbrown3549]

Great tips and so patiently explained. Thanks very much. Subscribed.

[@MsBettyRubble]

So helpful! Thanks for these tips.

[@Yakovolf]

My best 18 minutes spent on youtube thus far.

[@peterigby4041]

Great video, really makes a lot of features much clearer. Well done.

[@Mcappo]

Great video I knew a few of them but not the split tone one. Great tips. I just have one question when do you do your Lens Corrections?

[@brianmatiash]

I typically use lens correction with wide-angle lenses. Admittedly, I sometimes forget to turn it on altogether though!

[@shadowshapers]

I usually do lens corrections as the very first thing to batches of photos that I'm importing. I think I may even have a setting to apply lens corrections immediately after photos are imported from the card to my computer.

[@jeg569]

Thanks for the video, well explained, looking forward to trying it out on my Fuji X files. 👍 Just tried your shortcuts, are the shadows not too dark, Lightroom is terrible for sharpening Fuji X files, too wormy.

[@ccbphoto]

Brian...you’ve totally earn a place in my pantheon of KZbin instructors!

[@DanceKiddDance]

Very helpful! Thank you!

[@trevorperkins4534]

Great tutorial very helpful especially for a beginner like me Thankyou

[@gidesp1]

Superbe tutoriel. Je vous en remercie vivement (Luxembourg)

[@coryjeffreys5146]

I am very new to Adobe Cloud and I'm in Film School so I'm trying to learn all of these programs and I really like this video it helped me very much I been trying to understand that monitor graph don't even know what it is called haha but thank you I'm learning and that is all I think is important so I'm also a new subscriber as well.

[@erickyoute1982]

Thank you man..this going to help me a lot

[@owentuckett938]

Good explanation and useful tips. Thanks.

[@roseg3432]

Hi have a question. I usually do auto for editing. Would you recommend that I continue doing that first then use your technique afterwards?

[@brianmatiash]

I assume you’re referring to Auto in Lightroom? If so, then you certainly can. I use Auto all the time. It actually does a great job of creating an evenly processed starting point.

[@ShelleSinger]

fabulous review. I had forgotten these. Thanks.

[@guyharrington8192]

Very nice tutorial well presented

[@MDMiller60]

I am enjoying the video and even learned new uses of Alt. (even tho I also started with Beta 1). However, you may be going a little too fast on some of the video, particularly when showing where shadows are pure black. I never saw where shadows were blacked out. But, I do get the gist of the entire video and can find the levels that you speak of.

[@rajinderpal3122]

Really educative and helpful video

[@stephenedwards3103]

Very good video well explained 👍 thank you

[@jonrayfloyd9036]

Omg I was really struggling with editing and this really helped! Such a small adjustment but very powerful using that option key. Thank you! 🙏🏻

[@mduduzimota3599]

Wat so we really press and hold to see the highlight separately

[@jcam783]

Great tips , I knew some , but not all , thank you

[@Stevesimage]

Wow, this helped my retouching tremendously...thanks Brian

[@RobinHartJones]

Thankyou. Very clearly explained.

[@matthewj.sanchez2425]

Great video. Thanks for the tips!

[@luciastrougo]

Learned a lot with you!