How to process landscape photos with total freedom

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In this video I spend nearly half an hour talking about how you can learn to process your photos actually like you want to, rather than just following someone else's script. I take an example from my recent workshop, and use quite simple techniques to make thoughtful and expressive changes to the image.
Creativity should be fun, photography should make you feel good about yourself, not worse. Be your own boss, take control of your own creativity. I'm not here to tell you what to do, only to suggest ways to free yourself from the prison of sameness.
Video edited by Ann Kristin Lindaas
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[@andy_an_outdoors_guy]

I like how you're not so much talking about a defined "process" per se - but explaining what's on your mind. The reminder about the subtle interactions that occur between settings. thanks for that.

[@Alister_Benn]

Here’s for that. I don’t have a process, I approach each image as a relationship to be explored rather than pulling my best moves and hoping for the best ❤️

[@andy_an_outdoors_guy]

@@Alister_Benn yeah, thanks man -- I really love that. I sort of do that with my editing too. I feel pretty lost when I see other's with very well defined processes and rigorous techniques (not to criticize them) but I'm seeking something different in my experience with the art form.

[@jimisfot9592]

This man has something true and his art is reflecting it!! Big thanks for making these KZbin videos 🙏🙏

[@marthaglotzhober4335]

One of the most impactful videos I have watched.

[@Alister_Benn]

I really appreciate that feedback ❤️ thanks so very much

[@loricanton7969]

Thank you so much, I love your positive attitude. I am so over social media , its such a waste of time. Love to express my self in my pictures, it always makes me happy to go out and shoot. Looking forward to your other videos.

[@teresababer5310]

This was fabulous! Thx so much. Being “different” is where it’s at….for me….it means being an Artist - not just a photographer. There is a big difference in the two. Well done,

[@Hirsutechin]

"If you don't know where you're heading, why would you use a map?" Yep!

[@chasityrainey8604]

Been watching your channel for a while now. You are the first person I heard say to play around and be creative in your editing. I also struggle with the healing tool in Lightroom, and I have enjoyed your teachings so much that I bought 2 of your ebooks and your dodge and burn masterclass. I feel I connect with your teachings, you are just you. That is one of my mottos, there is nobody who is you-er than you., Love your music and all-around just love your style.. Although I love all photography, landscape is by far my favorite. Thank you for all your hard work and dedication. I hope to be as good as you are one day

[@glennricks]

Thanks, Alister. Your passion is infectious and motivating.

[@Alister_Benn]

Delighted to hear that

[@alancoligado8540]

Thanks, Alister for a practical guide to how one might process an image in Lightroom. I definitely will replay this video when I'm stuck for ideas. That said, I think that I always will be one who enjoys the experience of being out in the field exploring the possibilities of composition (self-expression, if you will) than fiddling with an image in post.

[@johndominick3815]

Much food for thought. I have always been very formulaic in my processing so you've certainly left me with many things to consider.

[@johndoe-nh9sh]

Another thought provoking video, thanks Alister.

[@Alister_Benn]

Happy to hear that ❤️

[@stephengregory6598]

Thank you so much. Been waiting for this for a long long time.

[@Alister_Benn]

Brilliant, really happy to hear that

[@astridpreisz519]

Great content as always, Alister! I always enjoy watching you process photos not because it gives me rules on how to do it but because it reminds me to be intuitive and switch off the "mental checkbox" we tend to create without even knowing.

[@Alister_Benn]

Yeah, it takes a bit of practice, but it opens all kinds of possibilities. Thanks for watching

[@AmericanPatriot447]

I enjoyed your approach to editing and it will help me in my own process. Thank you!

[@stefanmollmann8788]

To be honest when I started to watch this I was almost a little 'disappointed' because I was hoping you'd pick a photograph that looks 'more interesting' as an example for processing. Over the course of the video I became more and more amazed as to what you can make out of such a seemingly simple photograph. Really love the end result and it was fascinating to see how you got there!

[@Alister_Benn]

Happy to hear that ❤️

[@andyjsmith1981]

Absolutely brilliant Alistair, been looking forward to this since Sunday! Your channel should have far more subs than it does! I was on the conversation you had with The Photographic Eye a week or so ago, absolutely love this side of photography, far more engaging than a '5 tips to do this' or 'don't do this' looking forward to the next one! All the best 👍

[@Alister_Benn]

Much appreciated! Thanks so much for that great feedback, it makes it all worthwhile.

[@allisterfraser2307]

Really enjoyed this Alister, good to hear a refreshing approach about post process workflow as opposed to just presets - thanks.

[@Alister_Benn]

Great, really happy to hear that ❤️

[@johnburrow4124]

Excellent guide to not processing with a computer but processing with the mind and heart. I usually follow a rhythm rather than a process per se. I typically add my contrast with the tone curve to set the white/black point - it is usually the first thing I do. However, I make sure that I am in sync with the photograph. I can’t make a shoe fit to all feet. Each photograph has its own “score”, and I must maintain a rhythm natural with the scene. I have been learning this the hard way for years now, but I have come to understand processing as more of an experience rather than a technical exercise.

[@Alister_Benn]

Nicely put and your approach resonates with me. An acute sensitivity to the subject and our relationship with it are key to a meaningful experience. Thanks for your great input 😀

[@johnburrow4124]

@@Alister_Benn thank you! I have to say that you are one of my favorite photographers on KZbin because you do something that is rare in the visual arts: you convey artistic concepts and emotions well with words. As an academic, I find it very refreshing. Conveying abstract and visual principles with clarity is a gift, and I applaud you for it.

[@alandouglas4612]

Great video Alister, I am finding your tutorials so enlightening, filling in gaps and guiding along the journey of self discovery in my photography and as in life a willingness to embrace change and evolve as an artist. Many thanks (:

[@Alister_Benn]

Glad you like them! It means a lot to me when people take time to say that the content is valuable to them.

[@stephenjones5391]

Great video Alister, your approach is one I share, take images for yourself not for others. I always look forward to your content and hearing your thought process. Thanks for sharing.

[@Alister_Benn]

Thanks so very much

[@boatman222345]

Excellent substitute for the creative community influence I am currently without due to COVID isolation and advancing age. Thanks!

[@Alister_Benn]

Take care, get well soon...

[@boatman222345]

@@Alister_Benn Thanks, but I fear you mistook Covid Isolation as meaning I have Covid. Happily I have remained Covid free but only because I have totally minimized my social interactions.

[@mikehirst3294]

I really enjoyed this video. The added cheriness is good 😊.

[@davet3530]

Really, really enjoyed this Alister. So much of what you said and did in this video reflected just what I have been thinking about image processing for some time now. I have always said that the RAW file is just a digital negative. It’s the equivalent of sliding that piece of film into the enlarger and then working the file to bring out your creative vision. You can go back to the original and work it in so many ways, developing the image to your own vision. I too, very often have no specific end goal in mind, I find that I get into the process of working with the file and it takes on a life of its own, the creativity I felt at the point of taking the image, starts all over again. It’s a sort of darkroom mindfulness .

[@Alister_Benn]

Yeah, it’s an open book for creativity. Thanks for the great comment ❤️

[@terryolsen4244]

Excellent video, Alister. I really enjoy watching you process the image and listening to your thoughts as you go. I've never been one to follow a formula or set of rules when it comes to processing an image and I agree with your ideas. Here's a quick tip when using the masking tools in LR: the overlay is displayed whenever you first apply a gradient or brush but it will disappear as soon as you move any adjustment slider, saving you the step of manually turning off the overlay. I always look forward to your content. Thanks for sharing with us!

[@Alister_Benn]

Thanks for the tip Terry. I haven’t spent a lot of time with the new masking tool, so that’ll help.

[@linda9031]

Thank you so much! I have been really struggling with a particular image and the editing of it which just happens to be of our native bushland reflected in a reservoir at sunrise. 😊 Your advice has given me a better understanding of how to move forward with it, so, again, thankyou

[@Alister_Benn]

Brilliant, really happy to hear that

[@nicknichols4249]

T.hank you, as always, your videos are inspirational

[@Alister_Benn]

Great, very happy to hear that ❤️

[@SilverDragonCloud64]

You are such a good communicator and such a clear tutor! I wish one day to be able to join one of your workshops, even though I'm not a landscape photographer as such....I don't even know how I would define myself really but your approach to photography has a depth, an expressive emotional and spiritual tone that rings my bells, and in some way resemble my own way to be a photographer. Thank you for sharing such valid and expansive information. 🙏🏼

[@astridpreisz519]

No need to define yourself - you can do whatever you want ;-)

[@SimonWillig]

Thank you so much for this valuable lesson.

[@Alister_Benn]

You're very welcome!

[@JosephTrinh]

Well coach, nice to see a simple plain landscape photo of this trees can turn into something nice.

[@Alister_Benn]

Thanks, there is beauty everywhere ❤️

[@JosephTrinh]

@@Alister_Benn absolutely!

[@dianevose9655]

Brilliant editing masterclass Alister, really enjoyed it and learnt so much! 🍁🍂😊✨

[@Alister_Benn]

That’s brilliant, thanks so very much ❤️

[@pascalvangerven5769]

I like the translation of your mood and personality into concrete edits. Also like your new, more playful approach to photography. You may gravitate towards melancholy, but melancholy fares better with a touch of lightness. :-)

[@Alister_Benn]

Haha, you’re so right there 😀

[@CosMosArtistry2016]

Thanks Alister for your reminder that I am best in the world at being me. Spent a lifetime creating a unique personality and need to transfer that to my photography. I have followed many photographers, some great and some less known and have edited my images to reflect my journey with them. However, after discovering the expressive photographer himself, I feel inspired and excited to become the photographer I want to be and reflect my journey with my art. I love the way you encourage, guide me on my process. The major thing I have discovered is to stop every now and then and assess what I am creating. Is it an expression of the emotion and experience I had when capturing a scene? I do very little editing overall, just small tweaks but can see that I can look outside of what I usually do if I need to. Thanks for your sincere generosity. Much appreciated, Rich

[@Alister_Benn]

That’s beautiful to hear, I am so pleased with this. It’s all I ever hoped for when I started teaching.

[@keithratcliffe5576]

I enjoyed this video - it echoes my own feelings about processing. I only started using Lightroom a year ago and I was wondering if my approach was rather random, but this vlog confirmed that I am not alone in reacting to each image as I see it rather than having a formulaic approach. Thanks.

[@Alister_Benn]

Thanks so much

[@simonstevens1631]

Excellent as always with your interpretation of how you create and image from the files you capture. Like all artists the edit depends on the frame of mind and the recollection of the moment it was captured. I've re edited images from 20 years ago and have ended up with very different results. There is and should be no formula for editing. It's another extension of who you are. Through time and practice you gather an understanding of each tool and then you get to edit with more purpose. Looking forward to your snow shots. All the very best to you and the family.

[@Alister_Benn]

Thanks as always Simon, I always enjoy your comments - very insightful

[@andrewherbert9938]

Really enjoyed that Alister , interesting to see you using the glow In Nik , I use it myself on some images . Loved the final image

[@Alister_Benn]

Yeah, I like the look, very soothing

[@tompetersphotography]

Great video Alister! Always very well put together and a great insight into your mind lol 😂

[@Alister_Benn]

Thanks mate, there’s a lot in there!! Don’t go in without a map and a packed lunch! 😂😂😂

[@tompetersphotography]

@@Alister_Benn hahaha this is true lol 👍🏻

[@jamesattenborough2597]

Wonderful image!

[@Alister_Benn]

Thanks for that, I’m happy with how it worked out

[@nickshepherd8377]

Terrific video…sets a high bar for the coming weeks! 😂. Through experimentation, you need to determine what sort of mood you are looking to create and then you need to know what sliders and software you need to create it. Generally, the first, in my opinion is the more difficult but you certainly need the knowledge for the second part.

[@Alister_Benn]

Great point! I hope to bring a lot more to this debate over the next few videos as I explore processing deeper.

[@daviddyephotography]

I'm so happy to have discovered your channel and videos.. I was looking at your books but it is such a dilemma as I do not use lightroom or photoshop, using ON1 and not always easy to cross reference the actions. looking forward to learning more as I did sign up yake care

[@Alister_Benn]

Yeah, I get that. The videos are somewhat tool specific, but the concepts are 100% transferable. The books are far more theoretical and do not reply on specific software. 25% expires on the 26th 😀 SANTA25

[@JohnDrummondPhoto]

As you turned the grad filters on and off in Lightroom at 12:00, I noticed you used the switch in the adjustment window to affect both of them. One of the powerful new tools is the ability to select and edit, or deactivate, just one of a set of filters of the same kind (e.g., just the foreground or background grad filter). Or, you can intersect a given filter with multiple masks and select any one of those masks to edit or deactivate without affecting the others. The masks even work with the basic panel, without use of a filter or brush tool. This update is huge IMO and it's completely changed my processing in the month since it came out. I'll have to take a go at the Nik set, which I have but have barely used. I frequently add Orton layers to woodland scenes, but that glow effect looks way easier to do than the way I've done it. My workflow is similar to yours: basic adjustments in Lightroom; cleanup and effects in Photoshop; then radial filter vignette and some finishing adjustments back in Lightroom. One difference is your palette is a lot darker than mine tends to be. I look forward to your snowy images; we've had no snow in my area yet. In fact, it hit about 14* C today. Thanks.

[@Alister_Benn]

Thanks for that. That’s huge. The LR update came through when I was away and I haven’t even touched its potential yet. I have a few days of editing content so will dig deeper

[@JohnDrummondPhoto]

@@Alister_Benn you're welcome. I recommend Matt Kloskowski's videos on the updates.

[@Alister_Benn]

I’ll check them, thanks again man

[@malcolmbenn1051]

Hey Alister, that was great and I like your approach to processing. I see we share more than just a last name and a love of photography. I see some guitars in the background .. I watched this video while playing one of mine and is that a lava lamp I see?

[@Alister_Benn]

We could be twins 😀 yip, guitars, prog, lava lamp! I’m an old hippy ❤️😎

[@mathiaslibor287]

Hey Alister, very interesting video again. Had good fun watching you process this image and I'm impressed by how big of a difference litte changes can make. Just because I always semm to struggle with getting the colors right: what monitor brightnes do you use when processing images? I feel that working with approx. half the maximum brightnes gives a good representation of colors but the image often looks totally different when viewed on a phone display that ist is usually much brighter.

[@Alister_Benn]

Thanks for that. My monitor is a calibrated Eizo, so I’d have to look at the specific settings. Calibration is such a huge minefield, the only way to get it right is to use proper tools to make sure it’s accurate

[@MikeJones-yo8cf]

Another great video. I guess the Alister Benn landscape presets for LR are still in development!

[@Alister_Benn]

Haha! For sure 😀

[@RichardSmith-rp7yp]

Hey buddy. love your videos. To me there is a pocket at about 10 o'clock that needs something to make it match the image? Or is it just me?

[@SLeditor]

I am from sri lanka 🇱🇰

[@TimberGeek]

I'm pretty sure the profile for your lens actually is in LR but it needs to be manually selected from the drop down list. That's usually my first step, sometimes my second step is to turn it back off. ;-D

[@Alister_Benn]

Thanks man, yeah, you could well be right. 😀

[@freetibet1000]

Interesting, I didn’t know you have that switch between colour profiles going between Library and Develop module in LR. Must be annoying? That’s something I’ve never seen in Capture One. But then C1 doesn’t switch between modules the way LR does either. I don’t want this comment turn into a rant against LR but I must say that I find it strange that Adobe haven’t found a way to implement a contrast adjustment without boosting saturation like other softwares manage to do. Great video Alister! Your intuitive ways of developing an image resembles my own ways of working through an image as well. The image decides ( or, the way I read the image) what’s going to happen to it. Also, a faint memory of the mood of the scene pops up and will be incorporated into the final edit. It’s all about creating something. Photography for me is all about creating something rather than recording what I saw, if that make any sense? Thank You!

[@Alister_Benn]

Great comment and information, thanks - I need to try C1 again

[@nigelroberson8911]

All good work, but why LR when C1 is streets ahead for Nikon files.

[@Alister_Benn]

I’ve tried so many times and just haven’t got used to C1.

[@howardallen5390]

I enjoy seeing you getting enthusiastic about your photography. Do you think that at 55 you will be too old to get out into the landscape especially carrying a big black camera and all the paraphernalia that goes with it particularly in bad weather such as snow? You might have to consider changing to photographing still life in a home studio?

[@Alister_Benn]

Haha, I’m not ready to quit yet 😂😂😂

[@rogerwalton8160]

I’m 72 and still perfectly capable of carrying a heavy bag and getting out and about. Alister’s a spring chicken!

[@a.keithclarke7975]

No link to the Expressive Photographer's Forum?

[@Alister_Benn]

Hiya, it’s in the description: expressive.photography/member-area/ thanks for checking it out. ❤️

[@a.keithclarke7975]

@@Alister_Benn, I saw that but as it was indicated 'store' I was not sure! :) Thanks:

[@johnhubble5156]

I really like your concept of expressive photography, and the idea that "you are the best at being you" is something I try to cling to when feeling negative about my images. But I have to say I do not feel you have fully resolved the internal conflicts in your thesis. I understand the theoritical concept of trying to be the best I can be, but how do I distinguish between self fulfillment and self deception? Going on from this when you describe friends as being some of the best landscape photographetr in the world what is your criteria for this. Are you saying they are the best because they come closest to to maximising their own inherent potential or is it because they have achieved a certain level of extenal validation/appreciation?

[@Alister_Benn]

😀 what a great answer. I can assure you there are no internal conflicts in my thesis, my use of Best Landscaper Photographers merely states my perception that they are self-actualised and produce art true to themselves and not external validation, but that’s my perception and may not reflect their own. I spend less time intellectualising all this and prefer to spend my time just doing. If you feel self-deception is a risk then address it and investigate it. We are each on our own ship on an infinite ocean. Your feelings will ebb and flow, only you remain.

[@johnhubble5156]

@@Alister_Benn Interesting answer. Are you saying that when you are judging, examining a single image allows you to form an impression as to the extent the photographer is self-actualised and able produce art true to themselves and not external validation. Or does such an assessment require you to have a personal knowledge of or friendship with the individual? Is such an assessment your sole criteria for determining merit?

[@Alister_Benn]

Well, they are my friends and we do talk, so I do have a good handle on their relationship with their own work. I don’t really focus on that and it was more a throw away comment while recording a live video without a script. I admire my friends and their work, I admire my own relationship with my own work. I question people who focus so much in external validation, I believe that is unlikely to unlock their innate creativity. I am more interesting the latter, be you, allow flow to erode consciousness.

[@johnhubble5156]

@@Alister_Benn I am fortunate in being retired and not needing to derive any income from my photographic interests. I am free to go full hermit mode and never show my images to anyone else but I don't because I do value some external response to what I create. Does such external validation necessarily compromise my creativity? Possibly, but it might also contribute to my development. My main route to dissemination is as an NT volunteer photographer. As such the extent to which my work is displayed in the hands of others. I still shoot what interests me and do not obsess if an image I like is not accepted by others but I am pleased if it is. What I have learned about social media is that popularity is more determined by exposure than quality. An image on my Instagram page may get 30 likes, on my local NT site 100, on their regional site 1000 and on the National site 10k. The only satifaction I take from this is that if someone is moved to like my image I might have provided them with a morsel of enjoyment.