Landscape photographers love golden hour for a reason - the natural light is at its best. That gentle, warm light makes a landscape sing. Yet we can’t always be at a location at sunrise or sunset. Sometimes, you’re there at mid day when light is harsher and colors may wash out. There are some steps you can take in post-processing to coax color and depth from those middle of the day photos.

First, address the basics of exposure, contrast, and color. Often, that’s as straightforward as the “auto” button in your photo editor. Then - and this is important - use selective adjustments. Find the foreground, midground, and background elements in the scene and adjust each area separately. Dodging and burning can help create depth in your photo. Also look to emphasize certain colors to draw your viewer through the frame. Vignettes are also a good choice, too!

Text for print licensing

Zion National Park, Mid Day
Contact Scott to commission a print or license this image.