Make the sky extra blue in Lightroom

Make the sky extra blue in Lightroom

LEVEL AVERAGE

There are 4 main ways in Lightroom to bring out the sky in photo a bit more. The examples may show some extreme colors but then show the effect through this website best. Anyway, they are 4 super quick ways to make the sky bluer!

All topics discussed are from the DEVELOPMENT module performed.

Helpful tip, press the "D" key and you'll come directly from your Library in the Develop module

Watch the instruction VIDEO

Watch the video below and here you will see some additional methods (6 of them) to influence the air: 

Mask

In 2022, Lightroom came out with a feature to superfastly select only the sky. Lightroom calls such a selection a mask. For the insiders: Previously, you only had the brush, a gradient, or an oval. Now with Lightroom V11 it is possible to select only the sky. The action for this is; in the development module you see a round ( see arrow ), after pressing it a menu pops open and click on 'Select Sky / select Sky'. And in a split second Lightroom has selected the sky.

Select the sky in Lightroom V11 via proprietary built-in tool

Lightroom immediately shows that the sky is selected by a red indication. Now by playing with the TEMP slider ( see arrow) you can change the color of the sky super fast!

Air preview in Lightroom V11 after selection

Via HSL

If you do not have access to the latest Lightroom version or you want another way to change the color of the sky. Then you can do this via HSL. Open this menu item on the side of your screen. In English this means hue, saturation and luminance. In Dutch this is hue, saturation and luminance. Now go to the section Luminance.

Making sky extra blue in Lightroom via HSL, advance photo

Now if you take the blue slider all the way to the left. Then the sky will turn blue. Note: all things that are blue in a picture now become less lit. So if the photo shows someone wearing a blue jacket or jeans, that changes with it!

Because that's what luminance does. Making a color darker or lighter.

Making sky extra blue in Lightroom via HSL, after editing

Via HIGHLIGHTS

Another way to get some more air is through Highlights. Open the Standard  menu on the right side of your screen. One of the sliders is called Highlights. This allows you to make light parts in the photo a little less bright. It's always about the whole photo!

Also useful if you have a wedding photo and you can't see a motif in the bride's beautiful dress, for example, because the photo is too light there. With Highlights so you can correct that

Making sky extra blue in Lightroom via highlights, before editing

If you have the Highlights set to -100 then you will see the light parts darken:

Making sky extra blue in Lightroom via highlights, after editing

Via the KWAST

This is the most precise way and is also intended for advanced users. In Lightroom you can work with a brush (see image). With this you can edit very precisely certain parts of a picture.

 

Brush tool in Lightroom

One of the things you can do with a brush is change the color temperature. In other words you can make things warmer ( read: orange ) or colder ( read: blue ).

Making sky extra blue in Lightroom with the brush, before editing

Now by going over the sky with the brush you can determine very precisely which pieces of the sky or picture you want to change!

Making sky extra blue in Lightroom with the brush, after editing

Further Lightroom tips and tricks

Here are more useful tips and tricks for Lightroom !

Quickly crop photos in Lightroom

Quickly crop photos in Lightroom

Cropping Photos Quickly in Lightroom LEVEL BEGINNER There is a quick way to crop your photo in Lightroom. In other words you want to get to the...

Creating virtual copy in Lightroom

Creating virtual copy in Lightroom

Create Virtual Copy in Lightroom LEVEL BEGINNER Lightroom has the wonderful feature that whatever effect you apply to your photo, for example black and white...

If you want a super private Lightroom course, click the button below

Your photos captured with love