To achieve professional results, photographers should utilize AI tools to handle the initial “heavy lifting” of image development, while reserving manual techniques for fine-tuning, creative styling, and precise retouching.
Start with AI for Global and Local Foundations The workflow begins by using AI automation to establish a polished base image. Tools such as Brilliance AI automatically analyse the photograph to adjust global tone and colour settings, enhancing the image’s overall visual appeal without immediate manual input. Crucially, this technology also generates automatic masks for specific regions like the sky, water, and flora, allowing for instant local adjustments that would otherwise require time-consuming manual selection.
Fine-Tune AI Selections Manually While AI automates the initial adjustments, professional quality is ensured by manually customizing these effects. Users should adjust the sliders for each region identified by the AI to fit their specific vision, such as increasing vibrancy in plants or adding contrast to the sky. Similarly, when using tools like Super Select AI to isolate and enhance specific areas – such as adding dynamic contrast to foreground rocks – it is essential to manually adjust the opacity and filter parameters to ensure the intensity integrates naturally with the rest of the scene.
Apply Creative Styling and Manual Retouching Once the structural and tonal edits are complete, the workflow shifts to creative and corrective manual steps:
• Creative Filters: Apply stylistic effects manually to unify the image’s mood. For example, using a Glow filter can add radiance to foliage, while a Vignette filter can be used to direct viewer focus toward the centre of the composition.
• Traditional Retouching: The final step involves using traditional tools like the Healing Brush to manually remove minor imperfections, such as dust spots, near focal areas.
This hybrid approach, where AI tools provide a robust starting point and traditional tools ensure the final polish, is the key to an efficient professional workflow