The out-of-camera version of the photograph below did not make the cut as a candidate for the recent Venice mini-gallery. But through the power of post-processing (in this case, entirely in Lightroom) it became one of the most worthy of “this would be a great print” designation. Few things give me more satisfaction than when this happens: You cannot expect to transform every shot into a masterpiece in post, but you can certainly take a decent photo and make it look great.
This is the island of San Giorgio as seen from the open platform atop Palazzo Ducale in Venice.
Here is the original, for comparison. It came out pretty cold and flat but even though it was shot in JPEG rather than RAW it left sufficient room for improvement. The adjustments that I have applied were hardly dramatic, but the difference is remarkable.
I hear a fair number of purists who insist on getting things right in-camera. A well-composed and well-exposed shot is certainly paramount for good results. But the power of today’s post-processing tools should not be neglected.