Skip to content

How to edit a sunset photo

A sunset is the hardest light to photograph: the sky is far brighter than the land. A raw file holds both. Here's how to get them back without a fake glow.

Intermediate7 min

Sunset with light rays over the fields, as shot: the raw file before editing
Sunset with light rays over the fields, edited in LightBites

Drag across the photo to compare.Download the raw file and settings

  1. Step 1

    Keep the warmth

    The Color group with the white balance set to As Shot
    Step 1: Keep the warmth
    The Color group with the white balance set to As Shot
    Step 1: Keep the warmth

  2. Step 2

    Bring back the sky

    Settings

    Light
    Highlights
    −80
    Whites
    −15
    Exposure
    +0.10
    Highlights pulled down: the clouds have their colour back
    Step 2: Bring back the sky
    Highlights pulled down: the clouds have their colour back
    Step 2: Bring back the sky

  3. Step 3

    Lift the foreground

    Settings

    Light
    Shadows
    +45
    Blacks
    −10
    Contrast
    +8
    Shadows raised: detail in the foreground, still darker than the sky
    Step 3: Lift the foreground
    Shadows raised: detail in the foreground, still darker than the sky
    Step 3: Lift the foreground

  4. Step 4

    Balance it with a gradient

    Settings

    Masking
    New mask
    Linear Gradient
    Mask: Linear Gradient
    Exposure
    −0.35
    Highlights
    −20
    Dehaze
    +12
    Saturation
    +10
    A linear gradient over the sky, darkening it down to the horizon
    Step 4: Balance it with a gradient
    A linear gradient over the sky, darkening it down to the horizon
    Step 4: Balance it with a gradient

  5. Step 5

    Make the colours glow

    Settings

    Color
    Vibrance
    +25
    Color Mixer
    Orange Saturation
    +12
    Yellow Saturation
    +8
    Vibrance up and the orange and yellow saturation raised in the Color Mixer
    Step 5: Make the colours glow
    Vibrance up and the orange and yellow saturation raised in the Color Mixer
    Step 5: Make the colours glow

  6. Step 6

    Warm the light, cool the shadows

    Settings

    Color Grading
    Highlights Hue
    40°
    Highlights Saturation
    +18
    Shadows Hue
    220°
    Shadows Saturation
    +10
    Color Grading: warm highlights and cool shadows
    Step 6: Warm the light, cool the shadows
    Color Grading: warm highlights and cool shadows
    Step 6: Warm the light, cool the shadows

  7. Step 7

    Finish

    Settings

    Effects
    Vignette
    −12
    Clarity
    +6
    The finished sunset with a soft vignette
    Step 7: Finish
    The finished sunset with a soft vignette
    Step 7: Finish

The whole edit

Every setting from the steps above, in order. On another photo, treat them as a starting point: a different light needs different numbers.

Light
Highlights
−80
Whites
−15
Exposure
+0.10
Shadows
+45
Blacks
−10
Contrast
+8
Masking
New mask
Linear Gradient
Mask: Linear Gradient
Exposure
−0.35
Highlights
−20
Dehaze
+12
Saturation
+10
Color
Vibrance
+25
Color Mixer
Orange Saturation
+12
Yellow Saturation
+8
Color Grading
Highlights Hue
40°
Highlights Saturation
+18
Shadows Hue
220°
Shadows Saturation
+10
Effects
Vignette
−12
Clarity
+6

Follow along with the same photo

Download the raw file and edit it yourself with the steps above, then compare with the finished edit.

  • Raw photo

    Samsung Galaxy S21 FE (SM-G990B) · DNG

  • Preset

    “Sunset Glow”, the edit for any photo (without the crop and masks)

  • Finished edit

    XMP sidecar: every setting, the crop and the masks

Edit it from the start

Compare with the finished edit

Photo: Sunset with light rays over the fields by dnzm (discuss.pixls.us) · CC BY-SA 4.0

Questions

Read next