Step into the world of 35mm photography with the Photography Discussion Roundtable, heard every Monday evening at 7:00 PM ET on BrandMeister DMR Talkgroup 31266 — the MichiganOne Nets channel. This engaging net is your chance to explore the art and science of photography, ask questions, and sharpen your skills in a welcoming, knowledge-rich environment.
Hosted by James N8TMP, Bob KB8DQQ, and Rick AD8KN, each brings a wealth of experience to the mic. Bob and James are seasoned wedding photographers, while Rick adds deep technical insight and practical know-how. Together, they guide discussions on camera features, techniques, terminology, and everything from aperture to artistic vision.
Whether you’re just starting out or looking to refine your craft, tune in and join the conversation. Your next great shot starts here.
Enhancing the sky in your photos is a mix of planning the shot, exposing correctly, and then editing carefully so the sky looks richer and more dramatic without becoming obviously fake. It ranges from subtle tweaks to full sky replacement, and the right approach depends on your subject, your ethics, and how “truthful” the final image needs to be.
Start in the field
Getting a good sky starts before you touch any sliders. Choosing light, viewpoint, and exposure thoughtfully makes editing much easier.
- Watch weather and timing: broken clouds, after-storm light, sunrise, and sunset naturally give dramatic skies; flat midday blue is the hardest to improve.
- Compose for the sky: give interesting clouds room, use the rule of thirds for horizons, and add silhouettes or foreground shapes (trees, buildings, people) to give the sky context.
- Expose for the bright parts: slightly underexpose or bias exposure toward preserving cloud detail so highlights don’t blow out; you can lift shadows later more easily than recovering a pure white sky.
Balancing bright sky and dark land
The classic problem is a bright sky over a darker foreground. Managing that contrast can be done in-camera or later. Graduated neutral density (GND) filters remain a powerful “front-of-lens” solution.
- GND filters: these are half clear, half dark filters that reduce light only in the sky area, letting you capture detail in both sky and land in a single exposure.
- Types of GNDs:
- Soft-edge grads for uneven horizons like mountains.
- Hard-edge grads for clean horizons such as seascapes.
- Reverse grads for sunrises/sunsets where the brightest band is right on the horizon.
- Practical use: align the dark half over the sky using a rotating mount or filter holder, choose a strength (for example 2‑stop, 3‑stop) that brings sky and land within about a stop of each other, and fine‑tune exposure.
Subtle sky enhancement in editing
If the sky is there but a bit dull, local editing is usually enough. The goal is to add depth, color, and texture while avoiding halos and banding.skylum+1
- Global basics: gently reduce highlights to recover cloud details, adjust exposure and contrast, and correct white balance so the sky color looks believable.
- Local tools:
- Graduated/linear gradient over the sky to darken it slightly, add contrast, or tweak color without affecting the foreground.
- Radial tools and brushes to emphasize the sun or a bright patch of cloud, or to selectively boost saturation in part of the sky.
- Detail and mood: use structure/clarity sliders to bring out cloud texture, add vibrance (more than saturation) for richer blues and sunsets, and fine‑tune specific colors with HSL controls.
Sky replacement and AI tools
When the original sky is hopelessly flat or blown out, modern AI tools can replace it entirely. This is powerful, but it moves the image into a more illustrative/creative category, so disclosure and consistency matter.
- How AI sky tools work: software analyzes the image, detects the sky area (often with a 3D depth map), and lets you pick a new sky from presets or your own files; it then handles masking, edge blending, and even reflections in water.
- Popular options: dedicated tools such as Luminar Neo’s Sky AI and plugins or features in Photoshop and other editors offer one‑click sky swaps with controls for horizon position, relighting, and color matching.
- Best practices: use skies that match the direction and quality of light in your scene, avoid oversharp or overdramatic skies that don’t fit, and consider clearly labeling sky‑replaced images in educational or documentary contexts.
Practical tips and a quick lens/software table
A few habits keep sky work looking natural and repeatable.
- Work gently and zoom in: check for halos along the horizon, banding in smooth gradients, and color blotches in heavy edits.
- Match exposure and color: when blending or replacing, adjust brightness, contrast, and color temperature of the sky layer so it fits the foreground.
- Think story first: decide whether the sky is supporting the subject or is the subject, and adjust how bold your edits should be accordingly.
Common tools and use cases for sky work
| Purpose | In‑camera / Gear | Editing tools and methods |
| Preserve detail in bright sky | Slight underexposure, bracketed shots | Highlights/shadows sliders, basic exposure correction |
| Balance sky vs foreground | Graduated ND filters (soft, hard, reverse) | Local gradients, luminosity masks to darken only the sky |
| Add drama and texture | Shoot during changing weather, golden hour | Structure/clarity, contrast, HSL, vibrance on sky only |
| Salvage dull or blown sky | Bracketed exposures, better timing | AI sky replacement (Luminar Neo, Photoshop, others) |
How to: Enhance the sky in Lightroom
These steps apply to current Lightroom Classic and Lightroom (cloud) with the Masking panel.
- Open your photo in Develop and click the Masking icon (dotted circle) on the right. Choose “Select Sky” so Lightroom automatically finds the sky.
- Check the red overlay; if needed, refine it by adding or subtracting with the Brush tool inside the mask.
- With the sky mask active, gently lower Exposure and Highlights, then add Contrast and a touch of Dehaze to bring out cloud detail. Adjust Temperature/Tint if the color feels off.
- For a more natural transition near the horizon, use “Intersect With” → Linear Gradient on the same mask so the effect fades as it approaches the horizon.
- Toggle the mask on/off to compare, then fine‑tune global exposure so the sky and foreground feel balanced.
How to: Enhance or replace the sky in Photoshop
Photoshop offers both simple sky adjustments and full AI‑based sky replacement.
- Open your image, then go to Select → Sky (or use Quick Actions → Select Sky in the Discover panel) to create a precise sky selection.
- Click the Adjustment Layer icon and choose Curves, Levels, or Hue/Saturation; a mask will be created automatically from the sky selection. Use this to darken, add contrast, or subtly shift sky color without affecting the foreground.
- For full replacement, choose Edit → Sky Replacement, pick a preset or your own sky, and adjust brightness, temperature, and edge shifting until the blend looks natural.
- Use the additional sliders to relight the foreground slightly so its color and brightness match the new sky, then confirm and fine‑tune with extra adjustment layers if needed.
How to: Replace/enhance the sky in Luminar Neo (Sky AI)
Luminar Neo’s Sky AI is built for one‑click sky replacement and detailed control.
- Open your photo, switch to the Edit tab, and find the Sky AI tool under Creative.
- In “Sky Selection,” choose a built‑in sky or load your own; the software analyzes the scene, masks the sky, and drops in the replacement.
- Use “Shift” and “Rotation” to align the horizon and clouds, then refine the mask with the Global and Close Gaps sliders to handle trees, buildings, and fine edges cleanly.
- Adjust Relight Scene/Relight Human (if available) so the foreground light and color match the new sky, then tweak Warmth, Brightness, and Haze for mood.
- If the photo includes water, use the reflection and blur options to mirror the new sky realistically in the water surface.
Quiz:
- When enhancing a bland gray sky, which initial adjustment best preserves natural colors in the rest of the image?
- Increase global contrast heavily
- Use a strong vignette to darken the edges
- Crank up global saturation to make the sky blue
- Apply a targeted sky selection and adjust only that region
- Which combination most effectively adds depth to a pale sky with thin clouds while keeping noise under control?
- Use maximum texture and sharpening on the whole image
- Lower highlights globally and boost shadows heavily
- Increase dehaze slightly in the sky mask and add a gentle S-curve
- Raise exposure and clarity globally
- You replaced a washed-out sky with a dramatic sunset. What is the most important next step to maintain realism?
- Match the scene’s white balance and light direction to the new sky
- Increase saturation of the sunset to make it pop
- Add a heavy vignette to frame the subject
- Apply a strong HDR effect to the whole image
- Which approach best avoids halos along treelines when darkening a bright sky?
- Apply global negative highlights and strong sharpening
- Feather the mask edge and use a graduated adjustment with moderate dehaze
- Use a hard-edged mask with strong clarity
- Paint the trees darker to hide the halo
- After enhancing the sky’s blues, the water reflection looks mismatched. What adjustment aligns the reflection with the sky most naturally?
- Lower overall exposure until the water looks darker
- Apply a mirrored gradient mask over the water and adjust blues/cyan to match the sky
- Sharpen the water to emphasize ripples
- Increase global saturation to make colors consistent
Answers:
- D. Targeted sky selection confines edits to the area that actually needs them. You can adjust exposure, dehaze, and color temperature in the sky without altering foreground hues or contrast relationships. This maintains realism and avoids color casts on subjects. It also enables careful feathering and graduated falloff near the horizon so that the transition feels natural, especially around trees, rooftops, or fine details. By keeping the rest of the image untouched initially, you can judge the sky’s look independently and then harmonize the scene with subtle global refinements afterward.
- C. A slight increase in dehaze within a sky mask cuts haze selectively where it forms, improving cloud separation and color purity. A gentle S-curve adds controlled contrast, building perceived depth without crushing highlights or raising noise in shadows. Because the edits are localized, you avoid over-processing the foreground. This balance enhances subtle textures and preserves smooth gradients that otherwise can break into banding when pushed too far.
- A. Boosting saturation alone ignores the relationship between sky color and the rest of the scene; vivid colors without lighting consistency look fake. The correct answer is: Match the scene’s white balance and light direction to the new sky. After a sky replacement, ensure the foreground’s color temperature, shadows, and specular highlights align with the inserted sky. For a warm sunset, warm the overall white balance slightly, add subtle orange highlights, and nudge shadow hues cooler to mimic natural color contrast. Check the direction of light: adjust dodging and burning so that illuminated edges face the sun’s position in the replacement sky. When light color and direction harmonize, the composite feels believable.
- B. Feathering the mask smooths the boundary between sky and subject, minimizing halo artifacts. A graduated adjustment allows the darkening to taper, matching how brightness typically decreases away from the sun. Moderate dehaze boosts contrast in the sky’s haze without overly accentuating edges. If available, use edge-aware masking or refine brush to prevent spill onto the treeline. This approach keeps edges clean and believable.
- B. Global saturation changes won’t specifically align water hues with the sky and can easily oversaturate foliage or skin tones. The correct answer is: Apply a mirrored gradient mask over the water and adjust blues/cyan to match the sky. Reflections inherit color and brightness from the sky, usually with less saturation and slightly lower brightness due to surface scattering. A gradient mask that mirrors the sky’s gradient lets you tune hue, saturation, and luminance of blues and cyans in the water to echo the sky above. Subtle adjustments to white balance and dehaze within the water mask can further harmonize tone and clarity without affecting the rest of the scene.
Next week we’ll discuss:
Where and how to learn more about photography techniques
Previous and upcoming Photography Discussion Roundtable topics:
| Date | Topic |
| 8/4/2025 | Welcome to the world of 35mm photography |
| 8/11/2025 | What is Aperture in photography |
| 8/18/2025 | What is the Golden Triangle? |
| 8/25/2025 | Top photo editing software available in 2025 |
| 9/1/2025 | What is Depth of Field? |
| 9/8/2025 | What is Bokeh in photography? |
| 9/15/2025 | Understanding Lens Focal Length |
| 9/22/2025 | What are leading lines? |
| 9/29/2025 | What is Back-Button Focus? |
| 10/6/2025 | 5 important photography facts that I didn’t know when I started |
| 10/13/2025 | How to shoot in manual mode |
| 10/20/2025 | The different types of lenses |
| 10/27/2025 | All about camera filters |
| 11/3/2025 | On-camera flash vs off-camera flash |
| 11/10/2025 | How to use tripods and stabilizers |
| 11/17/2025 | What is ISO? |
| 11/24/2025 | Film vs digital? |
| 12/1/2025 | How to find and organize your photos in a logical manner |
| 12/8/2025 | Understanding long-exposure photography |
| 12/15/2025 | Enhancing the sky in your photos |
| 12/22/2025 | Where and how to learn more about photography techniques |
| 12/29/2025 | DSLR vs mirrorless cameras |
| 1/5/2026 | The exposure triangle |
| 1/12/2026 | How to develop your own personal photography style |
| 1/19/2026 | Color theory (histograms) in photography |
| 1/26/2026 | Photography ethics in the digital age |
| 2/2/2026 | The future of film and where the analog industry is going |
| 2/9/2026 | How to build a portfolio |
| 2/16/2026 | Photography hints and tips |
| 2/23/2026 | How to take action/motion photos |
| 3/2/2026 | Explaining photography terms |
| 3/9/2026 | Macro photography hints and tips |
| 3/16/2026 | Landscape photography hints and tips |
| 3/23/2026 | Portrait photography hints and tips |
| 3/30/2026 | Night photography hints and tips |
| 4/6/2026 | F-stops and how to use them |
| 4/13/2026 | What are the AE-L, AF-L, and *-buttons? What do they do? |
| 4/20/2026 | White balance explained |
| 4/27/2026 |
https://thediabeticham.com/previous-and-upcoming-photography-discussion-roundtable-topics/
