Month: April 2026

Today’s Question: Do we need to be careful to only switch to 8-bit as a last step in editing [in Photoshop]?

Tim’s Quick Answer: In general, I recommend only converting to 8-bit per channel (rather than 16-bit) with a copy of the original image and after flattening that image.

More Detail: I strongly recommend leveraging 16-bit per channel processing for your images in Photoshop, rather than 8-bit per channel. This ensures the maximum available tonal and color values for the image. If adjustments are applied to an 8-bit per channel image there is a risk of posterization, or the loss of smooth gradations of tone and color. This is a particular concern for black and white images.

So, when processing a raw capture and opening it in Photoshop, I recommend keeping it in the 16-bit per channel mode. This is handled via the Workflow Settings in Camera Raw or the External Editing Preferences in Lightroom Classic. Save the image with all layers intact as a 16-bit per channel image as a TIFF or PSD file.

When you want to create an 8-bit per channel image, either export a copy with the desired settings, or create a duplicate within Photoshop. In the latter case you can choose Image > Duplicate Image from the menu, turning on the “Duplicate Merged Layers Only” checkbox so the duplicate will be flattened. This is very important to ensure the conversion to 8-bit per channel mode occurs after adjustments have been applied to the pixel data.

You can then convert the derivative image to 8-bit per channel mode by choosing Image > Mode > 8 Bits/Channel from the menu. You can then perform any other tasks, such as to resize to different pixel dimensions, and then saved the resulting derivative image in the desired file format.

Today’s Question: I have a photo where the sky is washed out (but not blown out) due to high overcast clouds and relatively bright lighting. I think this was somewhat exacerbated by the foreground being boats on the ocean, with a lot of light reflecting off the water. What would you recommend for adding some color or detail to the sky using Lightroom Classic?

Tim’s Quick Answer: In this type of situation, I recommend using a mask in Lightroom Classic, using the Color control to add a tint to the sky, and possibly reducing the value for Exposure and refining other adjustments as needed.

More Detail: There are a variety of things you could do to deal with a washed-out sky, including completely replacing the sky using another photo by creating a composite image in Photoshop. However, as long as the sky isn’t completely blown out, you can generally add some color and possibly darken or add contrast as needed. This would involve adding a mask so the adjustment only affects the sky.

In many cases you could obviously use the Select Sky mask option so the adjustment would only affect the sky. However, in many cases, especially with a relatively straight horizon, using the Linear Gradient option works very well. This enables you, for example, to have the adjustment taper off toward the horizon for a more natural look.

Once you’ve added either a Sky or Linear Gradient mask, you can apply the targeted adjustments. I recommend starting with the Color adjustment, which is often missed as it isn’t especially conspicuous. By default, the color swatch will appear as a white rectangle with a black “X” on it. Click that swatch to bring up the color picker, and click within the gradient to select a good shade of cyan or blue for the sky. Click the “X” at the top-left of the color picker to close it.

You can then apply other adjustments as needed. Often a slight reduction in the Exposure value will help, but you may also want to enhance contrast such as by increasing the value for Clarity or by adjusting the other tonal value adjustments such as Highlights, Shadows, Whites, and Blacks.

As needed, you can go back and forth between refining the layer mask and fine-tuning the adjustment settings until you are happy with the result. For example, if you used a linear gradient for the mask, you can reposition or adjust the size of the transition based on the adjustment you’ve applied, or you can modify the adjustments to better match the area being affected based on the mask.