How to Fix Eyes in Lightroom Mobile: An In-Depth Guide

Photo editing software like Adobe Lightroom Mobile has simplified the process of editing photos, making it accessible to everyone, anywhere, and anytime. One of the most crucial aspects of portrait photography is making sure the subject's eyes are clear, bright, and captivating. In this comprehensive guide, we'll walk you through the process of fixing eyes in Lightroom Mobile.

Step 1: Open Your Image in Lightroom Mobile

The first thing you need to do is open the image you want to edit in Lightroom Mobile. Open the app and navigate to your photo library to select the photo.

Step 2: Navigate to the Selective Edit Module

Lightroom Mobile provides a set of advanced editing tools under the Selective Edit module. To access these tools, click on the 'Selective' button (represented by a circle with a dotted border) at the bottom of the screen.

Step 3: Add a Selective Edit Brush

Now, click on the '+' button that appears at the bottom of the screen and select 'Brush'. This will enable you to add a brush to the areas you want to edit. For fixing eyes, zoom into the image until the eyes fill most of the screen. This will allow you to work more accurately.

Step 4: Adjust Brush Size and Feather

Before you start painting over the eyes, adjust the brush size and feather to match the size of the eyes. You can do this by dragging the size and feather sliders in the Brush Settings panel.

Step 5: Brush Over the Eyes

Now that your brush is set, paint over the areas of the eyes that you want to fix. For most portraits, this will be the iris and the whites of the eyes.

Step 6: Adjust the Lighting and Color of the Eyes

After you've painted over the eyes, you can now begin to adjust the lighting and color. To brighten the eyes, increase the 'Exposure' and 'Shadows' sliders. To enhance the color of the eyes, increase the 'Saturation' slider. To remove redness or yellowing in the whites of the eyes, decrease the 'Temperature' slider to add a bit of blue.

Step 7: Sharpen the Eyes

Sharp eyes can make a portrait stand out. To sharpen the eyes, increase the 'Clarity' and 'Sharpness' sliders. Be careful not to overdo it, as this can make the eyes look unnatural.

Step 8: Repeat the Process for the Other Eye

For consistency, you'll want to apply the same edits to the other eye. You can do this by clicking on the 'Duplicate' button in the Brush Settings panel, and then painting over the other eye.

Step 9: Apply Overall Photo Edits

Once you've fixed the eyes, you may want to make other edits to your photo. Lightroom Mobile offers a wide range of editing tools for adjusting exposure, contrast, color balance, and more.

Step 10: Save Your Image

After you're satisfied with your edits, make sure to save your image. You can do this by clicking on the 'Share' button (represented by a box with an arrow) at the upper right corner of the screen, then select 'Save to Device'.

Conclusion

Fixing eyes in Lightroom Mobile is a straightforward process that can significantly enhance your portrait photos. With the help of the selective edit brush and the various adjustment sliders, you can brighten, color-correct, and sharpen the eyes to make them stand out. Remember to keep your edits subtle and realistic for the best results. With practice, you'll become more proficient at using Lightroom Mobile to make your portraits pop.