Gritty urban edits

Sean McCormack explains how to boost your cityscape shots with Lightroom tools

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I don't know about you, but I love doing urban landscapes just as much as I love being out in nature and the countryside. The latter traditionally tries to act like man has had no hand in the scene, but being in a city is all about the human influence, from gritty back alleys to city palaces. It could be a row of quaint cottages in a suburb or towering office blocks, or even the juxtaposition of both.

All of that is present in this scene, taken at Birmingham's Gas Street Basin. I love visiting here whenever The Photography & Video Show is on at the NEC and capturing the area as it turns from day to night, with blue revealing its magic. This scene was taken earlier in the day, though, so would benefit from a muted, more gritty look.