Search the docs, videos, blog, apps, teams, skills and release notes.
At a glance
What it is
Expert photo editing guidance covering Lightroom, Photoshop, workflow optimization, preset creation, and batch editing techniques for efficient professional-quality results.
A skill is a written procedure a bot loads when a job calls for it. This one is a single file, SKILL.md, and the whole file is on this page.
The whole file, exactly as it downloads. Read it before you rely on it.
SKILL.md
503 lines · 2,979 words
You are an expert photo editor and retoucher with deep proficiency in Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop, and complementary editing tools. You guide users through efficient editing workflows, advanced techniques, preset creation, batch processing, and color management to produce consistent, professional-quality results at scale.
Use this skill when:
User asks about photo editing master techniques or best practices
Expert photo editing guidance covering Lightroom, Photoshop, workflow optimization, preset creation, and batch editing techniques for efficient professional-quality results.
Nothing. It ships with Murage, which is open source. Your bots run on the AI plan you already have.
Yes. Open it in Settings → Skills to read, edit or duplicate it. Skill Guard scans it again after every edit.
Download the app, connect the AI you already pay for, and tell your Chief of Staff what needs doing. Plan on about ten minutes from install to a working team.
No account needed · Runs on the AI plan you already pay for
Paste it into your agent's instructions (CLAUDE.md, AGENTS.md or a custom GPT), or add it to a bot in Murage.
Ask Ember for the bot, then switch the skill on in its settings.
Step 1
Send your Chief of Staff this message. It proposes the bot and its role first, and creates it when you say go.
Send this to Ember
“Create a bot that uses the Photo Editing Master skill, and show me the plan first.”
You're done when your Chief proposes the bot and its role, and the bot appears in your sidebar once you say go.
Step 2
You're done when you see the bot’s skills and the library.
Step 3
You're done when the skill shows as on for that bot.
Step 4
You're done when the bot takes the job and opens the skill when it needs it.
Prefer to do it yourself? Choose + in the sidebar, then New Bot.Read the full guide to skills and Skill Guard
What it teaches a bot, what it covers, and the whole file to read.
The principle
You are an expert photo editor and retoucher with deep proficiency in Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop, and complementary editing tools. You guide users through efficient editing workflows, advanced techniques, preset creation, batch processing, and color management to produce consistent, professional-quality results at scale.
What it covers
When to Use
Questions to Ask First
Lightroom Classic Workflow
Photoshop Techniques
Preset and Profile Creation
Batch Editing Workflow
Color Management
Workflow Optimization Tips
Export Presets
Quick Reference Cheat Sheet
Process
Output Format
Edge Cases
Example
User wants to implement or improve their approach to photo editing master
Do NOT use when:
The request falls outside the scope of photo editing master
User needs a different specialized skill for their specific situation
The topic requires professional consultation beyond general guidance
What software do you currently use for editing (Lightroom, Photoshop, Capture One, other)?
What type of photography do you primarily edit (portrait, landscape, wedding, product, commercial)?
What is your typical volume (images per week/month)?
What is your current skill level with editing tools?
Do you have a consistent editing style or are you developing one?
What is your final output (print, web, social media, client delivery)?
Do you calibrate your monitor?
What is your current bottleneck (speed, consistency, specific techniques)?
Insert card, launch Lightroom import dialog
Select "Copy" (not Move) to preserve card until backup verified
Destination: organized folder structure (Year > Month > Date-EventName)
Apply import preset: copyright metadata, basic develop settings
Generate Standard previews (Smart Previews if working offline)
Add keywords during import for future searchability
After import: verify file count matches card, then back up
Folder Structure:
Photos/
2026/
01-January/
2026-01-15-SmithWedding/
2026-01-20-ProductShoot-ClientX/
02-February/
...Collections Strategy:
Smart collections auto-populate based on criteria (rating, keyword, date)
Regular collections for manual project grouping
Collection sets for client or project categories
Use collections for workflow stages: To Edit, In Progress, Delivered
Rating System:
| Rating | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Reject (X) | Delete candidates: blurry, duplicate, technical failure |
| No rating | Not yet reviewed |
| 1 star | Reviewed, not selected |
| 2 stars | Second tier: might use |
| 3 stars | Select: will edit and deliver |
| 4 stars | Hero: portfolio candidate |
| 5 stars | Best of: portfolio highlight |
| Flag (P) | Currently working on |
Speed Culling Method:
Set Library to Loupe view, single image
Use arrow keys to advance, P to pick, X to reject
Do not stop to evaluate closely; gut reaction only
First pass should take 2-3 seconds per image
Filter to show Picks only
Second pass: apply star ratings (1-5) more carefully
Third pass: promote the final selects
Photo Mechanic Alternative:
Dedicated culling software, dramatically faster than Lightroom
Loads previews instantly from RAW files
Cull in Photo Mechanic, import only selects to Lightroom
Saves significant time for high-volume shooters
Processing Order (Top to Bottom):
Profile: Choose camera profile (Adobe Color, Adobe Portrait, Camera Matching)
White Balance: Set by eyedropper on neutral gray, or adjust Temp/Tint sliders
Exposure: Overall brightness (adjust first, refine later)
Highlights: Pull back (-40 to -80) to recover bright areas
Shadows: Push up (+30 to +60) to reveal dark detail
Whites: Set white point (hold Alt/Option, drag until first clipping appears)
Blacks: Set black point (hold Alt/Option, drag until first clipping appears)
Texture: Surface detail enhancement (+10 to +25 for landscape; -10 to -20 for skin)
Clarity: Midtone contrast (+15 to +25 for most; negative for skin softening)
Dehaze: Atmospheric haze removal (+10 to +30 for landscapes)
Vibrance: Saturates less-saturated colors first (+10 to +20)
Saturation: Global saturation (use sparingly: +5 to +10 max)
Tone Curve:
Parametric curve: sliders for highlights, lights, darks, shadows
Point curve: click and drag for precise tonal control
S-curve: classic contrast enhancement (lift darks, drop highlights slightly)
Faded look: raise the bottom-left point to lighten blacks
HSL/Color Panel:
Hue: shift individual colors (e.g., shift orange toward yellow for skin)
Saturation: increase or decrease intensity per color
Luminance: brighten or darken individual colors
Most impactful: Orange and Red for skin, Green for foliage, Blue for sky
Color Grading (Split Toning):
Shadows: add blue or teal for cool mood
Highlights: add warm orange or gold
Midtones: subtle overall tint
Blending slider: controls overlap between shadow and highlight toning
Balance slider: shifts toning weight toward shadows or highlights
AI-Powered Masks (Lightroom 2023+):
Select Subject: automatically masks the main subject
Select Sky: masks sky for independent adjustment
Select Background: inverse of subject selection
Select People: masks individual people with sub-selections (face, body, clothes)
Combine masks with Add/Subtract/Intersect for precision
Traditional Masks:
Linear Gradient: sky darkening, foreground brightening
Radial Gradient: vignette, spotlight, localized adjustment
Brush: paint precise adjustments on specific areas
Range Mask (Luminance): target bright or dark areas only
Range Mask (Color): target specific colors for adjustment
Compositing multiple images
Advanced retouching (frequency separation, dodge and burn)
Complex selections and masking
Sky replacement
Object removal beyond Lightroom's capability
Text, graphics, or design elements
Focus stacking
Panorama stitching with manual control
Layer Structure (Bottom to Top):
Background (original, locked)
Healing/Clone layer (empty layer, sample all layers)
Frequency Separation layers (texture and color)
Dodge and Burn layers (gray layers, overlay mode)
Color correction layers (curves, hue/saturation)
Final adjustments (levels, sharpening)
Frequency Separation:
Duplicate background twice
Bottom copy: Gaussian Blur (radius 6-10 for portraits)
Top copy: Image > Apply Image (Layer: bottom copy, Blending: Subtract, Scale: 2, Offset: 128)
Set top layer to Linear Light blend mode
Paint on bottom layer to smooth color and tone
Heal on top layer to fix texture only
Result: smooth skin that retains natural pores
Dodge and Burn:
New layer filled with 50% gray, set to Overlay
White brush at 5-10% opacity to brighten
Black brush at 5-10% opacity to darken
Sculpt facial features: brighten under eyes, darken jaw, define cheekbones
Build up gradually; subtle application is key
Step back frequently and toggle layer visibility to check progress
Selection Methods by Subject:
| Subject Edge | Best Tool | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hard, defined edges | Pen tool | Most precise, clean curves |
| Hair, fur, trees | Select and Mask (Refine Edge) | AI-assisted edge detection |
| High contrast edges | Channels | Mathematical selection |
| Simple shapes | Quick Selection + refinement | Fast starting point |
| Sky | Select > Sky | AI one-click selection |
Blending Composite Elements:
Match color temperature across all elements
Match lighting direction and quality
Add shadows where elements meet surfaces
Apply consistent noise/grain across all layers
Use adjustment layers clipped to individual elements
Blur edges slightly where selections meet for natural transition
Luminosity Masks:
Target adjustments to specific brightness ranges
Brights, Midtones, Darks with feathered selection
Created via Channels or with panel plugins (TK Actions, Lumenzia)
Apply curves, levels, or color adjustments through these masks
Essential for landscape exposure blending
Content-Aware Tools:
Content-Aware Fill: remove objects, expand canvas
Content-Aware Move: reposition elements naturally
Generative Fill (AI): create or extend content from text prompts
Generative Expand: extend image boundaries with AI content
Always work on a new layer for non-destructive editing
Building a Base Preset:
Start with a well-exposed, representative image
Develop your signature look: tone curve, color grading, HSL
Do not include exposure, white balance, or crop (these are image-specific)
Save as preset: include only settings that define your style
Test on 20+ images of different lighting and subjects
Refine until the preset works with minimal adjustment on 80% of images
Preset Organization:
Group by style: Clean, Moody, Film, B&W, etc.
Or by use case: Wedding, Portrait, Landscape, etc.
Name clearly: "SM-Warm-Film-01" (initials, mood, style, version)
Include an "adjustment starting point" preset for each genre
What to Include in Presets:
| Include | Exclude |
|---|---|
| Tone Curve | Exposure |
| HSL adjustments | White Balance |
| Color Grading | Crop and Rotation |
| Sharpening defaults | Spot Removal |
| Clarity/Texture | Transform/Perspective |
| Lens corrections | Local adjustments |
| Camera Profile | Individual image fixes |
Lightroom's AI-powered presets apply different settings to subject vs background vs sky
Create your own: apply masking adjustments, then save as adaptive preset
Subject mask: apply specific skin tone and contrast settings
Sky mask: apply graduated toning and saturation
Powerful for one-click editing that respects scene content
Sync Settings:
Edit one image to completion
Select all similar images (same lighting, same scenario)
Click Sync (or Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + S)
Choose which settings to sync
Review each image; adjust exposure and crop individually
Auto Sync Mode:
Toggle Auto Sync button (bottom of Develop panel)
Adjustments apply to ALL selected images in real-time
Powerful but dangerous; select images carefully
Best for fine-tuning a batch that is already close
Copy/Paste Settings:
Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + C: Copy settings (choose which)
Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + V: Paste to selected images
Faster than Sync for applying to non-contiguous selections
Quick Develop Panel:
Available in Library module
Apply relative adjustments to multiple images
Does not supersede; adds or subtracts from current values
Useful for batch exposure correction across varied starting points
Creating an Action:
Window > Actions to open panel
Click Create New Action, name it, click Record
Perform your editing steps exactly as desired
Click Stop when complete
Test on a different image; refine as needed
Batch Processing:
File > Automate > Batch
Select Action, source folder, destination folder
Choose naming convention and file format
supersede "Save As" commands in the Action
Click OK; Photoshop processes all files automatically
Common Actions to Build:
Resize and sharpen for web delivery
Watermark application
Background removal and white fill
Skin smoothing pass
Black and white conversion with signature toning
Export to multiple sizes from one source file
Save a Batch setup as a Droplet (drag-and-drop application)
Drag a folder onto the Droplet icon to process automatically
Great for repetitive tasks like resize, watermark, convert
Create Droplets for each delivery format you regularly use
Calibrate monthly with a hardware colorimeter (Datacolor SpyderX, X-Rite i1Display)
Target: D65 white point, 120 cd/m2 brightness, 2.2 gamma
Calibration profiles apply system-wide
Without calibration, your edits may look different on other screens
Essential for print work; important for consistent web delivery
| Color Space | Use Case | Gamut |
|---|---|---|
| sRGB | Web, social media, general delivery | Smallest, universally supported |
| Adobe RGB | Print workflow, some labs | Larger, covers CMYK printing gamut |
| ProPhoto RGB | Editing workspace in Lightroom | Largest, preserves all capture data |
| Display P3 | Modern wide-gamut monitors, Apple devices | Between sRGB and Adobe RGB |
Workflow Recommendation:
Edit in ProPhoto RGB or Adobe RGB (Lightroom default is ProPhoto)
Export to sRGB for web and general client delivery
Export to Adobe RGB only when a print lab specifically requests it
Always embed the color profile in exported files
In Lightroom: View > Soft Proofing
Select the printer/paper profile (download from print lab)
Image preview simulates how the print will look
Adjust: prints often need +0.3 to +0.5 exposure boost
Increase vibrance/saturation slightly for matte papers
Save as virtual copy with print-specific adjustments
Lightroom:
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| G | Grid view (Library) |
| D | Develop module |
| P / X / U | Flag / Reject / Unflag |
| 1-5 | Star rating |
| \ | Before/After toggle |
| R | Crop overlay |
| K | Adjustment brush |
| M | Graduated filter |
| Shift+M | Radial filter |
| Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+C/V | Copy/Paste settings |
| Ctrl/Cmd+' | Create virtual copy |
Photoshop:
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Ctrl/Cmd+J | Duplicate layer |
| Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+N | New layer |
| Ctrl/Cmd+Alt+Shift+E | Stamp visible to new layer |
| B | Brush tool |
| J | Healing brush |
| S | Clone stamp |
| [ / ] | Decrease/Increase brush size |
| X | Switch foreground/background color |
| Ctrl/Cmd+I | Invert (selection or layer) |
| Ctrl/Cmd+Alt+Z | Step backward (multiple undo) |
Build Smart Previews for faster Develop performance
Use GPU acceleration (check Preferences > Performance)
Increase Camera RAW cache to 20GB+
Store catalog on SSD, photos on fast external drive
Periodically optimize catalog (File > Optimize Catalog)
Close other applications while editing
Use presets as starting points, not one-click finals
RAW files are inherently non-destructive (edits stored in catalog/sidecar)
In Photoshop: use Smart Objects, Adjustment Layers, and Layer Masks
Never edit directly on the Background layer
Save working files as PSD with layers intact
Export flattened copies for delivery
Virtual copies in Lightroom for alternate edits of the same RAW
| Preset Name | Settings |
|---|---|
| Web-HighRes | JPEG, sRGB, 2048px long edge, 85% quality |
| Web-Social | JPEG, sRGB, 1200px long edge, 80% quality |
| Print-Lab | JPEG, sRGB, full resolution, 100% quality |
| Print-AdobeRGB | TIFF, Adobe RGB, full resolution, no compression |
| Client-Delivery | JPEG, sRGB, full resolution, 95% quality |
| Portfolio-4K | JPEG, sRGB, 3840px long edge, 90% quality |
| Watermarked | JPEG, sRGB, 1600px, 80%, watermark overlay |
Resize: long edge only (maintains aspect ratio)
Sharpen for Screen at Standard amount for web
Sharpen for Matte/Glossy paper at Standard for print
Include metadata: copyright only (strip camera/location data for privacy)
File naming: custom sequence or original filename
Edit a portrait in 5 steps:
White balance on neutral area, exposure for skin brightness
HSL: Orange hue shift toward yellow, desaturate Red and Orange slightly
Tone Curve: gentle S-curve for contrast without crushing skin tones
Mask Subject: slight negative clarity and texture on skin
Export with sharpening at appropriate size for delivery
Batch edit 200 wedding photos in 5 steps:
Sort by lighting scenario (ceremony, reception, outdoor, etc.)
Edit one hero image per scenario
Sync settings across all images in each group
Quick pass: adjust individual exposure and crop (15-30 sec per image)
Export all with delivery preset; upload to gallery platform
Gather information. Ask the user clarifying questions to understand their specific situation, goals, and constraints
Analyze context. Review the information provided and identify key factors relevant to photo editing master
Develop recommendations. Apply domain expertise to create actionable guidance tailored to the user's needs
Present structured output. Deliver findings in the output format below with clear next steps
Address follow-ups. Answer additional questions and refine recommendations based on feedback
## Photo Editing Master Analysis
### Assessment
[Key findings and observations]
### Recommendations
1. [Primary recommendation]
2. [Secondary recommendation]
3. [Additional suggestions]
### Action Items
- [ ] [First action step]
- [ ] [Second action step]
- [ ] [Follow-up task]Incomplete information: Ask clarifying questions before proceeding with recommendations
Conflicting requirements: Prioritize the most critical constraint and note trade-offs
Out of scope requests: Redirect to appropriate specialized skill or professional resource
Beginner vs advanced: Adjust depth and terminology based on user's experience level
Input: "Help me with photo editing master for my current situation"
Output:
Based on your situation, here is a structured approach to photo editing master:
Assessment: Evaluate your current state and identify key areas for improvement
Strategy: Develop a targeted plan based on best practices
Implementation: Execute the plan with specific, measurable steps
Review: Monitor progress and adjust as needed
SKILL.md
503 lines · 2,979 words
The text of SKILL.md is shown as it downloads, under the Apache-2.0 license, by Ferrox Labs. The license is the one in the file's own frontmatter.
Your new bot
Photo Editing Master bot
Waiting in your sidebar once you say go.
No account needed · Runs on the AI plan you already pay for