Shot a person from below? Fix the perspective with a few clicks

Something came to my attention recently thanks to some feedback from close friends. This was called “Fixing the Keystone” or “Keystoning” and it simply means making sure that your verticals are vertical and horizontals are horizontal.

A very simple concept and also one which architectural photographers will have been on top for decades.

Here’s how you can fix the problem in just a few clicks!

As a portrait/fashion photographer, it might not actually be something you think to fix when you’re caught up in the moment. With colour grading, spot healing and sharpening your images for clients it’s an easy thing for some of us to overlook.

Here’s a before and after:

First things first decide whether you’re going to fix this issue pre or post raw and use it either as the base file or the final product.

I prefer to fix it in post at the end of everything so that if I decide to change my mind later on, all of my healing and DB work isn’t wasted. I take the same approach with Liquify (though in some situations it makes sense to fix the file first to save yourself work later on).

If you’re fixing it in Lightroom or Photoshop (Capture One detailed below) you simply select the keystone icon and follow the steps below. To open the Adobe Camera Raw panel in Photoshop click on Filter>Camera Raw Filter.

Once at the raw processing screen click on the Keystone icon (1) and then the Guided button (2).

Now move your points (circled in red) to the outermost vertical and horizontal points within your images and watch the magic happen!

For Capture One users you can press “K” or click on the lens panel (1), then under the Keystone (2) area click the Keystone icon (3). Drag your points (4) to the outermost vertical and horizontal points and then click apply (5).