Editing concert photos can feel overwhelming — especially when you're dealing with dark venues, unpredictable stage lighting, and constant movement. As a full-time tour photographer, I’ve faced every editing nightmare you can imagine. Over the years, I’ve created a consistent workflow that helps me edit quickly and deliver high-quality photos, night after night, on the road.
Whether you're just starting out or looking to speed up your post-processing, this guide will walk you through how I edit my concert photography — from RAW import to final export. These tips are optimized for Lightroom, but you can apply the same principles in any editing software.
Before You Start Editing
Before diving into sliders and presets, make sure your files and timeline are clean and organized. This saves time later and avoids unnecessary stress.
1. Import RAW files
Always shoot in RAW. RAW files retain more detail and dynamic range, giving you much more control when adjusting lighting, shadows, and colors.
2. Sync camera time (if using multiple cameras)
Shooting with more than one camera? Sync your timestamps to keep your photo timeline consistent — this is especially helpful when combining wide and close-up angles.
3. Cull your favorites
Flag or star your best shots first. Only edit what you love. This helps you avoid wasting time on weak or duplicate images.
Basic Adjustments in Lightroom
These core steps help build a solid foundation for your edits, especially when working with challenging stage conditions.
4. Set exposure
Adjust overall brightness so the image looks natural. Be careful not to blow out highlights or crush the shadows too early.
5. Fix white balance
Stage lighting is unpredictable — fix skin tones early before you start editing color and contrast. A custom white balance will save you in red or blue lighting conditions.
6. Crop and straighten
Tighten your composition and correct any tilted horizon lines. A clean frame makes a huge difference.
7. Enable lens corrections
Remove lens distortion and unwanted vignettes. This is especially useful for wide-angle shots or smaller venues with weird lighting.
Adjusting Color and Tone
Once your base exposure is solid, dive into the tones and colors to shape the mood of the image.
8. Lower highlights
Recover detail in skin and blown-out lights — especially helpful for LED stage lights.
9. Lift shadows
Reveal hidden details in darker areas like black clothing, hair, or the stage background.
10. Adjust blacks
Play with black levels to add depth and mood. Crushed blacks = dramatic. Softer blacks = natural.
11. Tweak saturation and vibrance
Too much red or blue? Use saturation and vibrance to control color intensity. Use the HSL panel to target specific problem tones.
Using Lightroom Presets the Right Way
Presets are a powerful way to save time and create consistency — especially when you're editing dozens of photos a night.
12. Apply your preset
Use presets as a strong starting point. My tour presets are built for low light, high contrast, and unpredictable venue colors.
13. Match the mood
Adjust white balance, contrast, and tone to suit the vibe of each show. Not every preset will work the same in every venue.
14. Fine-tune with HSL
Use Hue, Saturation, and Luminance sliders to fix tricky lighting, improve skin tones, and make colors feel intentional.
Final Editing Polish
This is where you clean up distractions and prep your images for export and sharing.
15. Noise reduction
High ISO comes with the job. Reduce grain gently, especially in low-light shots, while keeping skin texture intact.
16. Sharpen important details
Focus sharpening on faces, tattoos, instruments, and key details — avoid over-sharpening the background.
17. Spot removal
Use the healing tool to clean up sensor dust, distracting lights, or any unwanted elements in the frame.
18. Export settings
Export high-res files for print and smaller versions (around 2048px wide, sRGB, 80–100% quality) for social media or web use.
Bonus Tips to Make Your Edits Stand Out
- Use masks to highlight the artist.
- Use virtual copies to test bold edits without losing your base.
- Add a soft vignette to guide the viewer’s eye.
- Always double-check skin tones — even under intense colored lights.
- Don’t bulk-sync everything — adjust per lighting setup.
- Zoom out before exporting to see how it will look on social media.
- Use smart filenames (e.g. band_venue_date_your name) for easier organizing.
- Keep a "Best Of" folder for your portfolio and promos.
- Watch for color banding — avoid over-editing gradients.
- Trust your gut. Trends change — your style should lead.
Want My Actual Presets?
If you found this editing guide helpful, you’ll love the Lightroom presets I use on tour. They’re designed specifically for concert photography — fast movement, moody lighting, messy colors — and they help save hours while keeping your edits consistent.
Check out my presets here or send me a DM if you have any questions :)