Have you ever wondered how you can give your photos that look that is more unusual? In this tutorial, put together by landscape photographer and Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop master James Abbott, he’ll show you how to create an ethereal look for your photos.

So what does ethereal mean? Simply put, ethereal is a light, delicate look that’s a little bit out-of-this-world, maybe even just that little bit spooky or supernatural. It is particularly trendy in photography, and you’ll find many presets on the market where you recreate that look instantly.

However, take the time to learn how to create the look yourself from scratch. It’ll be far more rewarding as you’ll be able to refine and tweak the look to exactly how you'd like it to look and generally build on your post-production skills - which will come in useful across any type of photography you do.

In this tutorial, James shows you how to use simple tools in Lightroom to create an ethereal look, using an example from a winter forest image. This aesthetic works particularly well for outdoor photography, especially on foggy, murky or overcast days. However, it’s worth experimenting with different types of conditions and other genres of photography; with a little bit of experimentation, you’ll no doubt find a style that is perfect for you and your photography practice!

So, get started by watching the video tutorial below, and try it out for yourself!

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If you're looking to create more new looks for your photos, find problem-solvers for common photo editing issues, or challenge yourself with new techniques, take a look at our growing collection of Lightroom tutorials available on Focus.