Adjustment Brush

Term from Photography Editing industry explained for recruiters

The Adjustment Brush is a common photo editing tool found in popular software like Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop. It works like a digital paintbrush that lets photo editors make precise changes to specific areas of a photo, rather than changing the entire image at once. For example, they can brighten just someone's face without affecting the background, or make colors more vibrant in just one part of the picture. This skill is especially important for professional photographers and photo editors who need to deliver polished, high-quality images to clients.

Examples in Resumes

Used Adjustment Brush techniques to enhance portrait lighting in wedding photography

Applied Adjustment Brush for selective color correction in product photography

Trained junior photographers in advanced Adjustment Brush editing methods

Typical job title: "Photo Editors"

Also try searching for:

Digital Photo Editor Retoucher Photography Post-Production Specialist Image Editor Photo Retoucher Digital Imaging Specialist

Example Interview Questions

Senior Level Questions

Q: How would you approach editing a large batch of photos while maintaining consistency?

Expected Answer: A senior editor should discuss workflow organization, creating and using presets, establishing editing standards, and quality control processes. They should also mention training others and maintaining efficiency.

Q: How do you handle difficult client requests for photo editing?

Expected Answer: Should demonstrate client communication skills, ability to manage expectations, explain technical limitations in simple terms, and provide alternative solutions when necessary.

Mid Level Questions

Q: What's your process for using the Adjustment Brush to enhance portraits?

Expected Answer: Should explain their systematic approach to portrait enhancement, including skin smoothing, eye brightening, and selective lighting adjustments, while maintaining natural looks.

Q: How do you ensure your edits look natural and not over-processed?

Expected Answer: Should discuss checking work at different zoom levels, using appropriate brush settings, working with layer opacity, and maintaining original image integrity.

Junior Level Questions

Q: What are the basic settings of an Adjustment Brush that you commonly use?

Expected Answer: Should know about exposure, contrast, clarity, and other basic adjustments, and explain when they would use each one.

Q: How do you determine which areas of a photo need local adjustments?

Expected Answer: Should be able to identify common areas needing enhancement like faces, shadows, or highlight areas, and explain basic decision-making process.

Experience Level Indicators

Junior (0-2 years)

  • Basic photo enhancement techniques
  • Understanding of basic editing tools
  • Simple portrait retouching
  • Basic color correction

Mid (2-4 years)

  • Advanced retouching techniques
  • Efficient workflow management
  • Consistent style maintenance
  • Multiple adjustment tool mastery

Senior (4+ years)

  • Complex photo manipulation
  • Team training and supervision
  • Client relationship management
  • Advanced workflow optimization

Red Flags to Watch For

  • No knowledge of industry-standard editing software
  • Unable to show portfolio of edited work
  • Lack of understanding about color theory
  • No experience with deadline-driven projects
  • Poor attention to detail in sample work

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