What are the most effective ways to use Darktable for photo editing?

2 Adjust the exposure and contrast

One of the most basic and important steps in photo editing is to adjust the exposure and contrast of your photos. You can use the exposure module to correct the overall brightness and darkness of your photos, and use the histogram to check the distribution of tones. You can also use the tone equalizer module to adjust the exposure of different regions of your photos, such as the shadows, midtones, and highlights. You can use the contrast equalizer module to enhance the local contrast and sharpness of your photos, and use the tone curve module to fine-tune the contrast and color of your photos.

3 Correct the color and white balance

Another essential step in photo editing is to correct the color and white balance of your photos. You can use the white balance module to adjust the color temperature and tint of your photos, and use the color picker to select a neutral gray area as a reference. You can also use the color balance rgb module to adjust the color balance and saturation of your photos, and use the color zones module to modify the hue, saturation, and lightness of specific color ranges. You can also use the color calibration module to correct the color cast and gamut of your photos, and use the color look up table module to apply creative color effects.

4 Crop and rotate your photos

Sometimes, you may want to crop and rotate your photos to improve their composition and perspective. You can use the crop and rotate module to crop your photos to a specific aspect ratio or size, and use the angle slider to rotate your photos. You can also use the perspective correction module to correct the distortion and perspective of your photos, such as the keystone effect or the lens distortion. You can also use the liquify module to warp and deform parts of your photos, such as the shape of faces or objects.

5 Retouch and remove unwanted elements

Another common task in photo editing is to retouch and remove unwanted elements from your photos, such as blemishes, dust spots, or objects. You can use the retouch module to clone, heal, blur, or fill parts of your photos, and use the wavelet decompose tool to separate your photos into different layers of details and textures. You can also use the spot removal module to quickly remove small spots or imperfections from your photos, and use the drawn mask tool to create precise selections and masks.

6 Export and share your photos

After you finish editing your photos, you may want to export and share them with others. You can use the export module to export your photos to different formats, such as JPEG, PNG, TIFF, or WebP. You can also adjust the quality, size, resolution, and metadata of your photos during the export process. You can also use the print module to print your photos or create a PDF file. You can also use the slideshow module to create a slideshow of your photos, or use the map module to geotag and display your photos on a map.