How to Edit Photos Taken on Cloudy Days
Cloudy days create some of the softest, most beautiful light you’ll ever photograph in, but straight out of camera, those photos can also look flat, gray, and lifeless.
Colors feel muted. Skin tones lose warmth. The image lacks depth.
The good news is that cloudy photos are incredibly easy to fix in Lightroom once you know which adjustments to make.
This guide will show you exactly how to edit cloudy day photos so they look clean, bright, and naturally dimensional without losing their soft, flattering light.
Editing cloudy day photos in Lightroom is simple once you understand how to restore contrast, warmth, and depth while keeping the soft natural light intact.
If you're editing portraits, you may also find our guide to fixing skin tones in Lightroom helpful, since cloudy light can affect color and warmth.
Why Cloudy Day Photos Look Flat
Cloud cover acts like a giant diffuser in the sky. It softens shadows and reduces contrast.
This creates:
- Low contrast
- Muted colors
- Cool or gray color tones
- Less separation between subject and background
While this can feel disappointing at first, it’s actually one of the best lighting conditions to work with because it gives you a clean, flexible starting point.
You’re not fixing bad light. You’re shaping soft light.
What Cloudy Day Photos Need Most
Editing cloudy photos isn’t about dramatic changes. It’s about restoring depth and warmth while preserving softness.
Focus on improving:
- Exposure
- Contrast
- Warmth
- Color depth
- Subject separation
Avoid over-editing. Cloudy photos are naturally soft and should stay that way.
Best Lightroom Settings for Cloudy Day Photos
Every photo is different, but these Lightroom settings are a great starting point for editing cloudy day images:
- Exposure: around +0.30 to +0.70 if the image is underexposed
- Contrast: +10 to +20
- Highlights: -10 to -30
- Shadows: +10 to +30
- Temperature: warm slightly as needed
- Vibrance: +10 to +25
- Texture or Clarity: +5 to +10 if needed
Think of these as starting points rather than exact settings. The amount of warmth, exposure, and contrast you need will depend on the original photo, camera settings, lighting, and white balance.
These adjustments can restore depth and warmth while preserving the natural softness of cloudy light. You can also save your favorite combination as a preset to use on future cloudy photos and speed up your editing workflow.
Step-by-Step: How to Edit Cloudy Photos in Lightroom
Step 1: Raise Exposure Slightly
Cloudy photos often appear darker than they should.
Increase Exposure just enough to brighten the image while keeping highlights intact.
This immediately makes the photo feel cleaner and more alive.
Step 2: Add Contrast Carefully
Because cloudy light reduces contrast, adding some back can create more depth.
Increase Contrast slightly.
Then adjust:
- Highlights: lower slightly if bright areas need more detail
- Shadows: raise or lower depending on how much depth the image needs
This restores natural dimension without making the image harsh.
Step 3: Warm the White Balance
Cloudy light is naturally cool and can make skin tones look dull.
Increase Temperature slightly to add warmth back into the image.
Be careful not to over-warm. The goal is natural warmth.
Skin tones should look healthy and balanced rather than overly yellow or orange.
Step 4: Increase Vibrance, Not Saturation
Cloudy photos often lack color intensity.
Increase Vibrance first.
Vibrance is especially helpful for bringing life back into muted colors without pushing every color in the photo equally.
Avoid heavy Saturation adjustments, which can make photos look unnatural.
Step 5: Use the Tone Curve to Add Depth
The Tone Curve is one of the most powerful tools for cloudy photos.
Create a gentle S-curve:
- Slightly raise highlights
- Slightly lower shadows
This adds contrast while keeping the soft feel intact.
This step alone can transform a cloudy photo.
Step 6: Add Slight Clarity or Texture
Cloudy light can sometimes make photos feel a little too soft.
Increase Clarity or Texture slightly to bring back definition.
Use this sparingly. The goal is subtle structure, not harsh detail.
Step 7: Use Masks to Create More Subject Separation
If your subject still feels a little lost against a flat cloudy background, use Lightroom's masking tools instead of adding more contrast to the entire photo.
Try creating a Subject mask and making a very small Exposure or Shadows adjustment to brighten your subject. You can also create a separate Background mask and slightly lower Exposure or Highlights if the background feels too bright.
These small local adjustments can create more depth and separation while keeping the soft, flattering look of cloudy light.
Optional: Add a Small Amount of Dehaze
For landscapes, skies, or especially gray overcast photos, a small amount of Dehaze can help restore definition.
Start very lightly and increase it only if the image needs it.
For portraits, we usually prefer Contrast, the Tone Curve, and masking instead of heavy Dehaze because too much can make skin tones and shadows look harsh.
The Secret Advantage of Cloudy Day Photos
Cloudy light creates incredibly even skin tones.
There are fewer harsh shadows and fewer blown highlights.
This makes cloudy photos ideal for:
- Portraits
- Family photos
- Lifestyle photography
- Soft, film-inspired edits
Once properly edited, cloudy photos can look beautifully soft, dimensional, and professional without the harsh highlights and deep shadows that can come with direct sunlight.
The Fastest Way to Edit Cloudy Photos
If you edit cloudy photos often, presets can dramatically speed up your workflow.
Presets designed for natural light can help restore contrast, warmth, and color while keeping the softness intact.
You can then make small Exposure, White Balance, or Preset Amount adjustments to match each individual photo.
This creates consistency across your entire gallery.
If you’d like to explore options designed for natural, professional edits, you can shop our Lightroom presets.
Common Mistakes When Editing Cloudy Photos
- Over-brightening highlights
- Over-saturating colors
- Adding too much contrast
- Using too much Clarity or Dehaze
- Over-sharpening
Cloudy photos look best when they stay soft and natural.
FAQ: Editing Cloudy Photos
Are cloudy days good for photography?
Yes. Cloudy light is soft, even, and flattering, especially for portraits.
Why do cloudy photos look gray?
Cloud cover reduces contrast and can create cooler color tones, which may make photos appear flatter until they are edited.
Do presets work well for cloudy photos?
Yes. Presets designed for natural light can quickly restore depth, warmth, and color while still preserving the softness of cloudy light.
What is the best preset for cloudy day photos?
Presets designed for natural light and soft contrast work especially well for cloudy photos because they can restore warmth and depth while preserving the soft lighting. Our Natural Light Preset Collection or the True Color Preset Collection are both great options for cloudy days.
The Takeaway
Cloudy day photos don’t need dramatic fixes. They need thoughtful adjustments that bring back warmth, contrast, and depth while preserving softness.
Soft overcast light can be especially beautiful for portraits, families, lifestyle photography, and film-inspired edits because it gives you an even starting point without harsh direct sunlight.
With the right edits, cloudy photos can become some of the most beautiful and timeless images in your gallery.
